The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1867-02-20
Imp eachment.

STATEMENT REGARDING BUTLER, ASHLEY
AND STEVENS.
correspondence Cincinnati Commercial
.. WASHINGTON, January 80.
1t will be remembered that about a
month ago, Mr.. Ashley offered a resolu.
ton in the House Of Representatives di>
recting the Judiciary Committee to en-
quire if any officer of the United States
had been guilty Of high crimes or INSIDE
meancrs within the meaning Of the Con
stitutou, or had conspired TO subver, the
Constitution Of The United States. This
'ooked at the time, certainly, to me, and,
| think, to most Others, rather like the
evasion Of direct charge against the
President, than an attempt to make il
more comprehensive, and 10 include 9th.
ers beside that unhappy gentleman. t
know that most Of those who referred 10
the subject in conversation at the time, so
regarded it,
There WAS one gentleman, however on
the floor OF the House of Representative,
who, as if by inspiration, saw through
it the instant it was offered, and constru
ed Alright the poisonous malice it conceal
ed Under and apparently harmless coating
Of words. The presentation Of such a
resolution, whose coming had no; been
heralded by any previous snnoun ncement
or intention, and was known but to half
= dozen members, very naturally threw
the House into a temporary confusion,
and created quite a stir on the Repub'i
can side. What the public already knows
on the subject is only what transpired in
the way Of regular business, but the Ivy.
play, that did not come under that head,
is the important part that shows the ani.
mus of the movement.
AS soon as the resolution was read Mr..
Bingham jumped from his neat and wen,
over to Ashley, to whom he addressed
some very strong language, asking him
what he meant by such a proposition as
that, and why he didn't frame it to ap,
pIv to tho President only, instead Of ms.
king it drag ne, to include every officer
Of the Government. Ashley hesitated n
time, affected = knavish smile, and replied
thai III. guessed it VAS all right" mo.
it isn't all right. said Bingham. It's a
stab at Gen. Grant, and no such malicious
thing shall GO through the House II can
help t." Suppose it does include
Grant" said Ashley, cant We investigate
his conduct ,ooa and can't We impeach
him il he has been guilty under the res
oIution r Bingham looked at Ashley a
moment and replied in nervous wrath :
"AsIliey, you'te a fool. Don't you know
that you can't impeach any but civil
officer Of tlIe Government under the Con
s.itutiop!"
About this time quite group had col,
lscted where the coIloquy was being held.
and Thad. Stevens. scen,ing breeze had
come over to avert a storm. Addressing @
him, Bingham asked what was the mean
ing OF this damnabls ass ault upon Gen.
Grant. "Oh, nothing" said Stevens in
his insidious way-"only we want 10 i'm
Vestigase some charges recently made
against him. don't see why Graot
should be free from Investigation any
more than johnson. He's just as bad as
Johnson Bingham again denounced
what be termed very aptlv"a foul con = pi
racy against the chief officer of the Army
OF the Republic" and he gave the few
friends OF the resolution who were around
him fair warning that IL they passed it
he should expose the cowardly proceed
ing as il deserved. BY tais time the res
o'ution had "gone over" as the parlia,
mentary phrase IS, from refusal Of the
House 10 suspend the Iules. ..........
y. Quiet had been restored on the floor
and the business Of the day was quietly
proceeding. Bingham addressed Ashley
in the presence Of several members, in
language like this: "Tell the homes,
Truth uow,who ins,igsted that rssolutioni
"Why, what makes you think II wasn'
my owuf' inquired Ashley. Because
said Bingham, "Ikpow there is too IN mucl
cdnning in it for you, and III be. yor
anything you dare iha, Thad. Stevens O.
Ben. Butler either wrote il or dictated IL
spirit" Ashley again protested aeains
BiOgham's right to question the author
chip; and Bingham again repeated III.
there was too mach crsf and desie,
about il for anybody but Stevens o
Butler. .. -". .s
What from BinohanI eayn..,noss