The Sun.
London, England, 1868-06-02 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING JUNE 2, 1868.

iTHE, SENATE COURTS SECOND VOTE
ON IMPEACHMEN7'.

The votes on the Second and Third Articles of
Impeachment have, we believe, decided the PRE-
SIDENT'S Acquittal—although an underhand game is
open, which, unscrupulous as are the Managers,
they. scareely dare to play. Our intelligence, although
not complete, throws a light on the dark places into
which conjecture could not correctly guide us, and
we will endeavour briefly to trace the events as
they occurred. On Monday, the 11th M:ty, after
finally agreeing to the rules, a few of the Senators
availed themselves of the fifteen minutes allowed to
each to deliver their opinions. Although the ses-
sion was secret, what the doubtful said was eagerly
awaited and quickly conveyed to the news-devour-
ing throng outside, whence it spread abroad to the
extremities of the United States. Senators TRUM-
BULL,FESSENDEN, G RIMES, and HENDERSON delivered
strong opinions against Impeachment. TRUMBULL
and FESSENDEN are two of the leading lawyers of
the United States, the former st4nding almost un-
rivalled iu the opinion of his fellow-citizens. The
intelligence produced a revulsion, which extended
over the entire country. On Monday WADE was
all, and ANDREW JOHNSON naught; on Tuesday
WADE was naught, and ANDREW JOHNSON all.
Then began that storm with which party pressure
in America, like the pressure of a relentless hurri-
cane, bends or breaks beneath it all opposition
that is not founded on a rock. The next day, on
the plea of Senator HOWARD'S sickness, the Court
adjourned till Saturday, the 16th instant, when,
in evident fear and trembling, the eleventh Article
was selected by the Impeachers, after carefully
scrutinizing every indication of divergence in
opinion, as the one on which to risk the test. BEN.
WADE, with that total disregard to equity, to all
the rules that propriety, judicial wisdom, and com-
mon sense have laid down, not only gave his vote,
but declared that if he had twenty votes he would
give them all. As the direct effect was to make
himself Acting President, he might have added to
this candid statement the assurance that he would
as freely give the national posts, when in his
power, to make himself the incoming Vice-Presi-
dent. The vote, however, acquitted the PRESI-
DENT, and Senator GEORGE W. WILLIAMS, of
Oregon, moved the adjournment until the 26th inst.
The Chief Justice, considering the motion to be out
of order, interfered, but Senator CHARLES B. DRAKE,
of Missouri, appealed to the Court, and the Senate
overruled the Chief Justice, carrying the motion by
32 to 21. On no other count could the Senate then
expect a different result, and to the majority, undyr
the circumstances, it appeared advisable to bring
the influence of the Chicago Convention to bear on
the Republican Senators who bad voted for acquit-
tal. The necessity, also, at that time, was urgent for
certain Senators to be released to forward their in-
terests at Chicago, which furnished another reason
for the recess. The Convention met, named GRANT
for President, and COLFAX for Vice-President, and
approved the Impeachment of ANDREW JOHNSON.
Again the Senate assembled as an Impeachment
Court last Tuesday. Every disturbing influence
had been removed. Jealousy of WADE, and the
dread of his using the Presidential patronage to
forward his nomination at Chicago had ceased.
The Republican party hal approved, through the
National delegates, the Impeachment, a powerful
condemnation of the course of the independent Re-
publican Senators. The Second and Third krtieles
were selected, because, as in the case of the Eleventh,
they were the most promising of the remaining ten,
and the facts on which they were based were un-
deniable. Again came the solid, unchanged vote
on each, 35 to 19. No other vote was allowed,
for it would but have increased the nineteen ; the
the Court, therefore, adjourned sine die, leaving
the remaining eight yet open. What has led the
Senate to adopt this coarse ? Every indication
shows that the Impeachment party have been totally
discomfited. On Wednesday, the day following
the PRESIDENT'S acquittal on the Second and Third
Charges, STANTON resigned, and Adjutant-General
LORENZO THOMAS took possession of the War-office
ad interim. This is the fruit of victory ; these are
the enemy's artillery left on the field of battle.
