New-York tribune., 1868-05-18

VOTE FOR ACQUITIAL - 1ih NN'i'N ~
JOURNED UNTIL THE 26TH lNsI'
wAsHNGToN, May II, 1868.
In that long honr before the opening of the Court
thc galleries studed the floor of the Senate Cham
ber. The people were to be the spectators of bat
tle and were impatient for its beginning. Mean
while the Clerk was reading the titles of bills. No
hodv cared for these. They looking at the men
who were so soon to decide, as judges under OATH
ouestions which they had a hundred times decided
as Senators under OATH and the multitude were en-
deavoTing to find in some look or action indica-
ton of the result. Mr.. Sumner was quietly
talking with Thad. Stevens, who, long before the
Managers were announced, had taken his seat. Mr.
Cameron looked steadfast and stern, the impeTsona
ton of the intrepidity of his brave Scottish race
Mr.. POmeroy impassve, Mr.. Morgan resolute, Rev
erdy. johnson assured, Mr.. SpTague serious, and
Salisbury was sober. Messrs Anthony, Edmunds
and Williams were together. TTumbull sat apart
nervous, and with apparent anxiety to appear un-
moved and Indifferent. Fessenden had banished all
expression from his face, and held his head erect,
defantly turning from side to side con-
tinualy. These men were under eXtraor-
dinaTy excitement; but their intentions
were known. The principal interest centered in the
doubtful Senators. Van Winkle was without atfec-
tation or embarrassment occupied with his papers.
This vote to him was probably no more exciting
than n vote OH the Shamokin Lake bill. Fowler
was neryouslv moving around and pulling on black
kid gloves. as though dressing for funeral, probably
hs own OFF in a corner Gen. SieNes, Vl9 4aG
come upon the floor, was earnestly talking to Sefa-
tor Ross: but the argument was wasted upon this
Senator, whom inscrutable fate had taken from OBJ
scurity In Kansas and given the power to defeat JUS
tice and TO protect crime. .at,-...'-
At about 90 minutes to 19 Senator Conkling, pale
from his sickness entered and was Immediately sur
rounded by his friends At l2 the ChiefJustice took
the chair and the Court opened. While the mes
senger had gone 10 inform the members OF the House
that the Senate was ready to receive them one last
effort seemed 10 be made by the impeachers and
their opponents Senator Thayer addressed MI Ross,
Dixon consulted with Fessenden and then fastened
10 Anthony. Mr.. Sumner left his seat and held
brief Dialogue with the ChlefJustice Mr.. Williams
then suspended these conversations by moving that
his order to vote first on the Eleventh Ar
tcle should be considered. The motion was adopted;
and while the yeas and nays were beng called,
Senator Howard, wrapped in shawl tottenng, and
scarcely able to walk, was brought into the Cham-
her, supported by Messrs Chandler aud Drake: 4s
lie fell into his seat the Clerk called his naneand he
feebly answered Yea" Trumbull, who sits directly
in front of Senator Howard, turned round TO shake
hands with him. When the name of Mr. Ross was
per ran through the galleries, Ross is gone" Wade
answered "Yea,0 the first time he had voted
during the trial. By this time all the
Managers for the House were in their places,
solemn faces ALL in which the galleries could read no
encouragement. Mr.. Stevens, with one unvarying
look of contempt and Butler looking as he faced the
mob in New-York, OF defed the Mumford gang IN
New Orleans and all this while Mr.. Ross tore paper
Then the members of the House entered, headed by
o. IL o111f
places The counsel for the President were all pres
ent with the exception of Mr. Curtis
Mr. Howard rose, and in a scarcely audible voice
asked permission to cite his argument. Ihe.Senator
from Michigan was sustained by the force OF his will
only Mr.. Edmunds then moved to proceed with the
vote Mr. Fessenden rose, desiring that it should be
postponed half an hour in courtesy to Mr.. Grimes;
but learning that that Senator was in the Capitol
be withdrew his amendment Senator Grimes was
then half carried to a chair on the right Of the
ChiefJustce and helplessly sank into II, evidently
very i'll. Trumbull, Fessenden, and Hendricks had
one more brief consultation, and Mr. Ross was still
busy tearing paper into tiny bits His hands went
like a spinner's The motion to vote at once was
carried without a division, and the Chief-Justce
rose 10 warn the galleries that persons who should
violate the rules prescribing silence would be arrested
and removed. The galleries. who had behaved very
well looked at the three policemen in each aisle and
resolved to behave better Then the CLERK read the
Eleventh Article to which nobody listened, and Mr..
Henderson improved the opportunity 10 run over
once more to Mr. Ross, who was in this battle like
the bridge at Arcoa, now trodden upon by one army
and now trampled by the other.
And now came the moment for which loyal men
and women had waited and prayed, which Rebels
and COpperheads had struggled to avert the moment
when the Senate of the United States should vote to
sustain Andrew Johnson in his usurpatons, or to re-
move him from the Office which he dsgraces, the
suspense of three months was to be ended.
Early in the morning. when saw the blue sky and
the bright SUM- it seemed as if all whirl Of excite
ment was but as a feversh dream. mockery of real
eamestness The grass would be green and the corn
would grow, and men be happy OF miserable whether
Andrew johnson should be acquitted or condemned;
but upon the verge of this great VOTE when, looking
around saw the intent look of thousands, and could
even hear the intense stiffness of the vast Senate
Chamber as suddenly every heart had stopped beat
ing The solemuity of the scene was like that of some
mighty religious service. Then felt the importance
of this event to humanity 1t was no personal dis
pute to be decided but great question in which the
dignity Of the nation was involved. 1t was the
cI0wning struggle between the Rebellion and the
people; and to make more intense the excitement
nethng could be more completely in doubt than
the lesut-mOre evenly balanced than the scales of
victory. The people had the advantages of force the
President those Of position The great majority in
favor of conviction was stopped by few words
in the Constitution. Behind the clause which re-
quTes twothirds vote to convict the President had
intrenched himself, and he had so ably managed
his meager troops that one on his side was
stronger than two on ours. Yes, II was more unequal
than this for as the lines drawn this morning,