Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1868-04-17
Impeachment.
District.
Committee

lhe impeachment trial was resumed
Thursday moon. before an assemblase great.
or IN numbers than has been present before !
during any OF the proceedings. Every gal.
lrry was erammed in the benches aud aisles. /
and many OF the ladies were b. ilIiintiy
dressed General Sherman was present.
listening closely throughout. and close be- 4
eide him was his isther in. law, the Hon.
Tbomss Ewing, while the Secretary OF III.
Treasury and several others OF the Presi.
dents adhercnts and friends were presen,
and attentive.
The Managers put in The letter of Adi !
"eni. Lorenzo Thomas. accepting the office
OF Secretary OF war od interim.
MIR. Foster Blcdeett, an ex .pos,ma,ter OF
Augusta. Georgia. was The next witness
and ties fled that he had been suspended
from office three months ago by the Pre.i.
dent, but he did not know that the reasons
Tor his Suspension had ever been sent 10 tie
Senate. Mr.. Butler asked permission 10
verify this omission by The records Of the
Senate, and in reply to a question from
Mr.. Stanberry rs to which oithc articles of
impeachment this postmaster matter came
under, said that the managers in their clos.
ing arguments would enlighie the question.
CIR on that point
Judge Curtis then arose-a formid,ble
array OF authorities spread on the table he
lore him and began his argument at
quarter before Ohe O'Clock. As il was de
lvefed very slowly and with n manner
rather weighty and impressive than ANNA
ted ana rs n was utterly without rhetorical
pretension, bat made up entirely of solid
legal reasoning the argument proved rather
hash dose for the ladies in tie rsllerie,
who soon gave up the attempt TO look in
terestCd, and devoted themselves 70 insner,.
ing each other and the scene. Tho S,n
aiors. however, generally gave ve.y close
attention, and many of them moved their
chairs TO get within easier bearing distance
OF the speaker.
Perhaps the neares, approach 10 popp.
lar or sensational point was made when
Judge Curtis read from the Globe extract.
from tie speeches of Mr.. ScLcnck aud
senator Sherman in regard to the intent Of
the tenure OF Office bill. ia which Mr.. Sbcr
man sand that it was not intended 20 keen
MIR. Stanton IN Office and that the language
was SO framed as no; to apply TO the present
President, and expressed his opinion tia,
no Secretary would be so wanting in honor
as 10 wish 10 remain in office against ,h.
wishes OF the Executive.
Alr. Curtis. said that tue chief charge
against President johnson was for the re
moVai OF Mr.. Stanton. lie argued thai
Mr. ,. was not included IN the pro, iSions of
the tenure of office act because he wa. no,
MT. Johnson's arpointee. bat the appoin,ce
of Sir. Lincoln. He claimed thar Il wa,
not the intention Of Congress to include
Mr.. Stanton. and read from the renort Of
Mr.. sehenek's and Senator Sherman's re.
marks explaining what the conference com.
miitec bad done to sustain tbs point The
hrst dniy oi President IS to consfrue an
act, and Mr.. johnson and has cabinet then.
construed the tenure Of office act NJ
Gurus claimed that under the act OF 1883
the President could remove a cabinet officer
without the concurrence OF the Senate.
Mr.. Curtis claimed that President John.
son not only bad the right 20 remove Serre.
tsry stanton. but it was proper aud necrs
sary fOr him 10 30 50. The President took
no extreme ground, but while believing n
bis duty 10 see the laws flilhfulIy executed
still 10 cascs where portion OF his prero
gatiVes are sought 10 be invaded and no
one else can raise the question. lac must do
a. suppose law passed deprivior him Of
b's poser as Commander in Chief. weor5
81 not be his du'y to resist Il 90 a. TO brtog
about decision 10y the Courts? A pow,r
denied by implication Is as unassailabIe As
one uirecdy granted by the Constitution.
y half past two the Senate took a recc..
Of twenty minutes Mr.. Curtis continued
his argument. claiming tba; % - by no
means dear that the power Of removal !,
subject TO legislative enactment lie claimed
that The President could not be nupeacbed
for an act designed merely 10 procure q
judicial decision. lie claimed that Mr.
johnson was OF esioppsd from, sc,,,,,, ,r
the plea that he wanted to test the ron.n.
tn.ionah,y OF tbo act, by the fact ,b,, h,
had repeatedly recognized IL, and bv csr,,..
evidence that lac had ATTEMPTED TO use lore.
AZ quarter before four. Mr.. Curtis sad
he was iatigued. AID at bis reaqcst the
Senate adjourned TIL Friday.