The Van Buren press., 1868-04-24
FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, April 10,

WASHINGTON, April 10.
Notwithstanding the very uniavorable
weather of this afternoon the Senate gal
leries were as full az any previous day of
the trial. and up to twelve, Senators and
members were bcsieged for tickets, which
they were unable to supply. The Court
met at l2 O'Clock and opened with the us
ual ceremonies.
Judge Curtis promptly rose and resum
ed his argument commenced yesterday.
He treated .hc articles of impeachment
separately and made strong points against
each When he came to the circle
speeches he made a Very diguified allusion
to Ben. Butlcrsundignihed speeches and
cross examination, by SAYING that the
House of Representatives had constituted
itself school of dccorum and selected
from its members certain gentlemen fitted
/ by theory and practice to come to the
Senate and teach decorum of speech to
/ the Senate. @ -'.
The galleries very quickly took the
hint and there was suppressed laugh all
around at Buffers expense, ...
Judge Curtis concluded at a quarter
/ past two, and after recess of fifteen
minutes the Court reassembled 1t was
understood that the afternoon would be
| devoted to the presentation of documenta.
ry evidence, but this belief was quickly
dispelled when Mr. Stanbery called for
Gen. Thomas to take the stand There
was great curiosity to see the General and
hear what he had to say. He had been
seen around the Senate chamber every
day since the trial began, and had come
down to-day promptly at IL NJ. as usual
The object of the defence in calling
him was to prove that the President never
authorized him to use force to get Mr.
Stanton out of the War Department, and
! this was done by direct question and an
swer He positively denied that the
President had ever limited to him in any
way that he should use force in the mat
ter. He described his visits to the War
Department in very amusing style He
told how Mr.. Stanton and he had taken
an afiectiOnate drink together, and how
MIR. Stanton embraced him very endear-
ingly, and how when there wasn't liquor
enough to go round, Mr. Stanton sent out
for full bottle, which was soon furnish
ed, and out Of which all present took an
other drink The matter and manner of
tho C~....-I'v atIauIvu UUmUIneu W pro
ducc very loud laugh, which was re-
peated when Mr. Stanbery solemnly asked
the witness if that was aHthe force he used
to get Mr.. Stanton out, and the witness
repliedly aflirmatively. The admission
OF Gen. Thomas testimony, as to what
the President said to him after he had
commissioned him Secretary of War, ad
interim, was objected to by Mr.. Butler,
and the point was argued at considerable
length by the counsel on both sides, but
it was finally decided against Butler by
vote of42 to TO- Even Sumner voted to
admit it. 1t was also proven by Gen.
Thomas that the order issued by him on
the Goth of February for the closing of
the War Department on the following day
came originally from Mr. Stanton. This
upsets part of the theory attempted to be
established by Butler, who has cited Gen.
Thomas action in the matter referred to
as part of the conspiracy, and as proof
that Gen. Thomas was to take the entire
control of the clerical force Of the De
partment.
On the cross examination Mr. Butler
was very severe on Gen. Thomas, and did
his best to make him contradict himself
or to get from him some admission that
he contemplated the forcible election of
Mr.. Stanton. Gen. Thomas admitted
having talked to two persons Of using
force, but said that he spok in jest to one
Of them, and very soon repented Of what
he had said t. the other. During the
cross examination the sympathies ofthe
Senate and galleries were entirely with
Gen. Thomas, because it was felt that
Butler was unncccs sarily spiteful.
Those who knew the history Of the
two mcn, might have accounted for it by
the fact that the two have been personal
enemies since an carly time in the war
Butler and Banks were commissioned as
Major Generals on the same day in 1861.
Gen Thomas was Adjutant General at
that time, and in making the entry of the
two appointments in his office, the books
gave the precedence to Banks over Butler.
This greatly cnraged Butler, who called
at the Adjutant Generals Office, to de
mand an explanation. While there, he
called General Thomas "a traitor and
Thomas instantly returned the compli-
ment by calling Butler "a liar" and init
mating desire for a fight. which Butler
did not crafty This little unpleasant
ness has never been rcconciled, and But
Ter took advantage Of his position today,
to pay Off the old score. In part, this
explains the severity of.thc cross-exam-
nation. The days proceedings were
very interesting
The city is full of praises Of Judge
Curtis speech and there are many ready
to mdorsc him as a Presidential candidate
on the strength Of it,
The defence summoned three addition
al witnesses to-day, being officials con
nccted with the Circuit Court of this city.
This makes seventeen witnesses for the
defence, whose evidence, and the Incl
lpntnl discpSSion, ariSiuU uuucr- IT, will