New-York tribune., 1868-05-07
Kim CONGRESS-IID SESSION.
ROUSE or REPRESENTATIVES,.

tbuted 10y the superintendent OF the COast snrvey and
Mr. KELSEY rep, ~ W presented the memorial Of
l25 citizens Of Roehes!er n ~ praying that bill be
road between New Y0IB and Washington. Also. OInemo-
nal Of the citizens OF New York City for the same.
the consideration Of the preamble and resolutions
which were submitted yesterday by Mr. Carey,
ordered; but as time would be consumed in taking
them, and as the ilOuse abOat tOprOceed
10 tie Bar Of the Senate action on that subject would be
postponed nnt tieir return.
au ulspOsta ci ~. Cdiy proposition ne WOulu 'ho ~
10 20 INTO Committee OF the Whole the state OF he
Union. 10 enable gentlemen 60 make speeches
hr. STEVENS Dep, PENN wished 20 say that aiter
the return of the HOuse from the Senate Chamber ne
proposed % make personal explanation concerning e
Ana Vca affair Which he was prevented from uolns vi
Friday 0 the tabug Of the resolution on Ihat suJoCO
After The return from the senate chamber, Mr. Wash
hurne Gh) inquired whether 1t was IN .I Su yt,oi '
The SPEAKER read the rue, and saiu tlao i nc S, n @
having gone into secret session or i TbSrc
Impossible f0r the House and managers 10 fehd,il Ic
fore they had 10 return 70 the House ana await d" NV
En- fT D.ItE Dem Wis., rose to a question Of order
lie INSISTED that under the rule the h0se cou 90 nv
business while the senate considering the question
% The SSpISER said that the members must be either
Mr. ELDRTDGE suggested q fact OF which the Speaker
every member must be aware % he 9ia not 40 t ss
will any Intention Of dsespect 10 the Ch, or 10 IessJ
any decision which the Chair might make. lie was IN
the Senae when the order lor . seSIev SESSION. Has
adopted FOR the purpose as he undeIst0o9 OF CONSIDER
inr TIE pending questions lie insisted that TINS was
"a ~l
that therefore the House could transact no business WIN
out a violation Of its own order ,,
Mr. ROBINSON Dem, y. - rose 10 a point or order
Io Ea0Vodthat ohe House adjourn That would bring up
, Tne sPElKEH replied that the motion to adjourn ad
lGittcG of no other question.
Mr. WASHEURNE lPcp., III reported that the House
~ OF the Whole had attended at the bar OF
the Senate that the argument had been closed and that
the senate had closed the doors for consideration There
upon, the Committee hadreturDed to the House III com
MT ROEiNsON~If the House is regularly in session,
NaLH IA. r..r F IN. .Ht.srrFF
The sIIAIiEI-II The House adourns it cannot re-
spond % the invitation OF the Senate TO return
Mr. ROBINSON withdrew his motion
Nh. STEVENS Rep, PENN asked leave TO make per
sona explanation. Ilo would not occupy more than ten
Mr IDRIDGE said that yesterday he asked only five
minutes ior explanation and that the House refused TO
Nj. srEvENs replied that he did not object.
Unanimous PERMISSION was gwen to the lastnamed
p,,Dteiaan wien be begaH 10 read hmn his seat a
manuscript Many gentlemen could not hear MIN and
complying with requests from several directions. he took
position at the Clerks desk and read as follows;
MR.. sTEyENs's EXPLANATION or THE ALTA y1LA LETTER
Personal explanations not my taste, and in the
ease Of Alta Vela, lny coManagers having deemed 1t
their duty to explain it may be thought suspicious cir
cumstaucc that have not done When that question
was before the House it laid the table before il
reached me- / Will now briefly state all know Of the
matter Some time carly in the session, some person
whose name DO not recollect asked what was the
law Of nations in the citizens Of country in
quiet pOssesSion Of island. and had been fOreiby
Dy L
had not forgotten the heated discussion which took place
relative to the Falkland islands pile rocks ofno
value except far the National honor concerned
answered that the nation, whose citizens had been
torciby elected would be justified in reinstang them
that they might settle their bill in the ordinary way
declined to give written opinion as was not in the
practice OF the law. heard of the subject until
about two months ago. Gen Garfield called at my seat
with paper. OF letter. which he said copy Of the
opinion had given, and asked me If ] would sign it.
