The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-05-29

prestige is gone. Like the jackdaw stripped
of the plumage which made him peacock, ne
looks ridiculous and has but little TO say on
the subject He has, however, given US SORT
of an explanation of or apology for his con-
nection with the alleged impeachment bribery
ring, from which we see that the supposed old
fox is no fox at all, nor yet lion, but regu-
lar donkey. The bray betrays him. He says
substantially that when Butler summoned him
he was not very we'll, but being afraid OF the
HERALD he went right on; that Butler showed
him no mercy and gave him no time to revise
his testimony, but that, as given by Butler, it's
given pretty correctly, and that it contains
nothing to explain or regret. Thurlow Weed,
we are made to understand like the king--the
lobby king-can do no wrong. Hear him -
have neither done an act nor said word In
relation to the impeachment and trial OF the
President that would not do and say again.
Now let us see what it was that this witness,
according to his own evidence, said and did
lin relation to the impeachment and trial OF
the President" which he says he would say and
do again. While this trial was on certain
General Adams proposed to Collector Smythe
and ThurlOw Weed ''fOr certain sum OF
money (hirty thousand dollars) to get the
votes of certain Senators against conviction.
Weed says, too, that he understood an
arrangement was TO be made for four votes;
that he smelt rat; that he didn't
admire the project; that she had no
faith in it," that he "advised against
it," that he "didn't like the locks of it any
way" and, in short, that in talking it over
with Collector Smythe he Thought it not best
to have anything to do with it," This was
Weeds advice, and very good advice it was,
too. Collector Smythe, we believe, followed
it like sensible official but unfortunately
a big job began to loom up in this thing, and
like an old topper who, with his pledge in his
pocket, cannot resist friendly call 'Just to
take little," this lobby temptation was too
strong for the ''old man. The job kept run
ming in his head. 1t looked like big thing.
1t was big thing; for if carried through
Andy johnson and all his oficeholders would
be under everlasting obligations to the ring
purchasing the votes required for an acquittal.
The subject, says Weed, twas often talked
about until, forgetting all his good advice, he
was taken in and done for by General Adams,
and had at length regular business converse
ton on the matter with ''Webster, Wooley and
Sheridan Shook, who came to my room at the
Astor House." There were, it next appears,
two divisions of this ring-one under Wooley
Woob I'D in Noyu
York-a general lobby ring and special
whiskey ring, and thus the operations of both
in concert, looking to the purchase of at least
three Senator'S votes, for ''thirty thousand
dollars" were offered to and were accepted
and managed by Weed by letter, by confden-
tial messengers and through the telegraph
The telegraph! All! that was the fatal mis-
take to the 'old man."
Now for the thirty thousand, or rather the
twenty thousand actually raised. Between
| New York and Albany, between Washington
and New York and between Cincinnati and
Washington variety of dispatches, running
through several days, relating to the impeach-
ment and to certain drafts, deposits, &C., of
this ring, passed up and down, the parties con-
cerned being Weed, the head centre; WOoley,
the purser; Sheridan Shook, Hugh J. Hastings,
r. d. Webster. j. B. Craig and others too
numerous here to mention. These operations
resulted, first, in deposit in New York Of
| ten thousand dollars in favor of WOoley, drawn
| by him in Washington; next in deposit OF
five thousand dollars in favor of WOoley, drawn
nj the same place, and next in five thousand
dollars to Wooley from Cincinnati, making
twenty thousand dollars in all paid over tC
| Wooley before the test vote on the eleventh
article. On the 18th inst. Sunset Cox from
washington telegraphs Weed, 'lf you can
come over send Sheridan Shook. I'm
portant" Wooley the same day telegraph
Shook-''You must come on here ant
untanglc q snarl between friends at once.
Shook went down, and on the 10th
some hours in advance of the vote, Woole,
te,ecraphs Hastings, ''We have beat the Metho
dist Episcopal Church North, hell Georg
wilkes and the impeachment. 1t is believed
vote will be taken to-day. doubt it,.
Now the inference naturally arising from
this despatch Is that the money advanced Il
wooley had done its appointed work in savin,
Andrew Johnson, and that Wooley had tn
right TO glorify over his success. But whel
called upon before Butler to account for hi
disbursement Of the twenty thousand Wooley
after giving four different accounts, latl
refuses 10 answer any further questions on tn
subiect. and so he Is held as prisoner 70
contempt by the House of Representatives
wooley, therefore, is open to the presumption
that IL he did purchase two or three Senator
he refuses to betray them, or that If he mad
no purchases II Is all the same and that ="
fool and his money are soon parted" This
an old dodge of the lobby sbarpers first, tn