The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-05-29
HENDERSON. GRIMES AND FESSEN-
DEN ON IMPEACHMENT.
The Great Radical Farce.
Old Erin's native shamrock

letter from Senator Henderson.
Senator Henderson, of Missouri, has
addressed the following letter to the
Missouri Congressional delegation:
WASHINGTON CITY, May IA, 1868.
Gentlemen:-In an interview with
you on the day before yesterday, you
suggested that my position on Impeach-
ment question was against the almost
unanimous wish of the Union party Of
our State, and that you feared violence
and blOOdshed might follow the Pres
ider1ts.z-~~4,..i4taI In rl1cb aS
owed my position here to that party,
and expected to support its men and
measures in the coming canvass eSpecl-
ally, and as deprecated the consequen-
ces you thought might follow, although
| did not anticipate nor fear any such
results, yet, in order to place myself
beyond the possible censure of those
whom | know to be my best friends, L
at once proposed to forward to the
Governor my resignation as Senator.
To this you did not consent, and l
then requested you, as my friends, to
consult together and determine what
you thought was proper for me to do
under the circumstances.
You did so, and the result was, that,
believing that the safety of the coun-
try and the interests of the loyal peo-
pie of the United States demand the
immediate removal of Andrew John
son, you asked me to withhold my
vote on any article of impeachment up
on which you say 81 cannot vote af-
firmatively." AS soon as l had time
to read and consider this paper, l
found | could not comply with the re-
quest without that degree of humilia-
ton and shame to which | was salts
fed you, as honorable men, would not
wish to subject me. l had already
spoken in the Senate and | thought
conclusively (at least to my mind) a.
gainst eight of the articles, and had in
formed you that was no less decided
in my judgment against the sufficiency
of two others, leaving me in doubt
only as to one. If, with these clear
convictions, expressed in full Senate,
/ should now sit silent, / would for
felt my own self-respect and stand de-
fenceless before the world.
You agreed to oreconsider yourOpinion
as expressed, and alt though you at first
resolved to adhre to it, [ am gratifi-
ed that upon further reflection, you
agreed with me that the request was
quite unreasonable, and you still per-
sisted, as your opinion that my duty
required my vote to be cast or with
held, as / might deem necessary, on
some one article, so as to secure cOnvic-
ton.
| at once mentioned the difficulties
attending this suggestion. Senators
had been and were still SO reticent on
the subject that / could not ascertain
their positions. [ knew them to be
greatly divided or the several articles,
and they were even liable to change
their minds at any moment before the
final vote should be taken; but as you
expressed desire that l should not
resign, unless it became absolutely nee
essary to have a successor in my place
favorable to conviction, | promised
to give you the result of my conclus
ions, so soon as 1 ascertain the proba
BILE result on one or two of the articles
[ cannot, and | now write you to say
and be assured that L say it in tha
spirit of friendship and kindness
which you have always extended tt
me, and which now undiminished
have ever entertained for you, tina
your request on this subject placed m'
: in the most difficult and delicate pos
sible position. | am satisfied you az
, not realize it. / have given 1t th'
most serious consideration, both OF