Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-12-05
IMPEACHMENT.
Testimony before the Impeachment
Committee-The Crimes and Mis-
demeanors of Andrew Johnson.

Committee-The Crimes and Mis-
demeanors of Andrew Johnson.
The testimony taken by the Judiciary
Committee of the House, looking to the
impeachment ;of the President, is very
voluminous. We present herewith some
of the most striking statements:
DEsERTERs PARDoNED, ON CONDITION
THAT THEY VOTE THE DEMOCRATIC
TICKET.
g. +. Capehart, of Washington, testi-
fled that in the fall of 1866 he applied TO
the President, through Col. McEwen,
late Medical Director, U. S. A., for the
pardon of five deserters living in WASH
ington County, Pcnnsylvania. The off
Ger. of the regiment to which these men
belonged refused to doanything for them.
A letter was written TO the President,
giving the facts in the case and stating
that the district i'm which they lived was
very close, Lawrence (Rep.) and Mont
gomery Dem. being the opposing can
didates for Congress. 1t was added that
a very few votes would turn the scales in
favor of Montgomery. He did not know
who wrote the letter. 1t was taken to
the President at IL o'clock A. NJ, and at
3 p. N. on the same day messenger came
from the Adjutant-General's office with
five distinct orders, restoring these men,
with their full pay and allowances
There was letter received afterward
by Col. McEwen from Montgomery, sta
ting that their votes would help him con-
siderably, and would probably, with the
influence he was using, cause his election.
A promise was exacted from these men
before receiving their pardons that they
would vote the Democratic ticket, and
this,fact was stated in the letter that was
written to the President. 1t was said
that they were his friends, and would
vote for him, and that, under the laws of
Pennsylvania they were disfranchised.
Thomas b. Florence was connected with
the case, assisting Col. McEwen, and the
witness believed that Florence carried
the papers to the President. He was told
by Col. McEwen that the condition of
their voting for the Democratic ticket
was a precedent to their pardon. Col.
Florence told witness that the President
Endorsed the application, and
ed the pardon of the men.
Col. McEwen testified that, in his Ca
pacity as claim agent, he was interested
in procuring the pardon of 1913 men who
deserted from the national army in Vir-
ginia. He applied to Mr.. Andrews, of
Berkeley County, West Va, Democratic
candidate for Congress. Mr.. Andrews
replied i'm the form of letter to President
johnson, saying that it would be mat
ter of great political Importance to have
these men restored; that they nearly all
lived in his (AndrewsO district, and the
majority of them would vote the Demo-
cratic ticket. McEwen gave this letter
to II. B. Florence, who said he would at
tend to the matter. A few days later he
.aA lnir rin rrI,
This happened three or four days before
the election in Andrews district. He
paid Florence 81 900 for his services.-
The aggregate amount of pay recovered
by the deserters OH receiving their par
dons was full S75, 900. The pardons came
through the Adiutant-General's Office,
and were signed e. D. Townsend, Asst
Adiutant- General, October 81, 1866
The envelope was addressed DIR. M. Nc
Even, care of Hon. T. B. Florence
Witness undertook the case solely as q
business transaction. He denied Cape
hart's statement relative to the five Penn
sylvania deserters, and said he never saw
Florence about them at all.
The following is the letter addressed to
the President by Mr.. Andrews relative
to the 1893 West Virginia deserten:
To His Erceuency ANDREW JOHNSON, President
Of the United States:
SIR-The accompanying list embraces the
names of nearly two hundred soldiers who are
disfranchised by the charge of desertion The
great majority of them reside in my Congress
ional district. 1t would be doing me a great ser
vice to have the charge removed, and thus ena-
BILE them to vote at the approaching election
The contest will, without doubt, be a very close
one, and feel well assured the restoration of
these men will result in my election, provided
it can be done Immediately.
Col. II. b. Florence admitted his agency
as testified by Capehart and McEwen, in
securing the pardon of the Pennsylvania
and West Virginia deserters. He never
had talked personally with the President
on the subject, but talked with Bob john
son about it, and first took the papers to
the War Department. He did not be-
lieve the President ever saw the letter.
He declined saying whether he was paid
for his trouble. Secretary Stanton was
recalled to ascertain the correctness of
Florences testimony, and testified that
the papers above mentioned came to him
indorsed by the President, the indorse-
ment directing the pardon of the men,
aud that, in accordance with his order,
he transmitted the documents to the
Adjutant-Generalt to issue an order in
conformity with the Presidents COM
mands. '.