Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-05-26

Senator Williams moved that the Court of
Impeachment adjourn sane die, resulting as fol-
lpws. 3
/ Aves -Messrs. Anthony, Conness. Cattell.
Cnsndler, Cole, Conkling, Conness, Corbett,
Crasin, Drake, Edmunds, Ferry, Frelinghuy-
sen, Harlan, Howard, Howe. Morgan, Morrill,
of Me-, Morrill, of VT, Morton, Nye, Paterson
OF N H., Poneroy, Ramsey, Sherman, Sprag ne,
Stewart, Sumner, Thayer, Upton, Van VIM
kle, Wade, Wiley, Williams, Wilson, and
Nays-Messrs Bayard, BuckaIew, Davis,
Dixon, Doolittle, Fowler, Henderson, Hem
bricks, johnson, McCreery, Norton, Patterson
Of Tenn, Ross, salisbury, Trumbull, and
The Chief Justice before announcing the vote
aid the I'd rule provided that if the impeach-
ment failed on any of the articles, q iudgmen
tion was made, he would direct the Court TO
enter judgment OF acquittal.
Several Senator'S said there was no objection
10 the verdict being entered upon the ARTICLES
upon which vote had been taken.
The Chief Justice then announced that the
Court of Impeachment had adjourned sine die.
The President pro tenn then resumed the
chair.
Mr.. Doolittle moved to adjourn; which was
not agreed to-
The Char laid before the Senate several
Executive communications Of no general i'm
portance; when Mr.. johnson renewed the
motion to adjourn, and il was again dis.
agreed to.
HOUSE OF REPREsENTArIvKs.-Th House
was called to order at II O'clock
Mr.. Chanler IN. " introduced a resolution
requesting the President to inform the House
why a competent naval force was not cruising 2
about Port au Prince. HaytI, to protect Ameri-
can citizens during the late rebellion on that
Island. Referred to Committee on Foreign AT.
fairs.
AT Il:2O a. m. the Sergeant-at- Arms appeared
at the bar OF the House, and addressing The
Speaker, said he had executed the warrant of
the House issued yesterday, and now had Mr..
c. W. Wooley in custody at the bar
The Speaker.-The Sergeant-at- Arms has re-
ported 10 the House that he has executed the
person therein named at the bar Of the House
The Speaker then recognized Mr.. Butler.
Mr.. Butler desired the Speaker to ask the
witness If he was prepared to answer proper
questions put TO him by the Managers.
Mr.. Eldridge said that was not the proper
question. The question is, what excuse the
witness has to give for refusing to answer.
The Speaker directed the Clerk to read rule
adopted during the speakershIp of Speaker Orr
in which, in a case where a recusant witness
was brought befor e the House for contempt. tt e
questions asked We're, first, What excuse have
you for not appearing In answer to the sum-
mons Of this House! and. second, Are you ready
to'appear and answer such questions as NAV / e
put to you by the managers!
MIR. Boutwell, said he would offer resolution
10 CONFORM 10 that ruling, and he proposed 4
res olution to the effect that CIV. WooIley, Who
is now In the custody of the Sergeant at Arms.
be arraigned at the bar Of the House, and that
tHe speaker prOpOunQ 10 him the questions i'm .
dicated In the ruling read by the Clerk
Ibe resolution was agreed to without a di-
vision.
The Speaker, addressing Mr. woollev, sa,d
In accordance with the order of the House,
now PROFOUND 10 you the following ques-
tons What excuse have you for not app ar
ing in answer TO the summons of the House:
and are You ROW ready 10 appear and answer
such proper questions as shall be- put 10 YOU by
the committee
Mr.. WoolIey.-I am charged with con-
tempt OF the House. and desire TO submit writ
ten answer.
The answer was then read by the Clerk 1t
respectfully represents that the responder
was on yesterday evening, May 18th. between
geant-at-Arms of the House of Representa-
tives, and was not informed, except by the
residing Of the resolution adopted by the House
yesterday, of what he was charged, and he
was unable to obtain a copy of the report
made by the Managers setting forth at
length what question he had not answered
or, what he had refused to answer, or
fof what he fs --ow specially arraigned The
report ma. Oy the Managers is referred to as
containing at length the charges upon which he
was arrested, but without having had an op-
portunlty TO examine that report he is unable
10 answer the question now propounded. He
protests that he has not been guilty of a con .
Tempt OF the order or authority ofthe House.and
that he has not eyaded or attempted to eyadp its
process. and that he has fully ans wered TO the
committee all questions touching the specific
matter with which they We're charged by the
order of the House. MIR. Woolley concluded
by asking for time TO examine the report and
TO consult with his counsel
Mr.. Butler submitted that the paper Just read
was no answer to the question put by the
Speaker, but Is an argument evading the dIrect
out stion, and trifling with the House lust as he
did with the committee.
Mr.. Eldridge (Wis.) submitted motion that
copy of the report read yesterday be furnished
TO the witness, and that he be allowed until to-
morrow at II clock to put i'm his answer. 1t
seemed to hum that Mr.. Woolley gave a suffi-
clent answer for not answering the question
put to him at time more fully than he did. He
(Eldridge) suggested that time be given until
tomorrow. because il might happen that no
further business would be transacted after II
O'Clock to-day. The report was a very dong
one, and gentlemen who had listened attentive.
ly TO ITS reading had found it difficult To ascer.
tain the precise point at which Mr.. Wolley de-
elined to answer. He (ElGridge) thought at
,he ume that the report was insufficient
and that 1t was wrong to require MIR. Woolley
10 ans wer 10 anything except a specific charge.
II Mr.. Woolley labors under the belief that he
has answered fully and fairly all proper
wherein he was in default except by
access 10 the report. A plain question
direct and to the point should be set out at
length, and Woolley should know the precise
thing the Managers claim he refuses to ans wer,
and il Is but reasonable that he should have at
least twenty -four hours in which to prepare
his answer Another point has been just sug-
e sted to him by his friend from Indiana. (Mr
KERR, that under the law and Constitution no
man shall be required to criminate himself,
and I'm the event that IL is true as charged by
the Managers thHt Mr.. WOolley was guilty cf
bribery or an att-pipt at bribery, he would not
be bound TO cTilni late himself by his answer.
There might be subjects in this connection as to
how Tar be could answer without eliminating z
himself In which a consultation with cour sci
would be desirable and proper, and the wit
ness should have the privilege that would be
accorded 10 any known criminal. He Mr.. Ell
dridge) desired 10 say that he did not know
Mr. Woolley. and had never spoken to him,
but he thought II proper that time for the an
swer sh utd be given.
Mr.. Garfield (O.) would grant that it was
beyond the power of the House to say that a
witness should answer any and all q uestions
propounded to him, but it was the duty of the
witness to answer every question pertaining
to the subject under consideration; and il
might be advisable for the Managers to state the
specific question the respondent to answer He
thought the Managers could perhaps state that
specific question.
Mr.. Butler SAID there seemed to be no misap-
prebehsion among gentlemen as TO the power
Of the House, the privileges of witnesses, and
as TO what questions witness could or could
not answer. The question for the witness TO
answer this House is whether he will answer
any proper inquiry put to him by the Commit
tee He could not coincide however that the
House Of Representatives was restricted
in its action, or that IL could not ask
any question II saw proper. The only party
to Judge of the competency OF the ques tion is
the Committee appointed by the House, and
subject to the order of the House. The com.
mittee may ask any question it pleases, and 1t