Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-04-01
THE IMPEACHMENT.

s1uo pAOCceuAuSS Mc1S UOSuA AZ @A1Ss]Snose;
yesterday, by Mr.. Wilson continuing the read
ing OF documents with which the public was
already familiar. Among the documents thus
read was the commission of President Lincoln
appointing Edwin NJ. Stanton Secretary of
War, during the pleasure of the President. The
fling Of this paper will save just that much
trouble to the Presidents counsel
The examination Of witness then began
This important Office was undertaken by Gen.
Butler, who in this, as in allmatters during the
day, completely overtopped1 his colleagues, and
took the reins of the whole affair in his own
hands.
Mr. Butler began with asking leave to bring
his witnesses on the floor. AS such proceed
ing hardly comported with the proceedings and
was unfavorable to truth, the Chief Justice
refused the request, and suggested that they
had better stay in the room assigned them.
Mr. Mcdonald, one of the clerks Of the Sen
ate, was the first witness examined, but his
testimony was unimporta"t as was also that
of Mr.. J. W.. Jones, who had served a Senate
notice upon Gen. Thomas. D..
Mr.. Creepy, clerk Of the Treasury Depart
ment, was called to prove that there had been
change in the form Of commissions issued at
that Department after the passage Of the ten
ure of. Office law. This witness speaking very
low. Senators complained that they could not
hear him, .whereupon Mr. Butler proposed to
solve the difficulty by himself repeating after
I the witnesses their testimony. AS the General
had not been sworn to perform the duty OF in.
terpreter, Mr. Evarts objected to any such ar
ranpement, and this offer was not pressed. By
sensible suggestion Of Mr.. Trumbull, the
witnesses were removed to a distance farther
from the managers, and after that, they were
heard very well. None of these witnesses were
cross examined. The documents, meantime,
were read blythe Secretary of the Senate
Mr.. Burt Van Horn, member of Congress
from New York, was next placed on the stand.
He. was present at the interview between Gen.
Thomas and Mr.. Stanton, at the War Depart
ment, on the 22d February last, and "took
notes. of the conversation, by a most lucky
provision that they might hereafter be needed.
When he had finished his somewhat glib testi-
mony, the honorable member was taken in hand
by Mr.. Stanbery and subjected to 4 searching
cross examination. He was asked "what was
his business atthe War Department" of which
be seemed to be ashamed; for it took series
of questions to elicit that he had been there by
preconcert, and had there served as sort of
tool of Mr.. Stanton. 1t had not been habit
of his to take notes of peoples conversations
but he had on this occasion pulled out an en-
velope and copied on this small space the sub
stance Of continued conversational very
striking feat, when VIC consider that he is not a
stenographer! Nothing could be better than
the styleof Mr.. Stanbery's cross examination.
It was done quietly, but was as keen as razor,
and told on the voluble witness, so that he at
first declared that he had lost his original man
uscript, and then again, he did not know
whether he had it or not The effect Of the
Interrogation was to saddle the testimony on: a
memory not over good and a judgment which
had rejected as ''immaterial'' the remark oil
Gen. Thomas to Stanton that he chopped there
would be no unpleasantness between thcm,'
but had carefully put down all the good morn
ings' everybody uttered
Mr. Moorhead, Of Pennsylvania. came next,
and after an examination in chief by MIR. But
ler went through like sad experience with
Mr. Van Horn. Warned by the fate of the
latter, he did not seek to disguise that be went
to the War Department by plecsn,ert to wit
ness the interview between Gen. Thomas and
Mr.. Stanton. 1t seems that half dozen Con
gressmen were on the watch with Mr.. Stanton,
and that sentinel had been posted to keep a
lookout for Gen. Thomas as he came from the
Executive Mansion Mr.. Morhead, like Mr..
Van Horn. had followed Mr. Stanton from one
room to the other but though he took, a
mote" at MIR. S. S request, it was very brief
and crisp! These two innocent doves, after
their plucking, futtered back to their as
sociates ~ :.s ......
Mr. Burleigh was next sworn in, but hardly
had he said word before Gen. Butler took
the word out OF his mouth; and was proceeding
to state vcrbatina in the presence of the witness
what he expected him to testify. There being
much shorter and fairer way of getting at the
point, Mr.. Evarts objected The Chief Justice
instructed Gen. Butler, in substance, that he
must not state the evidence And now came
an extraordinary scene. -.
Mr. Drake, of Missouri rose, and in very
rude manner denied the right of the Chief
Justice to make any decision upon the proper
mode Of proceeding. All felt now that a Crisis
had come in the trial, and question, the de-
cision Of which nigh involve impor ant c)nse
quences The CHIEF Justice bore himself with
quiet digniy, He stated briefly aud succnc-
thy the relation to the trial assigned him by
the Constitution, the rules of the Senate, and
the precedents, according to which it was first
his right and duty to decide questions of order
and evidence, and then, if any Senator desired
vote, lt was to be submitted to the Senate
for their decision. To this view Mr.. Butler
made a formal speech in reply, and then, the
Presidents COUNSEL not choosing to answer,
the Chief Justice put the question for the vote
sof the Senate. Forthwith sprung to his feet
Mr.. Drake, Of Missouri, in the most offensive
manner, correcting the statement of the ques.
ton by the Chief Justice. He was prompt
called to order by the latter, and took his scat
Speeches followed by Messrs. Bingham,
Butler, and Boutwell,, all urging that the pow
ers of the Chief Justice did not extend to a
decision, even through preliminary, and that
the question was so important, that if ruled
against them, they would probably desire to
consult the House before proceeding further.
This was evidently meant for intimidation
Only word was said by Mr., Evarts, and that
was in his usual happy, incisive manner, in
reply to, Mr.. Boutwell's proposition that the
rule should be established as they proposed