Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-02-18
Union aud gtspateh.
TUESDAY. FEBRUARY Is. 1865.
Largest Circulation in City and State,
STEVENS AND IMPRACHMENT.

ards"
Al the meeting of the Reconstruction
Committee on the 18th inst, Mr.. Thad.
Stevens stated in very strong language that
the investigation by the subcommittee had
gone far enough, and that there were plenty
of proven charges whereupon Mr.. johnson
conld he impeached, and il was his (Ste-
vensJ conviction that he shonld be i'm
peached without further palayer. Mr..
Stevens then laid before the committee the
following resolutions
The Committee on Reconstruction, TO
whom was referred the correspondence OF
Andrew johnson, President of the United
States, and L. S. Grant, the General COM
handing the armies Of the United States,
having considered the same and the eyi
denee do report that in virtue of the pow
ers with which your committee has been
invested they have fully examined the
evidence before them, and are Of opinion
that Andrew johnson, President of the
United States, is guilty Of high crimes and
misdemeanors, and therefore, they recon-
mend abe adoption Of the following resolu-
tons:
Resolved, That Andrew johnson, Presi
dent OF the United State, be impeached OF
high crimes and misdemean0rs.
Resolved, That a committee go TO the
Senate, and at the bar thereof, in the name
Of the House Of Representatives and Of all
the people of the United States, do i'm
peach Andrew johnson, President of the
United States, of high crimes and misde-
meanors, and acquaint the Senate that the
House of Representatives will in due time
exhibit particular articles of impeach-
ment against him and make good the same.
Resolved, That said committee do de-
mand that the Senate take order for the ap-
pearance Of the said Andrew johnson, to
answer to said impeachment
After some discussion, Mr. Bingham
moved TO lay the resolutions upon the
table, which motion was concurred In by
the following vote
bingham, Beaman, Paine, HUI
burd, Brooks and Beck-6.
Naya-Stevens, Boutwell, and Farms
worth-3.
Those voting TO lay on the table are all
Republicans except Brooks and Beck.
The Washington correspondent of the
New York Tribune says;
Before the vote was taken, Mr.. Paine,
who voted for impeachment last year, at
tempted to dodge the question in commit
tee, and moved toward the door to leave
the room. Mr.. Stevens, observing his
movements said, shaking his finger at bin,
paine, come back; you have got TO face
the music. Go on either the one side or
the other" Paine hesitatod. and then
Stevens said, "Clerk, put him down against
Impeachment" and Mr. Paine was go regis
tered. When the vote had been declared,
Mr.. Stevens said "Sir, the Republican
party has been killed to-day by the action
of this committee at the instance of Gen.
Grant and his friends. / have found that
for the last two or three days, the men who
shout the loudest and throw their hats the
highest for L. s. Grant, have been using
every exertion to demoralize Mr.. Bingham
and the other members of this committee
who we're supposed 10 fsyoT impeachment,
that Grant has been using his influence
I Fvervwfrrre 10 defeat She scheme, and that
Andrew johnson has TO thank him that he
| remains tttlllNAuEDfu III VIC W NV Aht'i'Nf
/ have been in public life for forty years,
and though / do not pretend to any gin OF
| prophecy, have seldom been mistaken in
my political predictions. tell yon that
to-days eowardly action will cost as New
| York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and probably
three or four more of the Northern States"
II was all to no purpose. The killing OF
| impeachment had been determined on be-
fore the committee met, and the words OF
| Mr.. Stevens could not alter the fixed Opin-
ions of the committee. After the vote, the
members dropped ont, and after they had
| gone, Messrs. Stevens, Farnsworth and
| Boutwell, held q meeting, and talked over
the course they had hest pursue. In an
swer TO propositions TO revive impeachment
in another shape, and bring it before the
House. Mr.. Stevens said: Owe had better
stop inst where we are. There is no use m
making ourselves ridiculous before the
country, and trying to get mp an excite
meut, and when we come 10 the point ny
ing the track" This was the conclusion
which the committee arrived at, TO let i'm
parchment rest, at least for the present.
After impeachment had been stranglec
hy the full committee, the correspondent
Of the New York World had an interview
with Mr.. Stevens, which he reports al
follows:
an say this" proceeded Mr.. Stevens
mot particularly for publication. An'
vet" he continued, "I,don't object to YOU
publishing anything | say, I'll say this
The whole question Of impeachment lie
almost in a nutshell. As to the first par
of the Grant and johnson correspondence
(Johnson's letters | chiefly allude to-
consider that there il enough evidence 4
impeach a dozen men. The main point is
was the President guilty or not guilty of
violation or an attempted violation of tn
; tenure Of Office art Heis explicit enougI
; himself on this subject. Although h
! states in one place that he did not remoy
Stanton and put Grant in with any refer
- ence 10 the tenure of Office act, but upc
: the authority granted him by the constit
I | ton. what ia TO be said in his defense f.
; | his recurring Grant, az they both agree i
D | all their letters, TO arrange with him ohr
SOM TO keep Stanton out Of office against tn
| willofthe Senator The Senate had conhrme
the tenure of Office law. What right had
President 10 deny, defy, OF seek 10 disobey {
, circumvent that law ? Damn it, don't bot
the President and Gen. Grant subscribe
this vital fact, that Grant had at least COZ
sidered and that johnson had inslste
= upon, the proposition that Grant shoul
help johnson 10 keep Stanton out Of oth'
any way, notwithstanding the tenure
: Office act? II this direct attempt of Il
= President to violate a law made by Il
Congress Of the United States doesn't rel
der him liable 10 be impeached, what does
Il am, as you see, Mr.. Stevens, only
respectful listener"
Well, then, there's the whole thlnj
it's as simple as day. What the devil do
3 care about the question Of yeracity, IS th'
call il, between johnson and Grant Thai
Al nothing to do with the law. Both Of the
az may call each other liars il they want
70 perhaps they both do he a lifls, or let us 81
n' eQuivocate, though The President certain
y has the trcigkt Of cridenoe on his side"
n well, we're you disappointed in the 70
n this morning by the committee? -
u Not a bit, sir. know all the oowar
e in this Congress. Long experience h
enabled me to black mark every one
them, damn them "
What then, is al last your opinion