Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-04-09

questions with him, when did nothing
Of the kind. II had been in need Of a
adviser, I'd have sent fer
somebody else. The reason ] sent for
him was this: | was told that morning,
ON very good authority, which ! could
not we'll disregard, that important
changes and movements in the troops
about Washington had been going on
without my knowledge or advice. bad
been told that Stanton had been giving
orders, as II 10 get ready for disturb
ance here, which he seemed TO antici-
pate, and during which he proposed to
make il easy for somebody else TO step
in and get possession of the Govern
ment. / did not know how much truth
there was Ia it, but Secretary Welles had
called on me and insisted that / should
take some notice Of the matter.
SO | sent for Emory and ques-
toned him about the disposition OF
the troops here, merely to fud out II
these changes had been made, and, il so,
by whose authority. He over-estimated
his own importance, and thought !
wanted TO consult him on another sub
ject, and discuss constitutional questions
with him. When Secretary Welles is
called to the stand, he will very readily
explain why | sent for Emory. As to
the other conversation with me, which
Emory details, il had nothing to do with
the trial at all. he speaks of himself as
objectiug, in a very patriotic way, to the
Maryland militia, because they wore
a gray uniform. He introduced
that subject himself. / never asked
him a word about it. But he makes
il appear that | wanted to use the
militia Of Maryland for some purpose or
other. | never made suggestion of the
kind to him. Here again he would make
me appear as taking him for one OF my
confidential advisers, which never had
the remotest idea of doing. My object
that time was to find out how many troops
there were in the department, and to
know whether the colored troops who
were about the city couldn't be replaced
with whitet troops. thought it best after
the war we had gone through, that white
troops should be here instead of black
ones. This is the seat of Govern
ment, and foreigners are coming here
all the time. II they saw none but black
troops here, they might get the idea that
the rebellion was put down by them
alone, and that they were on duty here
because they were better troops than the
whites. have no prejudice against me-
gro soldiers at all, but l thought if white
troops were to be had they would be bet
ter than black ones for the garrison of
Washington; that's oil. And out Of that
little matter Gen. Emory, without stating
the real object of his conversation with
me, makes big story about gray uni
forms and rebel militia"
| said to the President that they would
commence the testimony on the last ar
ticles, or those relating to his Cleveland
and st. Louis speeches, tomorrow, and
asked him if he denied the correctness
of the reports of those speeches, as pre-
sented to the Court. Yes he said he did,
and be denied above all the right to in
troduce mere extracts from long speeches
omitting the context, and saying nothing
about the circumstances under which
they were delivered. As for the Cleve-
land speech, he said, II did not intend to
make any speech there at all. My
intention was to come out in response
to the call of the people, and excuse
myself and then retire. But as soon
as / appeared some people in the crowd
commenced to hoot at me, and question
me, and badger me, and | thought I'd go
in and silence them. | have been in
political life long time and am naturally
combative. / dom propose to be hooted
down by anybody, and especially | didn't
propose to be hooted down by set of
fellows sent out for that purpose, as these
fellows we're at Cleveland and elsewhere.
So they went for me, aud went for them,
and we had it hot and heavy for awhile.
They would listen to me for awhile, but
interrupted me to prevent me from saying
anything. was determined they should
not succeed, but that since they didn't
want to let me speak I'd speak any how.
And kept on untilI got the better OF
them, and after a short time they lis
tened to me in perfect silence. If used
any rough expressions they were put
into my mouth by my enemies. said
q good deal then that / might not have
said if they had not provoked me to II,
but did not say oil | might have said
either. As to the St Louis speech, the
report of that is garbled. l am made to
talk of kicking Congress out, when what
l did say was that ! would Kick out GER
tain office-holders, and that phrase was
put into my mouth by some one In the
crowd"
The President complained that the
whole case against him th1s far was made
up of what could be CLEANED from the
private conversations of unauthorized
persons, and that in all this not single
proof had been given that he was party
to any of the alleged plots or conspirs-
cies, or that he had any knowledge what.
ever of them. told him that in view of
this fact it would be well enough to in
troduce in the trial a private conversa
ton between Mr.. Stokes, of tennessee,
and Senator Sumner, which took place
in the street cars that day, Thurs
day. These two gentlemen entered
into loud and unreserved conversation
about impeachment and its probable
fate. Sumner said there were six Re
publicans who were considered doubtful,
but that strong Influences were being
brought to bear upon sthem, and he
thought they would yet be brought
around" One of the doubtful ones was
Fowler, of Tennessee, who seemed to
need backing, and the question was
propounded by Sumner to Stokes.
whether something couldn't. be done
with Fowler to stiffen him up. Stokes
replied that be didn't know; be
was sorry to see Fowler so weak
on the question, and he added that il the
President we're not convicted, blood
would flow in Tennessee. This latter
clause thought should be brought out
in the trial, as il was important to know
the connection between the scq1ittal OF