Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-04-02

ereu cerIalu tuat ue Will UaAo lhe Sieo' opSeoi "
the trial. - so
Next to him will be Boutwell,, who, as yet, has
not spoken at oil. Butler made strong points on
last Friday, but his manner was very much against
him. and it is his misfortune that much OF what he
does falls in with the popular idea that be is
demagogue: Wilson little speech was plain and
solid, like the man. he will indulge in no flights
of oratory, and is really likely to have less weight
in the trial than his abilities would warrant VII
liams has not yet spoken. He is an able lawyer,
after certain pragmatical fashion OF his oWn and
an orator of no mean powers. He is probably the
best legal scholar on the board Of managers, Lo-
gan is worthless save for dumb show; and poor
old Thad Stevens, save for moral effect
It is undeniable that the weight of legal reputa-
ton is against the managers, and in favor Of the
Presidents counsel. No lawyer in the United
States canbe named, with the approval OF the pro-
fession, before Judge Curtis, of Boston. VIM. NJ.
Evarts ranks with Charles O'Conor, James T.
Brady, and David Dudley Field, the four being
held, by common consent, the foremost lawyers Of
New York. Intense, and in some sense just, as
are the prejudices against Jer. Black, we cannot,
in fairness, deny that he stands with the foremost,
if not himself the foremost, in Pennsylvanla.. VI
Henry Stanberry's legal reputation no Ohioanl,
most of all, no Cncinnatian, needs to be informed.
There are no men among the managers-there are
with these four for reputation as great lawyers be-
fore the country. ..'...
What the President will Do.
1t seems to have become fixed fact in the
minds of the correspondents at Washington, that
the President will be convicted and turned out OF
Office if the trial proceeds There is, consequently
much speculation as e what course the President
will pursue Some hold that he will abide the re-
suit of the trial. while others express the opinion
that he will resign, and thus avoid being dsquai-
fed for holding Office for the future The pre-
vailing opinion, at present, seems to be that he
will adopt the latter alternative A correspondent
of the Baltimore Gazette writing from Washing
ton, says:
The opinion gains ground that if the counsel Of
the President cannot obtain all extension Of time
Ito prepare his case that they will urge upon him
the propriety of rendering his resignation:
Members of the board Of managers believe that
this plan will be resorted to by the President and
cease, and the President will thereby escape the
penalty which is sure to follow upon his conviction
the disqualification from ever being permitted to
hold an Office of trust There has been great diff
ference of opinion as to whether the trial could 60
on in such case, Notwithstanding the President had
resigned, and being desirous of knowing what view
the board of managers took of this question, COM
plcated as it is, had, yesterday, somewhat pro
tractal interview with Messrs Bingham and Will
son, during which the subject was discussed in
al ba its easngp RIM gpn sna dDm nss says Ma 5ns
the Senate, properly certified by the Secretary Of
State, that the board of managers be at once in
structed by the House of Representatives to dis.
continue all proceedings against the President, and
that they be discharged from all further considera-
ton of the subject" -
In this view Mr., Wilson concurred, and they
both agreed that as, by Mr.. Johnson's resignines
there would be no President against whom charges
had been preferred, therefore, under the consttu-
ton and laws, nothing could be done in the case
whatever but to drop it.
I attribute considerable Importance to the state
ment concerning the proposed resignation Of the
President, and think it is not without good foun-
dation.
A few days ago, a lady teacher in the city here,
who has among her pupils two little daughters OF
Mrs. Slower, who, it will be remembered, is q
daughter of President Johnson requested each OF
her pupils to ascertain at home whether they would
continue in her school the next quarter, which
commences again in couple Of weeks. The little
Misses Slower retarosd the next day, and prompt
" told the lady that they were not coming to school
any more. When questioned as to the reason they,
with child. like simplicity, said:
'Grandpa says we are going to move back to
Tennessee in Aprilp
Here, then, in these few words, are, I think, to
be found the solution of the question as to whether
the President himself believes that his removal is
certain.
The signs are unmistakable in the political at
mosphere, that the President will not press i'm
peachment to vote in the Senate, but seeing that
his removal is foregone conclusion, will, by his
resignation, save himself from being disqualified
from ever holding Office again." {.
Curious Proceedings.
while the late Convention was in session,
charges of cruel and inhuman treatment to the con-
vcts in the Penitentiary, was made against Major
| T. B. Lee, the Superintendent About the same
time petition was gotten up asking Gen. Candy
to remove Major Lee and appoint Mr.. ". E. Rose
as his successor. Gen. Candy Immediately took
steps to investigate the charges against Major Les
and the trial is now progressing in Columbia. A
number of the persons who signed the petition f0f
the appointment of Mr. Rose have been summoned
as witnesses and the testimony furnished, up to
this time is curious to soy the least. We quote
from the Charleston Ne,os:
beverly Nash testified that he had heard
'things," but on going through the institution
found that both races were treated alike. T. j.
Robertson said he had signed the petition in the
convention praying for theremoval Of Mr. Lee, and
the appointment of w. E. Rose, the delegate from
York, because he (Robertson) was "Jacksonian
| in principle" and as the Republican party would
control South Carolina he believed that to the vic
tor belonged the spoils. Therefore, he wanted q
man in the penitentiary of his own politics.
| Robertson further stated that he knew nothing
Objectionable in the administration of the peniten-
tiary had visited it twice and been favorably i'm
pressed with the cleanliness and fine appearance Of
the convicts, and the system and good order which
prevailed Jack Knox, negro; swore point blank
that more than year ago he saw prisoners abused.
He was very definite about the time, and certain
with regard to the event; but the records Of the
institution will show that no convicts had been re-
ceived at that period. and until considerable time
thereafter. Another negro swore that he saw o
prisoner knocked down. He was pressed for the
name, and after thinking while said it was Jack
Gridiron." No such euphonious or culinary name
was ever heard within the walls of the penitentiary
| Such is type of the testimony being introduced
by Beverly Nash and his white and black copart.
for the purpose Of making political capital and
destroying the effectiveness OF one OF the best
conducted institutions in the Southern States.
The whole thingis farce from beginning to end
in other words 'impeachment" boiled down in q
black and dirty pot.
The question now pending is whether convict
testimony shall be introduced, and Major Lee, de-
srous of allowing the widest latitude to the inves-
tigation, has given his assent to the proposition.
It proper to add that the officers OF the court are
acting with great imnartiality and it is believed