The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-02-08
-,u. ". lMatR e A9qH MlREtAiGGeu--,ur-
ieas Statement Regarding
Butler ct. al.
! Washington (26th JAM Correspondence Cincin-
/ matt Commercial (Republican.)]

! Washington (26th JAM Correspondence Cincin-
natl Commercial (Republican.)]
Some time since, writing on the subject of
impeachment, / spoke of Mr.. Ashley and
Ben Butler as rivals for the leadership of
the movement. and wondered how they
meant to settle it between themselves so as
10 determine who should wear the laurels
when the victory was won. | have since
learned enough to convince me that / was in
error in this particular, and as | wouldn't
knowingly do injustice even 10 so poor
thing as an Ashley, | hasten to make the
correction. Mr.. Ashley is not a rival of But
Ter. he is an ambitions man, and yet his
ambition is SO finely tempered with modesty
that he is willing to play the role of heuten-
ant to the hero of Bermuda, as it IS the OBJ
ject of the present writing to show.
In the same letter in which l deplored
rivalry which seemed to me to threaten the
peace and welfare of the 'loyal'' family, |
spoke of Butler as having two objective
points in the next congress-President
johnson one of them and General Grant the
other. / have recently come into possession
of information which fully bears me out in
this assertion, while at the same time it
proves conclusively that / was in error in
charging Ashley with competitive designs up
on Butler. here 1t Is.
1t will be remembered that about q month
ago Mr.. Ashley offered a resolution in the
house of representatives directing the Judi
| ciary committee to inquire if any officer of
the United States had been guilty of high
| crimes or misdemeanors within the meaning
of the constitution, or had conspired TO sub
vert the constitution of the United States
| This looked at the time, certainly to me,
and, think, to most others, rather like the
/ evasion of a direct charge against the Presi-
| dent, then an attempt to make it more com
| prehensiye, and to include others haoietr that
| unhappy gentleman know that most oil
those who referred to the subject in CONVEX
sation at the time, so regarded it, There
| was one gentleman, however, on the floor of
| the house OF representatives, who, as If bv
| inspiration. saw through it the instant it was
| offered, and construed Alright the poisonous
malice it concealed under an apparently
harmless coating of words. The presenta-
| ton OF such resolution, whose coming had
not been heralded by any previous announce
ment or intention, and was known but to-
halt dozen members, very naturally threw
the house into a temporary confusion, and
created quite stir on the republican side
What the public already knows on the sub
ject Is only what transpired in the way OF
not come under that head, is the important
part that shows the animus of the movement.
As soon as the resolution was read Mr.
bingham jumped from his seat and went over
to Ashley, to whom he addressed some very
strong language, asking him what he meant
by such proposition as that, and why he
oidn frame 1t to apply to the President only,
instead OF making it a drag-net to include
every officer of the government. Ashley
hesltated while, affected knavisf smile.
and replied that ''he guessed it was all right
mo. 1t isn't all right" said Bingham. dts
stab at General Grant, and no such malici.
Gus thing shall go through the house if can
help it" Suppose it does include Grant,
said Ashley. "Can't we investigate his con-
duet tool can't we impeach him if he has
peen guilty under the resolution ?" Bingham
looked at Ashley moment and replied in
nervous wrath, ASHLEY, you're fool Don't
YOU know that you can't impeach any but