Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-05-20

day. addressed 10 ourselves members Of the House
of Representatives from Missouri. In this letter
by inference and indirection, we are placed in q
false position, and it also contains, as we think one
tive errors OF fact and therefore calls for briei
reply This nisststement Of fact and incorrect in
ference are confident was entirely uninterti9nal
on your part.
Our first interview was informal, and so far as
part Of the delegation knew, without any previous
consultation on our part AT this interview, which
occurred on the morning Of Tuesday, May H. with
out request or suggestion from as you offered and
ton as Senator from Missouri, il we would request
you 10 do so. This we did not wish &c do. You
then requested TO retire and have consultation
among ourselves, and communicate 10 you our ad-
vice and request in writing, making at the same
time the statement 9Th. you would do anything we
desired except violate your conscience in voting for
the conviction Of the President the first eight ar
tcles Of impeachment"
This we understood 70 mean that you would with
hold your vote on these articles If so requested or
resign your position IS Senator, that having been
spoken of in the conversation.
With this understanding, we addressed 10 you he
note dated the 9th instant. In the evening of the
18th We were informed that you desired US to recon-
slider this request and later in the evening we were
invited by you to your rooms. With this invitation
we complied, and general conversation occurred,
during which you stated the embarrassing position
IN winch you had been placed by the request We had
made We did not, IN our understanding, cOnCede
,, the unreasonableHess Of the request but that &c
might have been based upon a MISREPRESENTATION of
what you had indicated your willingness to do
After further conversation, during which you
hbied list of names and expressed YOUR confident
belief that The President would be convicted on the
eleventh article you stated that you had intended
10 vote for conviction on the eleventh article until
the Senate put construction upon it that did not
meet your views, and that you were still inclined to
vote for It,
We then stated 20 you that if the removal of the
President could DO secured and the country saved
by your remaining, greatly preferred such
to your resgning, and that We did not desire
you 60 vote against your convictions but If you be-
lieved the President guilty as charged IN the
eleventh article and would SC vote, this was all we
desired.
You then stated that You had seine doubt about
certain Senators voting for conviction on the
eleventh article that you would see them the next
morning, and if they would SO vote as TO secure
conviction that article you would not resign but
vote with them. If they would not you would then
resign, and we were 10 be informed of your decision
the next day. With this understanding we parted.
The next we heard from YOU was in the letter re-
ferred TO above.
We entirely agree with you, that members of the
House of Representatives have no right TO dictate
or control the judgment Of the Senate, and dis
tinctly disclaim any intention any attempt 20 do
so. We only consulted with you as your friends,
and in the last interview st your own request to
what your duty in the premises was Our note OF
the 18th instant was neither intended 10 dictate to
you nor to advise you to do anything other than
what you felt to be your duty.
In closing, we desire to renew 10 you the assu-
RANGES of our personal friendship and to say that
this whole matter has been unpleasant to it
has been delicate and embarrassing to yourself
WIN. A. PILE
O. A. NEwcoMB,
]. J. GRAvELY,
J. W. AcCLURe
hA Ear - al II,