New-York tribune., 1868-05-12
THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL.
THE FIELD NOT LOST

1irrNynI,S IN rRIrNBULL-MR. HOWARD
stCK-A DEMOCRATIC SENATOR IN DU-- DUkEss-
THE ELEVENTH ARTICLE Will I.i,,nIs fH I - M
MAJORITY-OUR PRIVATE ADNiCEo'
~ TIL Eor .pH TO TRIBUNE .-.,
A. ~ osclocl this morning the flag was hoisted
oor tbe west wing Of the Capitol the signal that
the Senate was in session. and an lew minutes tnat
body met in secret council, pursuant 10 then Tesou
10, Of adioprnnent ON Friday. All the doors were
barred and locked the galleries were all empty the
Chief Tustice the official reporter, the executive
lork and one assistant -dOOrkeeper being the only
,ersens in the Chamber who were not of the Sena-
toria rank No hrOngs hurried to the Capitol as on
precedinc days-for no tickets of admission had been
distribltcd and entrance except to the House por-
ton of the building was an impOssibility. The
knowledge of this fact kept the people away
from the Capitol Besides they were not aware
that anything could be developed to-day which
would afford even indication of the final act IN
this grCat owl event IN American history Never
theless the excl ement in the city greater than
at any previeus time since the close of the Rebellion
and was hardly even equaled during times, when
the fate of the North trembed in the scale of the
battle; it lacked the thrill of horror which seized
the public mind when Abraham Lincoln was assassin
ated. IL was nnmngled with the terror that selled
men in the war days. but men felt that everything
dear to them was in peril while aPprehensions and
distrust took possession " their minds. kumoIs
relative to this Senator and that were asioat every
where and every hour added TO Their number. Every
where was speculation and su-vnise Notnng was
definite Al one time the current ran high and
strong in favor of conviction and presto I'M
accountably the tide ebbed and Gequitth was on
the lirs of ALL The Republicans were calmly
confident that the Senate would see justice done.
They had an abiding faith that the eud would be
crowned with success and that the Judas PRESIDENT
would no longer be permitted to disgrace tue hghest
office of the State. The morning hours woNe away
The House met at ~ o'clock and began It's l'Outhe
work of legislation, and on the surface but htte ap
peared to indicate the deep anxiety which the mem
bers felt Occasionally a representative entered
from the Senate Chamber and communicated the
latest report of the proceedings in secret session
Every little rumOr created excitement. Groups |
gathered in the open space behind the semeircie OF
seats 30 hear the freshest intelligence from the Sen
ate and speculate the probabilities The only per-
sons admitted to the Senate side were the members /
Of the other House, the newspaper correspond |
ents and employees of the Senate. All others
were rigdly excluded by the Capitol Police, who
guarded every entrance. The corridor in front of
the main entrance to the Senate Chamber was the
rendezvous for these privileged classes The scene
was one not easily forgotten Admirers and opponents
Of the President rallied each other on the ever
changing phases of the situation. Democrats and
Republicans met half way to exchange opinions
hoping in the multitude and multiplicity of counsels
to learn the truth Correspondents of newspapers
diametrical in politics compared their notes, and at
the end Of every IS minutes the telegraph wires told
in the principal cities of the Union the substance of
every Senator's remarks. Opinions were backed
with wagers and the money was put up" And so
minutes rolled on into hours until 12 o'clock, at
about which time the preliminary rules touching the
manner OF pTopOunding the question to the Senators
was settled, and the following was agreed on as the
form:
F,s, Do you believe Audrew JOHNSON guilty of this
SseonS: Do 5oa believe this constitutes high crime or
mlsdemeanori
These are the questions to be propOunded by the
Chief-Justice; ON the replies to which, tomorrow,
depend the hopes of so many millions, and which
will be read in every portion Of the globe where
printing is net unknown. -.--.-.-
Then came the exciting portion Of the days pro-
oeedings. The Chief Justice stated the question to
be the deliberagn on the verdict. He took occasion
to deliver a kind OF charge, which leaned toward all
the articles, and was altogether satisfactory. On
motion Of Nj. sdmneT, it was received. --........-
Then came the debate. Mr., sherman led of.
Through him Ohio spoke with uncertain voice.
lis name had been again aud again tampercd with
during tho trial that of Senator who would
probably prove VnrVs TO his great State and vote for
scquittal. But he did not disafp9int the expecta-
lOnS OF MS Jfcnus Ills oplVil was 6i'VH IN' WIZ
yi.ton on the second, third, eighth and eleventh
articles Then followed Stewart, from far away
Nevada Williams, from Oregon, and Edmunds, from
Vermont all of whom recorded their names in favor
Of conviction on all the articles James w. Grimes of
Iowa came next. lie spoke for Radical Iowa against
all tho articles and earned the applause OF men
who never before saw aught in him TO applaud. The
johnson men outside the Senate Chamber walls
capped their hands at his detection, and the Presi-
dents Secretary telegraphed TO Mr. Johnson the ac-
cesson Of another recreant to the standard OF His
Excecncy. The Republicans were not all surprised;
cod Grimes was dead" Not unjustly did the gal
lces give him that hiss few days ago. that first hiss,
which, caught up from tho Capitol will greet him at
every stage of his journey to his far oft home and
Iing in his ear even in the deep Obscurity Of
the future: Kansas followed for conviction on all
the articles through the mouth of her trusted
POmeroy Thomas A. Hendricks Of Indiana spoke
bis piece" against al. There was no doubt about
him. and he but went IN the way marked out for him.
Howe of Wisconsin got the floor next. lie pro-
nouced for al the articles but the first Morrill, OF
Maine succeeded him. His was another vote Tor all
without reservation SO far the Presidents fortunes
were on the wane and were so regarded by the anx-
ious groups outside, who announced their I'M
pressons to the dis ant cities and to the citizens IN
the ecapial Who ID turn sent the news flying all over
the District as fast many-tongued rumor and the
newspapers could beart The question suggests it's IT,
How were the proceedings ascertanedi Occasionally
a Senator came out 10 get his lunch at the adjoining
refreshment saloon. He was at once surrounded by |
his friends and Others and scrap by scrap the news
was wrenched from his reluctant lips. 1t was now |
2 O'Clock aud so far the work had gone on well The