A s s Nj Steven. ssscd s9e Gsz o9'age the reading
4 took It without reading and put my TO il with
others did not then know its contents, but, having
since IT, have nothing TO retract never heard Of
it any until within few weeks when it was pro
uoed in the Senate by Mr. Nelson of the for
the President At the time signed it had idea it
10 be taken 10 the President nor had any idea that
Judge Black OF his son had anything 10 do
with it. Had known that. tact, however,
would have altered my action. have known Judge
Black FOR than years, and aside from his unfo
tuae politics have known him TO be very able lawyer
and upright iudge who has hardly been equaed by any
member Of the bench This letter find written by
Gen Butler 10 j. W. shaffer When written do moi
know. 1 signed copy time afterward. II Hmply
gives his opinion TO the right Of regDing possession OF
Alta Vela IL nowhere addressed TO the President
any Of his counsel any member Of his Government.
1t makes no ausiOn Impeachment contains any
siDuatiOn OF ceuency any condition II IL was ever
20 be shown 70 him. his counsel or Cabinet il was with
the sanction Of the writer's at least far as am
concerned What then, lad this letter TO do with
prosecution which Mr.. Nelson discussingl II was
not addressed the President his advisers kindred,
did not make the most distant reference any Of
CHARGES in the articles Of impeachment could IL be
construed by any honest 10 have any connection
bearing upon the prosecution 10 had not been given in
evidence referred TO until days after the testi
IaODy closed and when the counsel summing up.
think honorable would have used TO sssa the
~ W. "a
i1elevanty and Illegally Butwhen look at the speech
of the gentleman can easily forgive him. HIS speech
does profess TO touch the question of Impeachment
1t lunbers through the two mortal days, and thinly
veneers a great number OF subjects lying in different
bemispheres but touches the question at
How then, could he avoid bedaubing in his greasy
mt STEVENS CALLED TO ORDER.
The STEAMER ruled that the language Of the gentle
man was uBpqr aInentary The rules prevented gentle
here from auding TO what happened in the Senate
DIR. BlVNRS-Ths is a matter which transpired in the
presence Of both branches Of Congress-
ar. EIDlslDGE hoped that opportunity would be
offered 10 reply the gentlemans msstatement Of facts
Nj. sTEVENs-I hope so. did not intend to misstate
MrwILsON Gep. Iowa. objected to the further read
ing Of Mr.. Stevens's explanation.
MTeWILLIAMS rep, PENN said fhat the remarks TO
which MS colleague was replying were not made by any
Mr. Ei.DRIDGE expected that the gentleman from
Pennsylvania would now withdraw the 10th Impeaeh-
Mr. STEVENS said that his remarks were in reply to
man mir NelsOn who member OF either branch
of the National Legislature.
After a ruling by the SPEAKER,
Mr.. MULLINS Gsep.. Tenn remarked Ever being an
individual willing ana always willing, 70 abide by law,
vel Knowing that no parliamentary body he kept
within bounds without rules. am now, and have
been willing 10 conform 10 them. But pardon me If
suggest AN idea. lLaughter.i
Mr. ELDRIDGL-I move that the gentleman from Ten
0eSsce haze leave 70 express an idea. Laughter
Mr. MULLINS asked pardon before made my
remarks aud that 30 differ with the ruling Of the Chair
Mr. FARNsWORfH tRep.. III inquired whether 1t
would not be- In order in Committee OF the Whole House
review The speeches IN the Senate on the impeachment
question