Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-04-20
The ImDeachnent.

Navy, tllGu ,USiuS Uu Lue Sldlu, IIc lcsloSAu .
counsel offered to prove that when The tenure
of-ofice bill was before the President for his
approval, he submitted it to his Cabinet for
advice that all the members present advised
him that twas unconstitutional that the once
OF preparing the veto message was deVolVed
upon Messrs. Seward and Stanton this to be
followed by proof Of what was done by the
President and Cabinet up to the time OF send
ing in the voto Alive to the danger ofalloW-
ing this evidence to go in, Mr.. CONFESS, whose
zeal to do the petty work Of the managers IS
only limited by his very small capacity, at once
moved to adjourn. The nod and wink went
around among the Radicalcs and the adj
journment was carried - q
When the Senate met at eleven A. NJ.
Saturday, the requisite majority had been So
cured The offer of proof as above was hrSt
read then came question from Mr.. Keverdy
johnson, followed by one from. MT. howard.
Mr.. Manager Wilson next rose and read from
manuscript a speech in opposition to the adj
mission Of the evidence. Mr.. Wilson spoke
an hour. Z IJ.. <# ~.'la
Judge Curtis then replied in very lucid
and interesting manner, speaking some twenty
minutes, and answering an argumentatlye ques'
ton put by Mr.. Williams Of Oregon. The
Chief Justice then briefly expressed his views
citing the first article, which charged that on
the 2lst OF February the President gave an Or
der to remove MIR. Stanton, with intent to VIC
late the Constitution Of the United States
The same charge is repeated in other articles,
and the intent being the point to which much
Of the evidence on both sides had been direct
ed. the Chief Justice ruled It the evidence now
offered to be admissible The vote vas then
b,,- nv r.
important evidence was ruled out.
Mr. Evarts next offered to prove that when
the tenure of-of1ice bill was under consideration
in Cabinet prior to it's veto, the question was
considered whether the Cabinet Ministers ap-
pointed by Mr. Lincoln were included in It's
restrictions and protected from removal, and
the opinion was expressed that these officers
were outside of that statute. This line OF in
quiry is pretty damaging one, it being under
stood that Mr.. Stanton took the ground that
the law generally was unconstitutional, and
that Mr.. Lncoln's Cabinet appoiutccs, incud-
ing himself, were not embraced by its terms.
After running debate between Mcssrs But
Ter and Evarts, the Chief Justice ruled the
question to be admissible The Senate acting
again, rejected the testimony by 2G to -. On
this vote McssrS Sumner and Conkling both
did not vote. . ... ~
Nothing could more stlikingy evincc the
partisan character OF the majority OF the cham
Der than the vote on the next offer OF evidence
by Mr.. Evarts. This was to prove that at
Cabinet meeting between the "a Of March,
1867, and the 2lst of February, 1868, on coca
sion when the public service as affected by the
tenure Of office law came up for review, it was
considered by the President and Cabinet TO be
very desirable to test the c0nStitutOnality OF
the law iudicalIy.
This offer was debated by Mcssrs Butler and
Evarts, the former lmpcrtlncntly urging that
his opponents were taxing the patience Of the
Scnatc-hc who has Disguised the most ultra
even of his own party. Mr.. Evarts rejoincd,
and then Mr. Henderson asked question. 1t
was whether the evidence offered might not go
to mitigate punishment in event of conviction.
This was capital opportunity for vulgar i'm
pertincncc from Mr.. Butler. The vote was
then taken, and resultcd-aycs 49, nays 80.
After the recess, MIR. Evaris asked Mr..
Wellcs whether during any session of the Cab:
met there was any suggestion or lntlmatlon
looking to the taking possession of any office
by force The question was not allowed to
be put-aycs IS, nays &c; Mr.. Sumner lodged
again.
M Wclics was then cross-cxamincd by Mr.
Butler-the latter rude and insulting, Mr..
Welles perfectly COOL direct in his replies, an
fully that the latter, initiating Mr. Sergeant
Buzfuz when be had Sam Weller on the stand
finally concluded that the witness was useless
for all his purposes. 90. ,:.ys.# Dos. ...-
Mr.. Edgar, Welles was sworn, and testified
to having given information to his father con-
corning the movements of the officers on the
2lst of February last.
=, MIR. Randall, Postmaster General, was next
sworn, and testified that he had suspended
from Office, as postmaster ct Augusta, Georgia,
the Mr.. Foster Blodgett, s'trooly oil," and
put on the stand the other day by the House
managers. He had not consulted or informed
the President of the case, but had acted upon
verbal information and upon an Indictment of
Bodgett, "trooy loil," for perjury in taking
the test-oath. The orders of removal were
produced. Mr.. Butler resisted this all the
while, saying that it was not fair play" that
she felt bound to take care of Mr. Blodgett,"
&C.; but at last had to give up, and the papers
were read, amid unusual interest, and, ofcourse,
surprise that s'tr0oly loil'' man should get
into such scrape! ...... e.. - .... .:
On the cross examination by Butler, the
Postmaster General stated that he had not acted
In this case under the tenutre-ofo office law, and
could not act under 1t; ne had acted on the
necessity of the case, and had had no orders
from the President in the matter. The indict-
ment was for taking the test-oath falsely; and
if Mr. Butler desired, the Postmaster General
would freely tell him all he knew about the
case" This Mr.. Butler declined
Before Mr.. Randall left the chamber, Mr..
Sherman, Ct Ohio, submitted this inquiry,
whether, after the End of March, 1867, the
date of the passage of the tenure.of. office bill,
the question whether the Secretaries who were
appointed by Mr.. Lincoln were included in the
provisions of the act came before the Cabinet,
and what opinions were given on the occasion.
But the Senate threw itself between Mr.. Stan
ton and this merciless question, and by vote
of 26 to 20 refused to let the interrogatory be
propounded. -..
4. And this ended the day. 1t was plain the
majority of the Senate were determined not to
let any more testimony 60 on the record cacu
lated to benefit Mr.. Johnson.-Nat, mt