The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-05-03

would become illegal or purely despotic. 1t
would throw the Jacobin impeaohers into the
greatest CONSERVATION and embarrassment.
They might talk of impeaching Mr.. Chase him
self, were he to take such course, and possibly
might try it; but the people would be with
him, and he would earn everlasting gratitude
and fame for his defence of constitutional right
and the preservation of the government. A
few days viii decide whether the Chief Justice
his position and the crisis or will
yield to intimidation from the faction in power.
Model Guano Debate in the House Of
Representatives.
On the motion of Mr.. Brooks, of New York,
that select committee be appointed to inves-
tigate all the facts in reference to the signing
of certain opinions on the Alta Vela guano
case by Messrs. Bingham Butler, Logan and
Stevens, Managers of the impeachment prose-
cution against Andrew johnson, there was a
model debate in the national House of Repre-
sentatives on Friday last Mr.. Brooks desired
to know all about this legal opinion of these
Impeachment Managers on this gnano contro-
versy, laid before the President ON the 9th OF
March, after he had been summoned to appear
before the bar of the Senate. Under the cir
cumstances were not such papers calculated to
operate on the Presidents mind, "either by
intimidation or persuasion; or perhaps some
stronger word might be used" said Mr.. Brooks,
calculated to influence or control, or threaten
to control, his action in reference to the Alta
Vela claim? The claim is large, involving
million of dollars some say two or three mil
lions.". The papers in question, it appears, ad-
dressed to Colonel Shaffer, of counsel for the
Baltimore claimants against the New ork
claimants to said guano island, were lad be-
fore the President by Mr.. Chauncey F. Black,
who, with Judge Jere. Black, is associated
with Shaffer in this case.
After some general discussion of the subject
and the facts and circumstances, Mr.. Brooks
desired to know, for instance, chow came the
name of Thad Stevens to be signed to that
paper-the ruler of this body (the House,, the
autocrat the dictator, the Jupiter Tonans, not
only of this body but of the republican
party, who sought to overawe not only the
Supreme Court, but the Senate of the United
States ?" Mr. Stevens being absent, or having
Mr. Logan, of Illinois, who had no apology to
make. If the gentleman from New York
(Mr. Brooks) was serious, if he was honest, if
he was a gentleman, then he (Mr. Logan would
say to him he would not have offered this resO-
luton if he understood the facts as he pro-
fesses" What offence had the Managers COM
mitted that they should be arraigned before the
bar of the House? "The only defence that
had been made for the greatest criminal this
country has ever known was just such as was
pretended to be made this evening by vii
lanously attacking men as honest Here
the "gentleman" was called to order, and re-
tracted his villanous charge; but in the fur
Their prosecution of his remarks he branched
as he was in the habit of treating every letter
that fell into his hands. He (Mr. Logan had
signed that letter, giving mere opinion as to
the duty of the government. The gentleman
(Mr. Brooks) had said that this claim is worth
a million. This was not true, and the gentle
man knew it," This was, in milder form,
equivalent to certain moral philosophers
method of putting it" You lie, villain, and
you know it," The Illinois member was again
called to order and ruled to be using unpar-
liamentary language, whereupon he qualified
it by saying "The gentleman from New York
said they would have to vote on it (his Alta
Vela case). When he made that statement he
knew it was not true and false, or he ought to
have known it,"
Mr.. Chanler, of New York, here put in:--
"Does the gentleman allude to me?' Mr..
Logan answered. 'When you say signed a
document relating to subject upon which l am
to vote, say it is not true" Mr.. Chanler said
he had made no such statement. "Then, asked
Mr.. Logan, "where was the wrong to give
or sign an opinion as lawyer" The paper, he
said, was signed by some of the Managers
without knowing it was to be used in this way,
and as pretence that the Managers had
sought to influence him; and there is trich
in your President, or you are the catspaw Of
the President" Here Mr.. Ross, of Illinois
(democrat). proceeded to call his colleague to
account as prosecutor of the President, when
the forgetful Logan retorted:-" Such q re-
mark could only emanate from base heart.
Called to order again, he again retracted, but
concluded his speech by saying that this in
vestigation was sought for base party pur-
poses.
Here Mr.. Butler, of Massachusetts,, vouch.
safed an explanation of his signature to thii
aforesaid guano letter. II was given to assist
Colonel Shaffer in disposing of his interest In
this guano island. When he (Butler) signed i
he had no expectation that the President
would be then impeached, though sure he
would be ultimately. Until he CHR. Butler) had
seen the letter in the NEW YORK HERALD no
ho1v had %, "a T. ~