The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-05-12
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
.sENATEIN SECRET SESSION
How the Vote is 20 be Taken on
Impeachment.
SENA TORS 70 TOTE :. GU1LFY," OR
NOT q ULLTY," ON "a cH
q ARTICLE


SENATE ....--...... W wAsHfssToN, May II.
The Senate men at ten O'Clock.
N eets to-day under the order for deIibera-
ton, and the doors viii be closed. unless
some Senator makes b motion now.
Sherman moved that the Sergeant-at-
Arms place his assistants through the gall
cries, With directions to arrest any person
VINO violates the rules OF order.
2 The Chief Justtce stated that the Ser
geant-at-A rms should also be ready TO take
the precaution. ta
tice, before the call OF the Roll, admOntsh
all persons that no mantle -tatiOn OF ap-
plause or dtsapprOVal viii be allowed in
the Senate unde penalty. This PROPOSE
ton meeting with general appreciation ne
withdrew his motion.
In secret session this morning, the Chief
Justice addressed the Senate as follows:
SENATORS In conformity with what
seemed to be the general wish o. the Sem
ate when II adjourned last Ihursday, the
Chief usttce in taking the vote on the
Articles of Imp mpeachment, will adopt the
rule sanctioned in the cases Of Chase. Peck
and Humphrey. He will direct he Sec
retarvvtO read the several articles success
ST veIy, and after the reading OF each ar
ticle, Will put the question Of guilty or not
guilty, each Senator rising IN his place, in
the form used ia the case OF Judge Chase:
= Senator, how say you, Is the respondent.
Andrew Johnson, President Of the United
States, guilty or not gu lEy of a high mis-
demeanOr as charged IN this article?"
Putting the questions on articles four and
six, each OF which charges a crime. the
word crime will be sub tItuCed for tue
word ''misdemeanOr." fhe Chief Justice
mas carefully considered the suggestion OF
the senator rom lu1lanal hlF. hendfleks,
which appeared TO meet the approval OF
the senate. that,.tn taking the vote on the
eleventh article, the question should be
put on each clause, and found himself un-
able to divide the article as suggested.
The article charges several facts, but they
are so connected that they make but one
saHa aaA
making one misdemeanor. The first fact
charged is Ia substance. that the President
% gbiicly declared in August, l-66, tnat the
Thfrty-ntni b Congress was a Congress OF
only part of the states, and not
Cons ituttoaai Congress intending
thereby to deny is constitutional
amendments to the Constitution, and
this charge eens 10 have been made
Introductory and as qualifying that
which follows, namely, that The President,
in pursuance OF this declaration, attempt
ed TO prevent the execution of the Tenure
OF Office Act By eontflVlng ana attempt
ing to contrive means 10 prevent Sir.
stanton from assuming the functions OF
Secretary of War after the refusal OF the
Senate 10 concur in his suspension, and
also by con irving and attempting to con-
trive means to prevent tue execution OF
the AppfO fOprtatiou Act Of March ID, 1907,
aud also to prevent the execution OF the
rebel state Government, all Of the same
dsIe.
that the President attempted to defeat the
execution OF the TeHure-Of-Of Act, and
that he did this in pursuance Of declara-
ton which was Intended 10 invade the
constitutional competency OF Congress TO
enact laws or propose constituti nal
amendments, aud by contr wing means to
prevent Mr.. stanton frOIn resumlng his
: ffice Of Secretary, and also 70 prevent the
execution OF the Appropriation Ac1 and
the Rebel state Government Act. The
sfnole substautIye matter charged is the
attempt to prevent the execution or the
Teuure-Of-Office Act, and other facts a'leg-
ed either as intrOductory y and exhibiting
this general purpose, or as showing the
means contrtved 10 ihe furtherance OF that
attempt.
other matters previously aud subsequently,
ALLEGED. Is charged as the high misde
meanOr Of which the President IS alleged
to have been guilty. The g"neral ques-
ttOn guilty or not guilty OF high mIsae-
meanOr, as charged, SEEM fully to cover
as well as on the Others 70 the Senate di-
rect: the same mode OF division IN the 10Th
article. The division suggested BY the
senator from New HoT- (CQnkHngl may
be more easily made. Et contains more
tue 18Th dav Of August the President. with
the futaution to set aside the rightfuI
authority OF Congress, AMI bring IL IN con-
tempt, delivered certain sc lnQalOuS
haraugues, and therein uttered loud
threats and bitter men aces against
Congress and the laws Of the I United states
enae oE congress Ilste,oy oIlns nslhs me
great scandal OF good citizens; and sets
Tor b in three distinct specifications the
klnenances complafue1 of1u respect TO the
several Specifications; andt question OF
guilty or not guilty OF 3 nigh misde mean
or. as charged in the article can also be
taken. The Chief Justt cs. however, sees
no objection IN putting tue genera ques-
ttOn on this article ia the same manner as
the others; for. Whetser the partlcu ar
question be put on the specifications or
not, the answers 10 the nnal question:
must be determined BY the judgment Of
toe senate. whether the facts ieged in
the ecidcatiOns have been sunc1ently
proved. and whether, If sufficiently prov
: Ell tuey s mount 20 q n1gh IN l-C1e "a can or
within the meaning OF the COnStlIutlOn.
On the whole, therefore, the Chief JUS
tIce thinks the better practice would to
put the question OF eacn article WlthOuI
aJtem pLtug TO make any sub-divlslo0s anu
/ he VIII pursue this course II No O91ecLiOns
are made. He viii, however, be pleased
/ TO conform 10 such directions as the SEN
are may see mt in this matter; where
I upon sumner submtteea t4e IoILowlng
+ Order, wnlca was 5ls1dered oy Uaani-
/ NOUS consent. and agreed upOu:i
ord eFea1 UiIsu en- JIestfOEl 9e JgIt as pro-
pO-eG blythe presiding Oncer o. me sen
piece aid answer - guilty., o. mol
+ guilty Outy.-
fn mI&Oa Of SunAer tht -enate pro
T ceeded o consider the 10 lowing resOIu-
/ Llou, Submitted on he 25,h OF April:
h5s0tuSu- Iaat the = lOWLAg Dc alucu tc
I TIE rules 81 pro seuu,Ire ant p a tee 3
the senate. wien ~ltrln az ne TRIAL ID
+ impeac Ilnsats. an con vlctIO u by tut
I ing OEnCer tort tn with TO pa fnOuuce the re
mOyaI rom Lics the convicted person
&C Ordjug 10 tue iequtre,nelt~ OF the tOu
sJItu To- Any tLr, ,n-r IuugIl cut shall ia
/ on the order OF the senate
After lie bate Jde Culef Jus ice auuOuuc
/ ed that tue nOu- % IL O'CLOCK. A N. nNet
: 0y order Of tue Seuate for deliOeratiOl
1 and dehate. had arrived. aud that Seua
4 m W-rrHN VsaHr " -