Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-04-28
F0RTIETH CONGRESS.
This Afternoons Proceedings.
Impeachment,
CONCLUSION OF ARGUMENT OF MAN.
AGER WILLIAMS
PASSAGE AT ARMS BETWEEN MR..
BUTLER AND MR.. NELSON.
ARGUMENT OF Mr.. EyARrs.
TUESDAY, April %.

dnueuOIneul 10 lue rules, and asked that
over to the close of the arguments
Whereas, 1t is provided in the Constitution
OF the United states that on trials of impeach-
ment by the Senate no person shall be convict
ed without the concurrence of two-thirds of
the members present, but this requirement of
two-thirds is not extended to the Judgment on
such trials which remain subject to the general
law that majority prevails; therefore, in order
10 remove any doubt thereupon,
Ordered. That any question which may arise
with regard to the Judgment shall he deter
mined by majority of the members present.
Mr.. Manager Williams then proceeded with
his argument. The President claimed that he
must have the sole and exclusive right to re-
move executive officers at his own pleasure
just as he has done. Does he expect 70 make
mere scapegoats of mis- Cabinet by compelling
them to register his edicts Does he intend 10
be another Charles, and murder another Staf-
1ord 10 tne commons. In one breath he con-
tends that he removed MIR. Stanton because he
is his master, and then in the next he iustifies
himself on the ground that he took the advice
OF his Cabinet. He spurns and derides the
opinion of the Senate. The President has nm
doubleday, the privilege which belongs to
every man-to seek for advice-but IL he is wise
he Will go TO those wSo are in condition TO tell
him what they think, not at the risk of being
turned out of Office. as Mr.. Stanton was. II
is true that Washington obtained the opinion
Of bis Cabinet in writing. but it was not until
the beginning ofthe war that the practice grew
on of taking daily counsel. No Cabinet could
have held together under the present i'm perious
Executive yAbo would not bow Iu suomissoa
}
tered the amendSpent TO the tenure-of-office
bill, which had brought about this issue IL
had come sooner than he expected but n was
here. What adequate cause does the Prpsi-
dent now assign for the removal of Mr STAN
toni The President does not allege that Mr.
Stanton has violated any law: all that we hear
is that bis relations with Mr.. Stanton preclude
him from going TO him for advice Heaven
save the mark The trouble is as everybody
knows. that Mr.. Stanton does not endorse MS
policy; but is resolute in upholding the laws
M fS a.,... ,,u.
President, who does not bow TO his will Grant,
Sherman, and Sheridan are as obnoxious 90
him as Stanton. He has failed to show any
adequate cause for the act that he has done
and now he stands on the hypothesis
that bis own will is to be the supreme law OF
the land. He (Mr. W. contended that the
wanton removal OF meritorious public Officers
was sufficient cause for impeachment What
was the motive of this mal-administration
Simply that Mr.. johnson cannot control the
War Office in the interest of his policy while
Mr.. Stanton remains at the head of IL Was
this wanton removal 1t was q wicked one
Mr.. W. here went on to argue against the con-
stitutional power of the President in the mat
Ter OF removals, and 10 say that the President
could have obtained a judicial Interpretation
on the teLure-of-ofiice law by the process of
quo CdTTdnfO, but this process was not sum-
mary enough for him. His own letters TO Gen
Grant prove that he intended TO eject Mr.. Stan
ton, but he was foiled by the integrity of
Grant and then took up his lieutenant
Thomas, 10 carry out his unholy purposs
reported TO his chief that all was well They
both reloiced over the fancied pusillanimity OF
Stanton, and Thomas invites his friends 10
come over the next morning and see the sur
render.