While the war raged no one heard of STANTON,
though he was in truth a principal, and his official
head has been whipped off, as the executioner of an
Eastern Potentate would decapitate by a skilful
stroke of his sabre, the head of an offender. Although
the Impeachers in the Senate were not sufficiently
strong to convict and depose the PRESIDENT, they
were strong enough to carry any measure which re-
quired only a majority, and using this power they
have successively postponed the verdict to bring
every strain upon the Republican Senators who
have strayed from the fold. But why, when these
tactics have failed, further delay the decision ? It
is just possible that some of the most unscrupulous
may consider it worth trying whether the na-
tion would permit the introduction into the
Court, of the Senators from the reconstructed
Southern States, as openly advocated by Co-
lonel FORNEY in the columns of the Philadel-
phia Press. Judging from the tone of the leading
and most respectable journals—knowing the senti-
ments of the moderate men, and even of those who
hold extreme party views, but who hold higher still
truth, justice, and honour, we believe that if the
War-Horse section dared to try this, they would
bring down on their heads the wrath of the nation.
It is not easy really to rouse Uncle SAM. He is
beyond comparison a more indulgent and equitably
tempered person than JOHN BULL, but when he is
roused he hits very hard. There are crowds of po-
liticians who profess to speak for Uncle SAM.
Sometimes they get up so loud a cry that people
are deceived into the belief that it is his voice,
though it's a voice scarcely ever heard. There are
indications that Uncle SAM is annoyed, ashamed,
and disgusted with a section of his greedy, unscru-
pulous, and uncontrolled children. If they do this
thing they may get a slap in the face that will send
them flying into the Potomac. The iniquitous
pressure brought to bear on the Senators who dared
to form opinions independent of those dic-
tated to them by their party has excited
a deep and lasting disgust, which has been
freely expressed by perhaps the most influential
portion of the national Press. The very fury of
the attack tended to defeat its object. It strength-
ened the resolution of the weak, for men who see
martyrdom before them, brace themselves with a re-
solve which sometimes turns a poor thing into a
hero. Senator GRIMES, who is described in revolt-
ing terms in the New York Tribune, truly expressed
the opinion of the country, " that if JouNsoN,
WADE, and STANTON were in a -bag and well
shaken, he would not flip a copper' for a choice be-
tween them." High as the excitement rose at the
focus of intrigue,
Washington, where the crowd of
players awaited the result of their moves, the na-
tion cared not a straw for any of them. Glorious
BEN was regarded as an unscrupulous, unsafe man,
in the highest degree dangerous as the leader of the
War-Horse section ; JOHNSON has never been liked,
being repudiated by both parties ; but if anything
could have elevated him in the opinion of his fellow
citizens, it is the calm and dignified way in which
he has met the Impeachment persecution. He has
established the truth of a fact lie proved in Tennes-
see, that he is better qualified to take a good
and conspicuous place in the midst of enemies
than in the midst of friends ; in a strong tide
of misfortune than when floating on the stream of
prosperity. STANTON till Wednesday, when he was
decapitated, had totally sunk out of notice, no-
body caring a rush about him. He was put forward
as the instrument by the enemies of the PRESIDENT,
and having failed he is thrown aside, and certainly
the army will consider him a good riddance. That
this end has been as unexpected by those most in-
timately concerned as by the world is shown by
their action. President JOHNSON ordered his old
homestead at Greenville, Tennessee, to be tho-
roughly repaired and refitted, and for some time
past workmen have been diligently employed, being
hurried in their labours by repeated orders from
Washington, and a few weeks ago he sent a portion
of his baggage to New York. Secretary SEWARD also
sent off his trunks to Auburn, and WELLES and
M'CULLOCH took similar steps ; but the event may
yet justify the Secretaries, as we elsewhere show.
The New York World published a letter of President
JEFFERSON'S, wherein he thus refers to the sedition
law :•••." I affirm that Act to be no law, because it