The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-04-03

| sions given decisions in regard to acts Of Con-
gress affecting the general welfare, lmpugnlng
| then quoted.
But he feared (turning to the Chief Justice)
| that he was treading on dangerous ground.
He asked Senators would they. allow any
question of the consttutionaGty OF this law to
enter into the trial Of an executive officer who
wilfully violated il in advance Of any decision
by any courL2 It may be colltended that he
suspended Mr.. Stanton to test the constltu-
tionality of this law, but we will show that this
| ia subterfuge. For one year ne made no at
tempt to test that low. He boldly announced
to the general of :e army his purpose to 7lo-
late it. He attempted to seduce the command
er of this department from bis allegiance to
the laws-to persuade him to carry out his re-
youtionary designs.
Who can say that Andrew Johnson ls not
guilty Of high crimes and misGemeanors TO
wilfully violate a law after it bad been IN force
g. year, without being question: ed by any court;
to attempt 10 remove, IN defiance OF law, u
meritorious officer of the government. these
Senator'S, in the face OF all the facts coSo s glve
verdict of not guilty, woulo, it not ID sell
abnegation, q tacit admission Of the inability
of the representatives Of the people to frame
laws for their guidance? .
The creation Of the Department Of the At
lantic was alluded to- The respondent attempt
ed to bribe Lieut.. Gen. Sherm an with brevet
| eeneralship. Sherman spurn3d the brlbe, and
he then offered it to Thomas who spurned it
likewise. What was the object of this2 Clearly
to get General Grant, with whom he had quar-
relied, out of the way. About this time=for
these events all eliminated about the I'D OF
February-he appointed Lorenzo Thomas as
Secretary Of War, and ordered Stanton to va.
cate. Thomas went arounl the hotels OF
Washington Dragging that he would turn Stan
ton out, that he would kick bim out, evidently
expecting his master would he able to do this.
The President then sends for General Emory
and consults him in regard to the number and
disposition Of troops around Washington.
What was his object in this? Clearly to as
certain if he could use them, and when Gen.
eral Emory called his attention TO the clause OF
a bill which provided that all orders must come
through the general of the amy, and then the
respondent attempts to maks this officer be-
lieve that the law in question is unconstltu-
tional, and he is not bound bT it.
In relation to the 10th article, charging the
spect
At this point, 2.55 P. NJ, On motion OF Mr..
Wilson, the court took a recess for ten min
utes. :,
at 3.O5 P. NJ. the Chief Justice again called
the court to order.
Mr.. Butler resumed-The President, in an
swer to this article, declares that he felt him,
l
that it was his right. BE denies, however,
that he said anything unbecoming the chief
magistrate Of the United States, or intended to
bring the Office into ridicule and disgrace. We
accept tho issue. Let us Hrst consider his
right to denounce Congress MS body hanging
on the verge of government, pretending, to be
q Congress when it was not u Congress, &c. IL
NAV be taken as IN axiom that no usurper has
ever seized upon the Legislative branch of the
government until he has faIniliariZed the peo-
Die with it by denunciation.
MIR. Butler then criticised the speeches OF
the President made at Cleveland. He (Mr. b.
must be pardoned for speaking of the manner
in which the President had alluded to his
predecessor, the s4inted Lincoln. He would
20 no further. he might proceed dd dnGusealna,
but he would not.
Mr. Butler then commented on the recon-
struction policy OF the President and his oppo-
sition to that Of Congress. He has attempted,
by military order, to prevent the execution OF
the nets of Congress, and h0 asserts now that
he has the absolute power over every officer OF
the army and the navy. The responsibility is
now-w you (thc SenatG) The House OF
Representatives has done it's duty; it has
brought the criminal to your bar. II Andrew
johnson goes free, never again can N the repre-
sentatives Of people attempt TO stay tne
usurpation OF ruler.
MIR. Butler then closed with thanks to the
Senate for their attention.
MIR, Bingham said the managers Of the
House were ready to proceed with the testimo-
nv in support Of the articles OF Impeachment,
and that his associate MIR. WILSON, will take
charge of this.
Mr. Wilson said he had the exhibit OF the
evidence. He would first submit the official
oath taken by Andrew Johnson, as President
of the United States, and the deposition OF
Salmon P. Chase, Chief Justice Of the United
States, before whom it was taken. and would
also submit certificate from the Assistant
Secretary Of State, F. W. Seward, OF the oath
taken. he would also submit the original
nomination Of MIR. Stanton as Secretary Of
War by Mr.. Lincoln.
He next offered and would read the action OF
the Senate in executive session, in the nomina-
ton OF MIR. Stanton, consenting to the same
he would next offer copy of the communica-
ton made to the Senate december II, lSoI, py
the President, assigning his reasons Tor the
suspension of MIR. Star ton. BE would not
read it, as it was very lengthy, unless desired.
Mr.. Stanbery-Read it.
MIR. Wilson then proceeded to read the mes
It4.2OP OP. NJ, Mr.. Sherman asked MIR. Wilson
70 give way while he submitted motion.
Mr.. Stanbery said the counsel for the Presi
dent waived the further reading Of the docu
ment.
Mr.. Sherman then moved that the Senate
sitting as a High Court Of Impeachment, ad
journ.
MIR. Sherman-To the usual time.
Mr.. Sumner-Say 10 o'clock.
MIR, Johnson-Our rules don't permit it.
Mr.. Sherman-I make The motion to adjourn
to the usual time. =,
The motion was put t.nd carried, and tn
Chief Justice declared the court adjourned.
TUESDAYS PROCEEDINGS.
A Washington. correspondent writing on Tues
day evening says: "The circumstances Of tn
trial to-day were MT such as to bring out
thoror gh exposition of the legal opinions en-
tertained by Judge Chase. Whether the
shall hereafter prove 10 be fully up to tn
standard indicated in these dispatches or not
nevertheless sufficient evidence seems to hav'
been given to the minds Of the extreme Radi
calls to exercise themselves, and cause threat
To be made by some to impeach the Chief Jus
tice; and it is asserted Go-night by the friend
of General Butler that he proposes to prefe
charges against Judge Chase for alleged as
sumption of powers that do not pertain to tn
Office of Chief Justice. Your correspondent
does not vouch for this report as correc
representation of General Buffers purpose;
but it comes from creditable source, and il
given merely az reporT.