Mr.. W. here gave a facetious description of
AdJutant General Thomas at the masq uerade
and his reception of the messenger of the
Senate. The conversation of the President
with General Sherman shows conclusiyely
that IL was al no time the intention of the Pres
ident to carry the case of Mr. Stanton into the
courts. He knew. and Ia
would have told him, that the validity of the
tenure-of-office law would have been affirmed
But whether the law was constitutional or not,
had he the right to regard it as a nullity until
II was adJudicated on by the courtsl Ii is
not necessary tor the validity Of q law that
1t should have the sanction of the judiciary
as VIII as the legislature. The Obligation
the President to obey the law is as strong as
that of the humblest citizen. Concede him
what he claims, and our Representative Gov.
erkment is at an end, and the rule OF the bayo-
net Is substituted 1t makes no difference
whether Mr. Stanton's case is within the te-
nure-of-offce act or not. Under the Constitu-
uon the President cannot create q vacancy,
without the consent of the Senate during its
session. Nothing is clearer thsn that the au-
thorlty which he exercised to suspend Mr.
Stanton during the recess of the Senate is de-
rived from no other source than the tenure Of
office bill. 1t is no excuse for his violation of
the law that he did it for the best Of motives
II such plea as this was allowed but few
tyrants would ever suffer for their crimes
This is question of the life of a great State and
the liberties of great people The accusers
here are i0,OCOSo the people, the accused but one
man who seeks to be their master. The safety
Of the people is the true rule, and the only one
which ought TO govern the Senate in it's yer-
dict. Andrew johnson has fostered disarec-
tlon and discomfort throughout the Southern
States. He is a standing obstacle IN the way of
peaceful reconstruction. He assumes TO be a
dictator by obtaining control Of your Depart
ment OF war and all its eneinery, TO coRtrol
the appointment of your officers on the land
and on the sea. His unbridled tongue knows
no difference between licentiousness and liber.
y. The House of Representatives has done its
duty; the rest is now with you His trust in
God had never failed him, but he could but
realize that God had placed the destinie les of this
nation in the hands of the Senate. Their YER
dict would either go forth a sunbeam through
this land, or as a cloud of dark night. This
was not question as to whether Andrew
Johnson should, for the remainder of his term
or whether you will be allowed yourselves TO
retain the power which the Constitution has
bestowed on you. If he escapes, II will soon
be victory over You AID us, which will stir
the hearts of the rebels with gladness, and
make our dead soldiers turn in their graves
The next bead that will fall as a propitiatory
Offering to the South, will be that OF the great
Chief who humbled their pride by beating
down their serried battalions- The rebel sffice
holders will be once more restored to power
Are the hearts Of the Senate TO be moved by the
appeals made by his counsel for mercy and de-
failing his Kindness. Look at the bloody car
nlvai OF New Orleans, and show mercy 10 loy-
atty and innocence, and not to treason Your
ioyai men are daily railing In the southern
cities by the assassins' knife. To remove this
bold, bad man will involve no shedding OF
blood, no walls OF innocence and truth
Mr.. Williams concluded at l. 40 D. m and
the Court then took the usual recess
At2 p m, the Chief Justice raped the
Court to order.
Mr.. Manager Butler asked leave to make a
short narration of facts rendered necessary bv
what fell from Mr.. Nelson. They wouId re-
member what was said in relation 70 Hon
Black, and some Of the Managers relasiye 10
the Island Of Alta vela. Not one of the state
menfs made by the learned counsel would have
been competent if offered in evidence, and re.
lection on gentleman who was not here to
defend himself, and also on some OF the Mana
gtrs and members Of the House who also had
no opportunity Of defending themselves. The
merest tyro in the courts Of law in the most be-
nighied district of the Southern States, would
have known that it was not just or generous to
Mr.. B. then read from the statement made by
Mr.. Nelson a to the Alta vela affair, and the
consequent withdrawal Of Judge Black from
sent to the President-sent by Mr. Butler and
i Mr.. 3. thsn saiA e cannot fail to be evident
that while ~ eounssl dtsclaims any reflection
on yudse Bl1ek, his ycrds % throw out such
IN insinpation. He lNr. BJ knew very little
Of this Alta Yele e&air. Some time aeo he had
happened IN the Attorney Generals c6lce and
heard. JudGe Black mako IN argumeut in -
Eard TO this case. In last February, in the
tafly pertpf thatMonth. he had given written