New-York tribune., 1868-05-27
" DEPARTMRNr. !

| ana have lett the same and the books. archives
papers and property in my custody as Secretary Of
War, in of Breyet Major General Townsend.
the senior Assistant AdjutantGeneral, subject to
| your direction. .. r.. .t.... ...
lSigned). EDWIN M.srASToH,
Secretary of War;
| ~ Wv .r. .I...
SECRETARY sTANToNs KEsIGNATIoN--wooLEY
IN QUoD-THE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE
| CONTINUED - FLORIDAs OONsTTUTIoN =
ROSS DEFENsE-THE TAX BILL--DAYISs
| TRIAL-ADJOURNMENT,
After the final disposition of impeachment,
and the adjournment Of the Court sine die today secrc-
tary Stanton was visited at the War Department by
many Of his friends and supporters, including many Re-
\ publican members OF both Houses OF Congress
| The conversation turned Of course on tho
| event of the day. The general opinion seemed
| TO be that Mr.. Stanton should remain at the
head Of the War Department and surrender It. He
the legal Secretary of War in the opinion Of the largo
majority Of the Senate, and until his
| frmed they thought he should not resign MT. Stan
| ton, however decided to resign, and accordingly
sent a letter to that effect to the President
He turned the papers and property Of the defendant
TO Assistant AdutantG Townsend. Gen schoheds
before the Senate for confirmation as Secretary
of War; have it good authority tonight that tho
nomination be taken up tomorrow and acted upon.
| and that the Senate will confirm Schofeld.
The House met at II O'Clock to-day TO dispose OF tho
case OF Mr. WoOley the unwilling witness in the Inn
peachment bribery investigation. Mr. Wooey was
arrested last evening by the SergeantatArns, and wsa
| arraigned at the bar of the House Immediately on
the assembling of that body to-day. He Is person
| of fine presence, apparently about 20 years old
| tall, and stoutly built, and well dressed
He was placed in position in front Of the Speaker but
when asked why he had declined to appear and testify
before Managers he said nothing and merely handed
to the Clerk roll Of manuscript Mr. Butler explained
tho Managers motives IN summoning WOOley, andsyas
followed by Mr. Eldridge who zealousy pleaded for an
| extension of time for Mr. WOOey Gen. Butler replied
reading portions of WOOeys testimony to show that he had
already allowed sufficient time TO prepare himself
BY this time it became clear that the Democrats were
merely hbusterng that the time for attending tho
Impeachment Court mght arrive and end the dispute.
Debate stopped at once, and Mr.. Boutwell, ofereds
resolution effect that the Speaker first ask the witness
why he had failed to appear before the Managers and
next REQUIRE HIM to answer all proper questions that
might propounded and that he be kept in close Gus
| tody until he should comply with this demand. The
Democrats moved several substitutes and insisted upon
| call OF the Yeas and Nays, that before a
vote the resolution could be reached the hour had ar
rived for the meeting OF the Senate Court OF I'M
parchment and the subject was postponed After tho
House had returned from the Senate Chamber Mr. Bout
Wells resolution was taken up and passed, and Wooley
was remanded into the custody Of tue SergeantatArms
Previous this action, resolution authorizing and em-
powerng the Board Of Managers to act an inyestt
|
| the Managers. was passed. The Democrats strained
every nerve to smother the Investigation, but they
! failed.
The Tax bill Is to be taken ap for consideration In tho
House tomorrow The friends of early adjournment
Of Congress will oppose action this session, and will ask
that IL be postponed Several special interests IN the b
that require immediate attention may be taken seporate
y and disposed Of such whisky, tobacco and petro.e
The frauds in whisky viii necessitate ac-
ton OF some kind, and a majority Of the House seem
,ad, .of fhn an that
will probably be taken from the general bill and disposed
of independently.
The movement for an Adjournment next month meets
with favor and may carry Such course is advocated
by many of the prominent men in the party Most
of the appropriation bills have been passed and after the
reconstructed States have been admitted there will DO
little else to do that OF interest TO tho country There
are numerous big schemes and jobs before Congress
| that a speedy adjournment Will kiln.
Gen. Jenkins the President of the Constitutional Con
yenton Florida has arrived in the city and presented
20 Secretary Of state engr0ssedcopy OF tho new
Constitution OF that State. The words "black" or
"whte" do not in the instrument Especial care
was taken by the trainers 70 insure fuu protection aud
privileges to the freed people For example, foil pro-
vision made for establishing and maintaining system
| of common schools and University, which are
| free TO all the children. without distinction.
Attracted by the mild climate and the Government lands
not less than 1900 freedmen have eugrated TO Florida
from other States many Of whom have entered home
steads To SUCH and 70 ALL the Constitution guarantees
the homestead either in country or city, with liberal
share personal property 10 5a free from forced sale
and gives a lieu 20 the labo:er on the erop
| which his toIl raises well as to the
! mechanic upon the building which he ereets IL denies
hepower to any Legislature co touch that No civil OF
political distinction is be tolerated in this state oB
account OF race color previous condition Of servtude
Capitation tax, now ouerous, is limited to 81.
The freed people and UnOnsts find further protection
In the fact that the Judges aud Of the local officers
are be appointed by the Governor and Senate The
former official dyedinthewool Aboiitionist, and the
latter body moro than two-thirds Republican with hye
colored members The Assembly is more than twothrts
Republican. with sixteen colored members. The sl-
preme Judges hold their Offices during life, or good be
| haviOur The Circuit Judges, eight years The Cover
nor and Senator'S four years. The AssemblymeE, two
years This will insure stable government
the only kind in fact which be trusted 70 defend the
weak aud guarantee justice z a the etIens Y the
present dsoreanied slate OF Society Persons guilty OF
bribery and betting elections duelists, etc. are pro
hibted from exercising the right Of suffrage uniat
full functionarles may DO limpeaehed not only OF
| high lcrimes and misdemeanors, but also fot
incapacity drunkenness gambling, and other coaduct
detrimental TO public morals The right Of secession
forever abured aud ronqushed and equality before the
law forever guaranteed. Amendments are provided Tor
I'm the same In the Constitution OF Now
York In numerous other features the new Constituen
seems TO have been modelled after the New-lork insro
ment. .....
Senator Ross conversation to-day remarked that no
WILL at an early day, ask for committee OF nvesgA'O
into the charges OF corruption that have been preferred
against him He volunteered as an FOL his vote
on impeachment that he voted he did to break up
ring that had been formed 20 beat GEN Grant. h'
has prepared q speech defending his c0urss ~
impeachment, and will deliver tho same 70 '"0