The Portland daily press., 1867-11-30
Letter from the National Capital.

ri psT-a WAsHINGToNlD.C Nov &C. 1867.
To the Editor of the Press. a11 10 brsi4g 8 -,...
In the classic language of Nasty when al
luding to his commission as p. NJ, " at larst
1t has conceive hev it, The Judiciary
Committee after long and laborious effort
has disgorged, and the electric messenger has
already announced to you that their verdict is
forimpeachment. AT the end of eleven hum
dred and sixty closly printed octave pages of
testimony we are told that Andrew johnson
has been guilty of high crimes and misdemean-
ors and ought to pc impeached. This action
OF the Committee has taken almost everybody
by surprise. For seve raj days the rumors in
regard to their proceed ings and final vote have
been both numerous and contradictory; but
it was generally understood that five out of
the nine members had voted in favor of in-
definitely postponing the whole matter. Such
indeed was the case at their meeting on the
10th instant, but on Friday last Mr.. Chure hell
ofNew York changed his vote, thus throwing
the majority on the other sside. 1t had been
announced that the subject was to come up in
the Honse yesterday and long before the h our
of meeting, the galleries and every available
square foot of standing room were as depsely
anatomical structure OF the species could well
admit of. ii4 f. 90 a2de1- -.'iis2i'' H.
After the announcement by the Speaker Of
the Standing Committees for the session. and
Hibernian speech from Mr. Robinson of
New York, on the scandalous treatment of
American travellers and citizens, by John
Bull and Charles Francis Adams, Mr. Bout
well obtained the floor and asked leave to Law
before the House the report of the majority
ofthe Judiciary Committee and the evidence
pertaining thereto. Fl" 'h non" TFo"iFai
Ii Gabriel had unexpectedly sounded his
trumpet, the transition from confusion TO the
profoundest silence could not have been more
sudden and complete The long-expected mo-
ment had arrived; the impeachment project
had eliminated and as the Clerk of the
House commenced reading the ponderous mass
of manuscript sent 70 his desk, the silence was
so intense that in that vast assemblaee one
might have heard the stealing of a pocket
handkerchief Scarcely member stirred from
his seat as the reading progressed, but all
seemed absorbed in the important document
before them. The moment the reading was
concluded, the galleries broke out in mingled
applause and Kisses and it was some time and
after many thumps of the gavel before the
Speaker, under threats of clearing the galle-
RES and causing the offenders to be arrested.
could control the ebullitions of the crowd.
for the purpose of enabling the House to more
iuny comprehend the case from study of the
tes'nhony, MIR. Boutwell, at once moved that
the iurther consideration of the isubiect he
postponed to week from Wednesday whom
the battle will begin in earnest 81 So, : ~
Notwithstanding it had seemed 70 bo 49,,
ined in advance, that the subject of ;,,r,a.,.l,
ment would not be tolerated, 1 find ,bat 60
the report of the committee the sentiment - |
its favor is fast gaining ground. The reasons
urged in its favor are considered too wcightv
to be ignored, and it now seems quite probable
that the measure will be carried through the
House and laid before the High Court Of
Impeachment--the Senate. The friends of tie
measure ] are claiming majority of thirty
votes in the House 5 .0., tr .n,,,.
REDUCTION OF THE REGULAR ARMY
Mr.. morrill,, Of Maine, in the Senate vestsr-
day, and Mr.. Blaine simultaneously" yes9r-
House, offered resolutions for the redSs, ~ the
the Military Peace Establishment NJ, vi
Blaine's resolution proposes a commsso,, IT.
three members on the part of the Senate and |
three on the part of the House, with the Cen
eral OF the Army, to report plan of reoroan |
ization. At present there are sixty Regiments
in the regular service, and each regiment costs
the government about million of dollars in |
gold every year. These resolutions contem-
plate reduction to thirty regiments-tbus
effecting saving of some thirty millions a |
year, and at the same time leaving much
larger standing army than we had prior to the |
rebellion. III |
NEW CANDIDATE FOR sEReEANr-AT-A ARMS.
Quite movement is being made to GUST the |
present Sergeantat-Arms of the Senate-Mr, |
George L. Brown, of Illinois. His competitor |
is Gen Burbridge, of Kentucky, pentlemon
whose record throughout the war was most
brilliant, and who by his early and consistent
loyalty has brought down upon his head the
direct vengeance of the rebels of that State |
to such an extent that he is fairly banisbed |
from his home A few weeks ago his brother.