Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-05-01
The Impeachment Trial.
WASHINGTON, Saturday April 25.
SENATE.

Chief Justice said, the first business
was the order offered by Mr.. Edmunds
yesterday, to admit official reporters
to report the proceedings on the final
question.
Mr.. Edmunds-at the suggestion,
he said, of several Senators-moved
to postpone the consideration of the
order until Monday.
Mr.. Drake move that the order
be indefinitely postponed, and on that
| call for the yeas and nays.
Mr.. Edmunds-Mr. President, so |
do it.
The motion of Mr.. Drake was voted |
down by 20 to 27, and the motion
to postpone till Monday agreed to.
Mr.. Sumner offered the following
order:
Ordered, That the Senate sitting
for the trial of Andrew johnson, Pres
ident of the United States, will pro-
coed to vote on the several Articles
of Impeachment at twelve o'clock on
the day of the close of the argument.
Senator johnson objected, and it
was laid over.
Senator Sumner i send to the
Chair two additional ruless, the first
of which is derived from the practice
q dna see s seaa}e ed RR be trials of Judge
They were read and are as follows
Rule %. ain taking the votes of the
Senate on the articles of impeachment,
the presiding officer shall call each
Senator by his name, and upon each
article propose the following question
in the manner following: How say
you; is the respondent guilty or not
guilty as charged in the article of
impeachment Each Senator shall
rise in his place and answer guilty or
not guilty"
Rule "a. On conviction by the
Senate it shall be the duty of the
presiding officer forthwith to pro-
nounce the removal from Office of the
convicted person according to the re-
quirement of the Constitution and
any further judgment shall be on the
order of the Senate.
Senator Johnson again objected,
and the rules went over.
Mr.. Groesbeck then addressed the
Senate on the part of the respondent.
After a few introductory remarks he
proceeded to consider the question
whether or not the Senate is now sit
ting as Court, and said he would not
discuss lin the light of English pre-.
cedents, but with reference to our
own Constitution, which countenanc
ed neither bills of attainder nor ir
responsible tribunals to be laws unto
themselves.
He first called attention to the fac
that the provisions of the Constitu
ton as first drafted contemplated i'm
J parchment for NAL practice and neglec
of duty in office, but those adopted
permit only for treason, bribery, an(
, similar high crimes and misdemean
ors. lie then challenged the proof
to show that during any of the trial
which form our precedents, the ide;
that the Senate was not a court, haC
ever been advanced H. sod TO"
the records OF each of them the Ian
guage in which the Senate on all thes
t occasions styled itself "the Court.
He also quoted Story and the othe
: authorities to show the Judicial char
acter of the Senate and the qualitica
tions they must bring to the discharg
< of their obligations. In reference t
, their jurisdiction he held that til
D only question Tor them to decide wa
that OF crime or no crime; and furthe
! that no action could be considered
! connection with which evil intentio
o was brought. He illustrated thi
: provision 10y considering a homicid
Y committed by mad man by the SUI
5 position that the President shout
Y violate the law after losing his reaso
n and by reference to the acts OF NJ
Lincoln in constituting military tt
bunals in loyal States which conduc
though pronounced destitute of wa
e rant by the Supreme Court, has bee
1t upheld by Congress, on the groun
. that the motive was good. Havir
= thus, as he claimed, shown the falsit
l. of the doctrine advanced by the Ma
IL ayers on the subject, he said he shoul
Ill consider the question whether tt
IL President had right to remove M
III Stanton, and to grant letter of a
20 thority to Gen. Thomas, for on the
,e two issues hung the fate of eight {
- the articles. As to the first point
IL held that the Civil Tenure law d
~ not apply to Mr.. Stanton, because
u was not appointed by Mr.. Johnso
II But even if Mr.. Johnson is not ser
u ing his own, but Mr.. Lincoln's ter
10 Mr.. Stanton's tenure of Office expir,
d one month after the expiration Of /
Il first term, and if Mr.. Lincoln we
now living Mr.. Stanton could be l
III moved by him, and equally can he
. by Mr.. Johnson if the latter is mer
ne ly serving out the remainder Of /
is term. In support of his propositi
at that the President had power To
oy move Mr.. Stanton under the law
y. 1889, Mr.. Groesbeck quoted from t
10 letter of Mr.. Adams to Mr.. Pick
A. ing, announcing to him, not that
nd was to be removed, but that he W
de actually removed, and a successor g
ut pointed.
De At two o'clock the Senate tool
he recess.
,r. On reassembling Mr.. Groesbe
L.