The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-04-13

GEN. TH0MAs's EXAMINATION before the |
Court of impeachment must have been very
amusing. He is described as tall, very eree''
white-headed gentleman, his military 'ra'nihg
having kent remarkable degree of the vieor
of voutb in his frame and bearing, dressed in |
tn. full uniform of his brevet rank, with two |
stars on each shoulder and double rows of |
briobt buttons upon his breast, with mani |
fest nervousness at first kept very well under |
control His voice, when the first question |
was asked, rang out like trumpet and he an |
swered with the amusing alacrity of school,
boy who has got his lesson well by heart' ana
is anxious to distinguish himself by brisk
response. Some new facts were included in
the first portion of the generals narrative,
among which it is worth noting that the order
for the closing OF the Department on WASH
ingtons birthday, which has been stated to
have been his first act as Secretary of War,
was issued by him as acknowledgement in
compliance with directions from Mr.. Stanton,
before he had received the dd interim appoint
ment at all. He also stated that on his first
interview with Mr.. Stanton, after that appoint
ment, Mr.. Stanton simply asked whether he
would be allowed time to remove his private
few minutes later the same afternoon, Mr.
Stanton said he did not know whether he
should obey or resist the Presidents order.
The scene in the War Department On the
I'D of February, after the departure of the
Congressman whose evidence is already be-
fore the country, was related by the witness
with charming ndiUete Gen. Thomas said he
told Secretary Stanton, Next time you have
me arrested, 1 hope you will give me time to
get my break fast; L have had nothing to eat
or drink to-day"
Mr.. Stanton then put his arm around Gen.
Thomas's neck, and called on General Schriv-
er for some whiskey; that officer confessed to
keeping a little phial at hand as remedy for
dyspepsia, and produced a phlab the size OF
which General Thomas indicated by measur-
ing off three inches or so on his finger, and
which he said contained about spoonful OF
whiskey. This scanty ration Mr.. Stanton di.
vided in two tumblers holding them up to see
that the shares were equal, and the rival Sec
retaries of War emptied the glasses; but
shortly after a messenger obtained bottle
full and Mr.. Stanton and General Thomas
took substantial drink together. Here the
floor and galleries burst into a roar of mex
tinguishable laughter, AMI for some moments
it was impossible to proceed.
The weak points of the witness appeared to
be constitutional inability to retain the
memory of date or fix the time of any trans
action and a delicious vanity which showed.
itself at every step in his testimony. OF both
these points Gen. Butler took the utmost ad-
vantage III the cross-examination which was
long and severe. The result of the cross-ex-
animation is summed up by the Washington
correspondent of the Boston Advertiser, as
follows: .I I.uae
General Thomas was made, under the tor
ture, TO swear that when he told Mr. William
son he should talks possession of the war Office
by force, calling On General Grant for troops
he did not mean what he said, but was indulg-
ing in mere brag; that he did mean what he
said when he told Mr.. BurleIgh he meant to
break down the doors, but afterwards conclud-
ed it might lead to difficulties and bloodshed,
and lad abandoned the idea before he was ar
rested, and that when he entertained the idea
of using force he did not think it was in ac-
cordance with the Presidents orders, but quite
the REVERSE he said the President had never
chidden him about the way he went to work
or about any of his declaration of violent in
tentions; he had attended cabinet meetings as
Secretary of War, and had been recognized
by the President and other Secretaries as such.
Mr.. Butler inquired had he ever given the
President any advice, in his character of high
constitutional adviser? General Thomas re-
piled that he had always been asked if he had
any business to lay before the council and had
never had any with one exception; this excep-
ton proved to be an important one, and the
Presidents counsel would doubtless have pre-
ferred to have him hold his tongue; it was to
the effect that he had suggested a method of
getting possession of the papers and business
of the War Department by the Presidents
writing note to General Grant directing him
to order the heads of bureaus, his military sub
ordinates, to report to the ad interim Secre-
tary; General Thomas had made draught of
such a letter to General Grant, and submitted
it to the President about March 18th. three
weeks after the crisis of February and the be-
ginning of the impeachment proceedings; the
President had said that he would consider it,
and afterwards that he shoHld let it rest until
the close of the impeachment trial.