The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-02-05

#A
WASHINGTON, February 3,-Thc i'm.
coschment question continues TO be the.
,hsorbing theme OF conversation here.
That which is below set forth is substaa-
ally a correct statement Of the facts
Known to.nlght:
General Butler is reported to have said
today to several Of his acquaintanccs who
c.ued on him that he is not in favor of n
T,rthcr action by Congress in the matter
~ impeachment. The proposition did
well enough for e~lectioaecring purposes,
INT il would not do for Congress to attempt
10 carry il out. T
Senator's Sumner and Wilson also stated
Yesterday, in q private conversation, tha,
they are opposed to the impeachment pro-
,ect. Very generally Ii is conceded tha,
The number of members of Congress who
nppASc the further prosecution of the I'M
rcachment has greatly increased, and
therefore there are many who suppose that
the House will not adopt articles of i'm.
,aachment, even if the Judiciary Com
M.;,ec should report such articles.
But. nevertheless, it is a fact, all state
ncntS to the contrary notwithstanding,
that the Judiciary Committee have been
engaged in procuring testimony looking to
fmpcachment, and I'm warranted in re-
t~tcrating my paragraph or that subject in
your paper of Yesterday. | can state, in
addition, that no testimony on behalf Of
the President is expected TO be offered be-
fore the committee.
There are but twenty-three of the i'm
pracherS proper-or those who are actively
and theoretically working up a case against
NJ. Johnson. These members Justify the
-cmoval OF the President upon the higher
Jaw theory, and accord in full with Wen
lsll Phillips as to the political necessity Of
iryoSing Mr.. Johnson.
Many of the political friends of these
men. however, admit that, strictly pursu-
NJ the legal definition and purport Of the
language of the Constitution-viZ., "Trea-
son, treachery, and other high crimes and
mtSiemeanorS," there is no evidence ex-
raut that viii sustain articles of impeach-
ment, in view Of the rule of law that penal
statutes must be construed strictly, and
that they cannot be extended by their
spirit or equity TO other offences than those
clearly described and provided for.
But the promoters of the scheme be-
lieve that the end sought to be accom-
plished ~justiies the means they have
adopted, which consist of a pro lorna i'm
peachment by the House and immediate
suspension of Mr.. Johnson in the exer-
else of his official functions. Unless,
therefore, it can be found by a previous
canvass or counting of noses that there is
= majority of the House in favor Of this
plan, no attempt will be made to adopt
articles of Impeachment, and the Judici-
ary Committee will merely report the tes-
timouy that shall be taken. Should the
number OF opponents OF impeachment in
crease in the coming week in the ratio Of
their gain last week, the scheme will be
ahandoned.
In the mean time the action of the Re-
construction Committee is awaited with in
together at 9 O'Clock yesterday morning,
and it was expected that they would bring
in a report to Congress in the afternoon,
but they have doubtless been unable to
agree upon a plan, though it is understood
that a majority of the members concur
upon the main features OF a practicable
measure, which, if adopted by Congress,
will be acceptable TO the southern people,
and will speedily settle the difficult ques-
tIon Of reconstruction.
The committee on the New Orleans riots
have concluded the investigation, and are
preparing their report, which, it is under
stood, VIII be very severe upon the New
Orleans authorities, but substantially eX-
onerates Mr.. Johnson from guilty compli-
CITY in the affair.