Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-05-01
OUR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE

OUR WASHINGTON CE
WASHINGTON, D. c.. April %, 1868.
1t was scarcely to be expected that a
man of the strong partisan bias of Gov.
Boutwell,, would rise to the "height of the
great argument - in his closing speech
| for the prosecution of the case against the
President yet it was confidently asserted
| by his admirers and friends that he would
avoid the mire of politics and argue the case
Npon the great constitutional questions in
volved in it. In this they have been in some
respects disappointed. Printed copies of
! his speech were given to the press two days
| ago, and it is now before the country, and
judgment is already being passed upon it.
It is painful to observe that he has followed
Buffers lead, and has sought to associate
the name of Mr.. johnson with that of John
Surratt, and thus array against him all the
preiudices existing against that gentleman
What does it matter if the counsel, en-
ployed to defend Surratt Does that make
him responsible for the crimes alleged
against the latter ? The counsel may have
defended dozen abstractors of spoons, or
cotton thieves, since that memorable trial,
and are all his clients in time to come to
bear the odium of their crimes Bout
| we'll and Butler would say ''yes," at least,
we are compelled to think so from their so
unwarrantedly lugging the name of Surratt
into this trial. The country will accept it
of 20 4 ~,
cause.
These efforts of the managers to strengthen
their cause by irrelevant matter, reminds
me of the man who, wishing to convey to
his landlady hint that the coffee was
weak, while the butter was strong, called
out to his vis-a-yis at the table 'I say, if
your coffee is weak like mine, set this but
ter along side of it, and it will soon become
stronger" They have moved good many
outside issues up alongside of their case to
strengthen it ; but the people have detected
the cheat, and will give their opinion OF
such unfairness, in way not to be misun-
| derstOod, before the ides of next Novem-
Der.
| It sounded rather fiat to hear Boutwell,
! ICdUluS DIS LO-OuV "udG WAS
before the greater part of the country yes-
terCay. He finished the reading about l
o'clock, and then, after pausing a moment
to be admired, strutted out of the Cham
Der with the air of rooster when fresh
egg has been laid by one of his harem.
The Court very unexpectedly yesterday
relaxed their rules so as to admit all the
speeches oral or written, that either side
might desire to make. This will allow Lo-
gan to get in one he has been exhausting
his weak brain upon. And Thad. Stevens
will get in his, and, it is thought, that
manager Williams, who hasn't opened his
mouth since the trial commenced, so far as
I can recollect, will, also, make Or file a
speech. Mr. Stanbery, who hasn't beer
in Court since his illness was first an
nounced, has prepared an elaborate argu-
ment, which, it is hoped he may be able
| to deliver in person. The final argument
will be made by Mr. Evarts and Mr.. Bing-
ham in the early part of next week
After MIR. Boutwell, closed to-day recess
was taken, and the House managers in
cluded) made break for the restaurant in
the House wing, evidently intent on re-
freshing the inner man-while the sharp
nosed and nasal-voiced occupants of the
galleries, at least so many thereof as had
not brought the accustomed lunch halted
at the cake stand in the hall leading to the
Senate Chamber and supplied themselves
with something cheap and filling.
When the Senate reassembled Mr.. Mel
son opened on behalf of the President
He reviewed his personal and political
course, and claimed that he had been con
sistent throughout. That his "policy -
found warrant in the Constitution and
the act of Congress Of July, 1861, and
others, as we'll as in he plan of rehabilita-
ton adopted by Mr.. Lincoln. Mr.. Nelson,
at o'clock, gave way for a motion to ad-
journ, and will resume his argument at the
assembling of the Court tomorrow. His
effort, thus far, has been quite able, his
manner is earnest and impressive. but we
miss the clear, ringing tones and brilliant
rhetoric of your fellow-townsman, who
now, alas, "sleeps the sleep that knows no
waking," in your beautiful cemetery. The
counsel are all able, but, as already stated
in this correspondence, there is not an ora
tor among them.
Gov. Burnside and Gen. Sickles were
among the spectators in Court to-day.
A few days ago the negroes of the District
celebrated the anniversary of emancipa-
ton in the District. There were several
military companies in line and negroes on
foot, negroes in carriages and negroes on
horse back, male and female, big and little,
and they marched "nobly" through the
mud and rain. The chief feature of the pro-
cession, however, was furniture wagon,
with four horses harnessed to it. in which
were seated several colored damsels dressed
out in white, with wreaths and the other
trappings of travelling goddesses, thin
white clothes contrasting very strikingly
with thin ebony skins.
| Irecollect, when boy, that a servant of
friend of mine was married to the colored
boy who did the chores about his store
and, as was usual on such occasions, her
mistress had taken good deal of pains in
fixing her up, and all the family went down
to see them married.
The next day his employer, in congratu-
lating him, remarked that ''Amy looked
very nice in her wedding clothes" "Oh
yes, Mass William" said the gratiied Bob,
Amy did look real purty-she had on
nice white fIock and white flowers on her
head, and hep of cologne on her banker
cher, but, after all, Mass William, de mig
qer acas dar."
And so with these black 'goddessess D
notwithstanding the white dresses and
flowers and, we suppose, cologne, the "mig-
! (o9. 3C1s dan. -