Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-04-21
NUMBER XXXIII.
CONGRESSIONAL.


after the prayer the Pre,ident pro tens vacated
he chair The Chief Justice then took biz
seat and the proceedings of the Impeachment
trial were resumed Mr.. Curtis continued his
argument In defence of the President and closed
at 2. Is p NJ. The examination of witnesses
for the defence was then recommended by Mr..
Stanbery. General Lorenzo Thomas was first
called and sworn. The examination of this wit
ness was very long, His testimony was very
interesting and covered the whole ground of his
appoint ment as Secretary of War ad interim.
the instructions given him by the President, his
| interviews with Secretary Stanton, the inter-
view with karsener, &C., &c. When the wit
ness was asked to relate what took place at an
Interview with the President after his demand
| on Mr.. Stanton for the War Office, Mr. Man
| ager Butler objected to his answering any aues-
ton as to what took place between the witness
and the President after the issuing of his COM
| mission as Secretary ad interim After long
discussion the question was referred to the Sem
ate and 1t was decided that the witness should
answer the question, only ten voting in the
negative. At 500 P NJ the Court adjourned.
The President pro tena resumed the chair and
the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, business
OF Importance was transacted in the in the
House. The members in Committee of the
Whole attended the impeachment trial At the
conclusion OF the proceedings they returned to
the Hall. The committee then rose and the
House adjourned. u
SENATE.-Saturday, April 11.-At II NJ. the
President pro tens vacated the chair, and the
Chief Justice took his seat. The proceedings
OF the impeachment trial were resumed Mr.
Manager Bingham, on the part of the managers,
asked for modification of the twenty-frst rule,
so as to allow such of the managers and the
counsel for the President as so desire, to speak,
subject to the provision that the final argument
shall be opened and closed on the part of the
House. The motion was objected to and laid
over. General Thomas was recalled and made
number Of corrections in his testimony as
given on Friday, and also III the report of his
testimony before the Impeachment committee.
Lieutenant General Sherman was then sworn
and examined. General Sherman stated that
while in Washington on business during last
December he had several interviews with the
President two of which were in company with
General Grant Mr.. Stanbery then asked,
Did the President ask you if you would take
charge Of the Department of War, in the event
of the removal of Mr.. Stanton?' Mr.. Butler
objected to the question The Chief Justice
said that the evidence was admissible. Senator
Conness demanded the yeas and nays. Mr..
otanbery said the evidence Of his witness was
of vital Importance to the case for the defence.
After considerable discussion the Chief Justice
again stated that the evidence was admissible
and gave briefly the grounds for his opinion
A vote was taken, the decision of the Chief
Justice was overruled, and the evidence decided
lnadmlsslble- 3d. nays %. A number of
questions were asked and in reply the witness
stated that he had been offered the appointment
Of Secretary of War I'D interim by the President
on two occasions, but all questions to elicit any
additional information as to what was said by
the President in the conversations In relation to
his objects In making the offer or the means by
which he intended General Sherman should
obtain possession of the War Department we're
excluded. The counsel for the President final
ly stated that in view of the ruling of the Senate
they could not say whether they would ask
General Sherman any other questions, but de-
sired permission to recall him. This was allow
ed by the managers. The Court then adjourn
ed. -
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, bill to test
the constitutionality of questionable acts of
Congress was introduced and referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary. The House in
Committee of the Whole attended the i'm
peachment trial. At its conclusion the members
returned to the Hall and the House adjourned
SENATE. Monday April 13.-At II NJ. the
Chief Justice took his seat and the Court of
Impeachment was opened. A discussion arose
tor Frehnghuysen allowing such of the counsel
and managers as desire, to take part In the clos
ing argument. After considerable debate dur
ing which number of amendments We're offer
ed, the whole subject was laid on the table by
vote of SO to 10. Lieutenant General Sherman
was recalled, and asked by Mr.. Stanbery wheth-
er, after the restoration of Mr.. Stanton TO office,
the good OF the service required that another
man than MIR. Stanton should be at the head
of fha Ma1. p,,4lo IL.
discussion ensued between the counsel for the
President and Mr.. Butler, after which a vote
was taken, and the Senate refused to admit the
questlon-yeas Is, nays 35. Senator johnson
propounded the question, did you at any time,
and when, before the President gave the order
for the removal of Mr. Stanton as Secretary of
War, advise the President to appoint another
person 2" MIR. Butler objected. In reply to
Senator Davis, the Chief Justice said the OBJ
lection to a question put by a member of the
Court could only come from the Court ITSELF
Senator Drake objected to the question, and the
Court refused to allow it-yeas Is, nays 3D.
General Sherman then left the stand, as neither
the President counsel nor the managers desir-
ed to ask any additional questions. r. j. Meigs,
Clerk OF the Supreme Court of the District of
Columbia, was then sworn and examined in re-
lation to issuing the warrant for the arrest of
General Thomas. Mr.. Butler objected to the
reception OF the warrant In evidence. The cOun-
sci for the President stated that they would
prove that the President, General Thomas and
the Attorney General had determined to sue
out writ ofhdbeas corpus as the most speedy way
of settling the question of the constitutionaity
of the Tenure OF Office act by the courts, and
that General Thomas was discharged from GUS
tody solely for the purpose of preventing the
testing the validity of the Tenure of Office act
by application for writ of habeas corpus in the
case. The question was then taken on the ad-
mission of the warrant of arrest of General
Thomas, and Stanton affidavit upon which it
was issued, in evidence, and it was decided in
| the affirmative-yeas 81, nays II. So the doc
| uments were admitted and read by Mr.. Evarts.
| General Sherman was then recalled, and after a
| long discussion was allowed by vote of 26 to
| 25, to answer the following question asked by
Senator johnson when the President tender
ed you on the two occasions (27th aud 3lst of
| January, 1868 the office of Secretary ad IN
| terinu, will you state what he said his purpose
was?' Gen. Sherman stated that when the
President offered him the office, he did not give
him a definite answer; he however stated at one
interview that although against his wishes, if
Mr. Stanton would .etre quietly he wouli ac-
cept the appointment, but afterwards gave in
writing an answer declining the appointment =
ihe President did not intimate at either inter
view that he would use force to effect the re-
movai of Mr.. Stanton, and in reply to remark
Of General Snerman's that MIR Stanton might
not give up the Office, said, ''Oh, yes; he will