The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-04

always vacated by their occupants on such
occasions), without experiencing q thrill Of
admiration for his commanding presence, his
vigorous lungs and his vapid utteranees.
But II is as a statesman that Mr.. Ashley
presents the strongest claims upon his party
to be its candidate for the Presidency. He
alone OF all the great men that compose "the
noblest party ever formed" foresaw the ne
cessity of impeaohing President Johnson. In
his brain the project was conceived, and from
his lips was delivered. At first his party
associates failed to appreciate his wisdom, but
he persisted, and within the last week had
the satisfaction of hearing his own ideas en-
bodied in a report of the majority OF the mem
bers of the Judiciary Committee, and presented
to the House Of Representatives, with the
added resolution that the President should be
impesohed at once. What greater triumph
could he RskG
His testimony before the Judiciary Com
mittee stamps him as no ordinary man, the
equal in shrewdness, the superior in adroit-
ness of the late lamented Lincoln, whose grave
a certain criminal lawyer of this city yesrns
to deseorate. When before that Committee
he evinced most charming forgetfulness of
having written letters which, in his own
handwriting and bearing his own signature,
were shown to him by his examiner, Hon.
Charles A. Eldridge. Thrice he was asked If
he had not stated to the members of the
House of Representatives that he had in his
possession evidence which would implicate
Mr. Johnson in the assassination Of Mr.. Lin
ooln and as often evaded a direct answer,
until, pressed beyond possibility Of evasion,
he emitted the following reply the only
parallel to which in the English language is
the lucid testimony of Mr.. Samuel Weller, in
the famous case of "Bardwell VS.. Piokwick:"
"Itwas not that kind of evidence which would
satisfy the great mass OF men, especially The
who do not concur with me in my theory
about this matter; have had theory about 1t;
have presented ali the facts that knew any
thing OF in reference to this matter to General
Butler, since his committee was formed espe-
cially charged with this matter, and have
talked to him and given him Whatever tnfoI-
nation had and my convictions-suspicion
If you villas to Mr. Johnsons completely In
the assassination; was led to believe by the
Statements OF Baker and other men, that there
were letters in existence to show JOhnson's
guilty knowledge; SO far as this committee was
concerned, as made no specific charge against
the President on that head, l did not care to say
anything TO the committee about II; would
not make the charge on bare suspicion, but
had statements coming to me from variety of
sources which brought me to believe that John
son had guilty knowledge, either before or
after the fact; was anxious to get any evidence
to maintain the chargesI had made, and did
not see very well how general conspiracy
could have existed and guilty knowledge OF
the great crime of assassination without some-
thing else being disclosed to maintain the
charges which were already before the COM
20. State to the committee any knowledge
JDal you nave OF MT. JOnnSOhB COmpllclby III
the assassination of Mr.. Lincoln. and which
you have withheld from this committee A.
have not had a living witness that could pre-
sent or should have come to the committee
with him; have given General Butler all the
matters that I regarded as of suffi Client import
ance, to let him look them up and see whether
there was anything in them or not"
Doubtless, the Tribune remembers the let
ters of Ashley prostituting his official position
in Congress, and arranging to get his dirty
share of political and profitable plunder out of
the pockets of the people, few years ago.
Here, then, we have embodied in one man all
the moral theories with the immoral practices
of the party of which Mr.. Ashley ia an acknow-
lodged leader. II this does not entitle him to
the radical nomination for the Presidency, then
words are nothing, for the Tribune has declared
again and again within the last two months
that no man ought to be the candidate of the
Republican party who does not embody its
distinctive principles and that it will support
no other. How then can it avoid urging the
claims of the great man whose name we have
placed at the head of this article T