Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-04-29
THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL.
Conclusion of Yesterdays Proceedings.

Conclusion of Yesterdays Proceedings.
In Senate yesterday. all our report closed
Mr. manager Logan stated that he had not
signed the letter to the President about the Alta
Nela affair before the commenccnentoft the I'M
parchment proceedings. 30
Mr.. Nelson said perhaps nos, aud ne would
ask the privilege Of bringing in all the papers
here so that the truth may be tirriyed at
The Caief Justice then notified Nj. Evarts to
proceed. pa EA
Mr. Eyarts said that he was sure that no man
of a thoughtful temper would wish TO take any
part in the proceedings of this day, unless
compelled to do so in the interest not of party
but of country-the absolute occasion which
convenes the Chief Justice Of the United States
and the Senators IN this Court. The President
of the United States is herein submission to the
same Constitution. 1t is by facts and in star ces
that the people are taught obedience to the Con-
stItution and the laws. ALI goes on until by
some competing, some contending forces in the
State, the clouds are charged with electricity
Our duty has brought us here to this august
procedure and has assigned to all of us parts
The service OF the constitutional procedure OF
inmpeaeh1m I m our great history as nation
which are involved In the trial The first pro-
ceeuing was against a member of this body
which Parlook OF no political nature; the
affected personal matter; the last, the case of
Judge HUMPHREYS, where there was no Ques-
ton of interest, and where everything was ap-
parent the cases of Judges Chase and Peck,
OF men holding dignif1ed and elevated posi-
lions OF public trust and where the whole mat
ter Is OF PERSONAL misconduct in Office. But
what do we behold here. The whole political
power of the nation is invoked. The House
of Representatives is here as the accuser, the
President of the United States is here as the &C
cused, and the Senate of the United States is
here as the judges All are here to determine
the struggle whether one of them shall be made
TO bow TO the power of the other Crime and
violence has placed all the parties of the Gov
eminent at some disadvantage. The crime of
the rebellion has placed this Senate and House
of Representatives at a disadvantage by being
deprived of their full membership. The crime
and violence of the assassin has placed the ex-
ecutive centre of the Government in the hands
OF one who was not elected President; and if
they should acquit the President, all things
would remain as they now are-the House
VIII return 20 its own chamber, aud you will
remain here. and the President of the United
states Will serve out his cons titutIonaI term
In continuation, Mr.. Evarts said: Now, Seha-
tors, let Us see to II that we know what is ex-
pected OF this trial. If our boosted liberty
Is 10 90, and If her stern monitor, law, is to be
overw helmed and hushed by this new wind of
opinion which comes up from thousand
presses, let us not Ieyel In the new era. He
was now brought to an inquiry asked very
early IN this cause, and discussed with great
correctness and lear ming, whether this was a
court. He had never heard before of a plaintiff
In prosecution coming in and assuming that
THIS was not a court. He admired the intrepid
manager Mr.. Butlerl VINO had first made this
assault; and no doubt the manager tn ought he
must turn the court out of his cause, or his
cause would be turned out of the court. Lau III
teri The counsel had found that this was so
much OF court that they could not put a lead
ing question in 1T. We may assume, so far as
words go, that ii is court, and nothing else
than court; but the manager says it is not a
question of importance. Throughout all the
English history, impea chment trials were con-
Quoted as In court, and were guided by all the
rules of a court. Now, this is not the Senate
sitting in legislative business or executive BUSH
ness and If 1t is not court, what is it! For
what are we here! If it is not an altar of JUS
tlce, 1t Is an altar of sacrifice. 1t is then the
demon OF party that We are to appeal to here
In the Trial OF Judge Peck, what was saidl
There was pretty stern body of managers.
Ambrose Spencer, of New York, had some
thing to say on the subject OF party vote, and
said that the record of the House showed that
the Impeachment had been made without any
party influence and that if that baleful inhu-
ence had cast its shadow over it, he fMr. Spen-
Ger would have scorned himself if he should
have appeared as a manager.
After reading this extract. Mr.. T.. turned to
tue Senate and said: Mr.. Manager Butler
talked to you by the hour. Did he say an
thing more wise or more becoming than thisl
Judge Spencer was a politician in the House,
but on the bench, or as a prosecute, he knew
no paTtisanship. If this is not a court, it is
scaffOld. The honorable Manager says You
have preludg ed this case; that you Judged il on
the night of the 2lst of February He IMr. Ell
would not have used these bold words, bu the
honorable Manager had so said. If this senate
did as a court judge this on February l1st,
then N was here now TO play the part si-
rected by the Managers.
Alas, to what an end are the wisdom and the
courage which our ancestors brought to the
making of the Constitution OF what avail is
the prohibition against post fdctO laws and
bills of attainder What is bill of attaInderl
II Is the enactment by the Legislature of crime,
punishment, and penalties one breath. Is
this Senate 10 SIT here and not be guided by the
law and the evidence The Constitution had
lodged the trial OF parchment in the hands of
the Senate, because IL was the most proper BODY
Mr.. T.. here read from the debates in reference
10 making the Senate the Court OF Ipnpeach-
ment Mr.. PInkney said II made the President
too dependent on the Legislature. IL he op-
posed a fayorite law, IL was in the power of the
TWO Houses TO combine and remove him from
Office.
Now, what does the Constitu ton do for us,
Truth, Justice, ana duty are the ideas that the
Constitution has forced upon YOU here to-day
Will you receive them or REJECT theml Accept
II aud you are nobler, stronger and better
SpUTn IL or reject IL and you are weaker and
poorer and feebler than before Justice IN the
affairs of man Is what the heavens are to the
nee anism which Restraints the forces of the
globe. The priyity of the family and the sane
tity of justice ever have been cared for and
ever Will be. The furies of my thology had
charge of the sancIity of an oath. All the re-
prOaches of history are sho wered upon those
who have betrayed the obligations of their
oath. He knew not why the point of steel
should draw the thunderbolt and take il to the
ground. He knew not why an oath should
draw from the cloud Of passion and party its
sting.
The Managers may talk by the hour, that
their oaths las naught TO do with this; that
this is not a Court; but he would interpose but
one sentence Thou shalt not take the rame of
the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will
not hold him guiltess who taketh HIS name
/ vain" The ermine which you wear as
Chief Justice may be consumed by the moth,
the people who are at your doors may perish
into dirt all nature may crumble. the heavens
and the earth may pass away, but not one iot
or title of the words L have spoken but will
endure forever.
Mr.. T.. said he had reached the point at which
he would like to close to-day.
The Court then adjourned, and the Senate
Immediately thereafter ad journed
~ Gen. Sherman. writing to a friend in
Columbus. says of the Kansas hotels, that sstheir