Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-05-19
Wire Pulling.

up IN tue Cenate ON TUESDAY laSe, NeH3eoa
HENDERSON, of Missouri. who had been
counted one of the faithful, boited the Radi-
cal track, and denounced the iniquitous pro-
iect For this he was taken in tow by the
delegation from his State in the lower House,
who tried to force him to violation of his
oath. Rather than do this, he proposed to
resign, but after giving the subject mature
reflection, he Withdrew this proposition, and
addressed the following letter to the parties
who were trying to control him -
WAsH1NeToN Cry. d. G. May IA, 1868.
Gentlemen: In an interview with you on
the day before yesterday you suggested that
my position on the impeachment question was
against the almost unanimous wish of the
Union party of our State, and that you feared
violence and bloodshed might follow the
Presidents acquittal Inasmuch as owed
my position here TO that party, and expected
to support its men and measures in the coming
canvass especially, and as l deprecated the
consequences you thought might follow,
though did not anticipate nor fear any such
results, yet, in order to place myself beyond
the possible censure of those whom knew
to be my best friends, / at once proposed to
forward to the Governor my resignation as
Senator. To this you did not consent, and
then requested you, as my friends. to consult
together, and determine what you thought
was proper for me to do under the circum-
stances You did so and the result was that,
believing 'sthe safety of the country and tho
interests of the loyal people of the United
States demand the removal of Andrew john
son." you ask me to withhold my vote on any
article of Impeachment upon which you Cd
cannot vote affirmatively. So soon as had
time to read and consider this paper | found
/ could not comply with the request without
that degree of humiliation and shame to
which, was satisfied, you, as honorable men,
would not wish to subject me. had already
spoken in the Senate, and thought con-
clusively, at least so to my mind, against eight
of the articles, and had informed you that
was no less decided in my Judgment against
the sufficiency of two others, leaving me in
doubt only as to one. If, with these clear
convictions expressed in full Senate, l should
now sit silent, l would forfeit my own self
respect and stand defenseless before the world.
You agreed to reconsider your opinion as
expressed, and although you at first resolved
to adhere to it, I am gratifed that upon fur
Their reflection you agreed with me that the
request was quite unreasonable, but you in
sisted, as your opinion, that my duty required
my vote to be SO cast or Withheld as might
seem necessary on some one article as to Sc
cure conviction. / at once mentioned the
difficulty, attending this suggestion. Sena-
tors had been and were still so reticent on
the subject that could not ascertain their
positions. / knew them to be greatly divi-
ded on the several articles, and they were
even liable to change their minds at any mo-
ment before the final vote should be taken.
But as you expressed desire that | should
not resign unless it became absolutely neces-
sary to have successor in my place 1avora-
BILE to conviction, 1 promised to give you the
result of my conclusions so soon as | could
ascertain the probable result on one or two
of the articles. l have endeayored to ascer-
tain that result. l cannot, and now write
You to say, and be assured that say it in a
spirit of friendship and kindness which you
have always extended to me, and which, now
undiminished, [ have ever entertained for
you, that your request on this subject has
placed me in the most difficult and delicate
possible position. 1 am satisfied you do not
realize it. have given it the most serious
consideration, both on your and my account,
and especially on account of the gravity and
importance of the subject presented.
The result of that consideration Is, that
having been compelled, as member of the
Senate, to take an oath to try this case and
to do impartial justice according to the law
and the evidence, [ cannot now honorably
escape the duties imposed by the obligation.
1t was for the House of Representatives to
prefer articles of impeachment-it is for the
Senate to try them and the members of the
House have no more right to dictate or con-
troll the Judgment of the Senate in the prem
Uses than members of grand jury presenting
an indictment have to dictate or influence the
verdict of the petit jury on the trial of crime.
And I do not thus speak for the purpose of
rejecting on your action, for distinctly dis
claim such purpose, knowing, as [ do, that
what you have done and said springs from
the best Of motives as well as the kindest of
feelings. My duty in the premises L cannot
shirk, nor can divide it with others.
If resign before the conclusion of the
trial, it strikes me that l come short of the
obligations of my oath, and necessarily sub
ject myself to the imputations of weakness, or
something worse. If l remain and do my
duty my constituents at present may con-
denim me, but will not when they hear my
reasons, and the people of Missouri have no
reason, hope, to strike me down without
hearing. If l stay and withhold my vote, as
requested, you are aware that the result would
be the same as if 1 voted adversely. If l
resign and successor should come, perhaps
a proper sense of delicacy would prevent him
from violating every precedent on this subject
by casting a vote at all. If he sat silent, it
would be the same in result as if he voted adj
yersely.
If he voted afffrmatively, and thus secured
conviction, this manner of obtaining convic~
ton would likely neutralize in the end every
advantage to be derived from impeachment.
Hence have resolved to remain at my post
and discharge my duty as it is given to me to
know it, and appealing to Heaven for the
rectitude of my intentions and the integrity
of my conduct, shall follow the dictates of
- 100000 "a AZ o.,L &c th;c +-;al md