The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-02-24

tary, &C.. and has accepted.
MI. Stanton inquiries civilly, 'Do you pro
pose to take immediate possession, or shall
| have time to remove my papers Z" Gonera
| Thomas replies II am now Secretary ad m
term, and have possession; you can have sui
| ficient time to remove yodr papers, and 30 TIT
interview ended.
Shortly before two o'clock this afternoon
while Mr.. Trumbull vas speaking, Colone
Moore, one of the private secretaries of thu
President, appeared at the door OF the Senate
with an armfull Of executive documents. Al
soon as they we're transferred to the Presidentt
desk there was rush of Senators to tina
quarter, and Mr.. Sumner was the first to react
| the SPOT. and tore off the covers with grea
eagerness, and read the contents with sup
pressed excitement. A message OF the Presi
| dent announcing that he had, by write OF the
power vested in him by the constitution, re-
moved Mr.. Stanton from the position OF Secre
tary Of War, and appointment of General Lo
renso Thomas as Secretary dd interim, was the
| first one opened, and the whispering comments
ard threatening exclamations of the crowd
around the desk grew 80 loud as to drown tho
voice Of Mr.. Trumbull, in possession OF the
floor. The envelope containing the nomlna,
ton of General Mcclellan as minister to Great
Britain was next opened, and impatiently
tossed aside with sneers. Tho nomination ol
General George Fl. Ihomos rs breVet Leuten.
ant-General next appeared, and was greeted
with exclamatlons of astonishment. some
Temporary confusion was occasioned, gro wing
out of the action OF the President in regard to
the two Generals Thomas, which seemedto in
tensify the into, est and produce speculation
and inquiry as to what tns marx Oh Ia'or Dy
the President meant.
The news quickly spreod over the chamber,
Mr.. Trnmbull, who still kept up his remarks,
being the only Senator ignorant OF what had
transpired. An impromptu committee, con-
sistine OF Messrs. Cattel, Cameron, Chanlcr
and Tha, er, Immediately took tho Senat: car
riage and proceeded at rapid pace to the War
Department., where they found Mr.. Stanton
looking as serene as summer morning. 10
their supplications to hold on until the last
horn blow, he returned an answer that no alarm
need be entertained; that when ho left the Of
fee il would only be by main force. The Sena-
tors then rushed over to Gen. Grants office
and notified him that he was expected to stand
by Congress in this new crisis. Gen. Grant
was silent. He may have smoked, but he said
The instant Mr.. Trumbull ceased speating,
Governor Morton moved to go into executive
session. MIR. Trumbull objected, as it had beon
agreed to take the vote to-day on the pending
Reconstruction bill, when MIR. Fesse;iden told
him that he presumed he would mako no OBJ
lection if he knew the importance OF the execu-
tive business. The motion was then carried
I'll
The news flew like wild6re along the corri-
dors. penetrated tho committee rooms, and
reached the House of Representatives. Soon
lots of excited men were gathered in the halls
surrounding the Senate chamber, discussing
the coup Tetdi, as it was called, and the dis
pute between the partisans of Congress and
the President waxed high. The Presidents
friends expressed their qualification that he
was showing norve, and the adherents OF Con-
cress insisted that tho backbone of that body
needed no stiffening, and that it would soon bo
fonnd who was the strongest. During this
time prominent Radicals Of the House, includ-
ing Messrs. Bingham, Boutwell,, Ashley and
others, had come over and sent in for some of
the Senator'S.
II was suggested that the papers bo at once
sent to the House, and tho promise made that
that body would send over bill OF imPeach-
ment in lass than forty-eight hours. MIR. Fes-
senden came out calm and talked quietly, but
very decidedly, but soon went back. Mr. Chan
dler came out clustering and laughing nolsily,
and said it was all right now; they had got him
1.-THE Presidcnt) to commit the overt net. His
colleague, MIR. Howard, camo out with the same
self-satlstied smile wreathlng his countenancc
which spread over it whon the vote rejecting
Governor Thomas was announced. The habit
ues of the capitol say that for years there has
not been such excitement rs that OF to-day.
Tho dozen or more tclegraphic operators III
the building were kept constantly busy in
sending off the latest bulletins, and tho re-
sounding click of their instruments added TO
the liveliness of the scene. Tho army OF cor
respondents we're flying hither and thither en-
deavoring to catch the latest reports, and all
we're listening anxiously as occasionally the
reyerberating tones OF the speakers inside
would become audible upon the outer air.
Anxious inquiries were made as to how long
the Senate would remain in executive session.
II, t;a,,
probably be many hours.
Abont 4 o'clock q statement was circulated
that the Maryland Legislature had resolved to
refuse on the part of the State to pay any gov
ernment taxes until Senator Thomas was adj
mitted to his sent and this rumor added fresh
fuel to the flame.
Six o'clock arrived, and the Senators came
out by turns to the rofectory, and after fortliy-
ing the inner man, retired once more through
the closed doors, and this strengthened the
impression that they intended 10 make night
of it, For the first three hours the speeches
were pretty much confined to the Conservative
side OF the chamber, and wore mainly in de-
fence of the action of the President in the
premises.
Senator Bayard spoke at great length, re-
viewing the Tenure-of- Office bill, and contcnd-
ing that it encroached on the constitutional
prerogatives of tho Executive, and was fol-
alew. Mr.. Howe replied to these arguments
and maintained their unsoundness. MIR. Sum.
ner roar ed very gently, and advocated return
of the message to the President, or its refer
ence to the Military Committee.
THE NEWS IN THE HOUSE.
The scene in the House, too, was also one ot
great animation this afternoon. Pending the
Consideration of the naval appropriation bill
in Committee OF the Whole, u number Of cxccu'
tive documents wero laid upon the Speakers
desk, and at the first opportunity when the
committee had risen to close debate upon 0
paragraph they were presented TO the House.
The only document of special interest, how
ever was the communication 0f tho Secretary
OF War announcing that ho had received notice
that his services us head OF the War Depart.
ment were 10 longer required.
The Radical members did not seem 10 fully
appreciate the force OF the Presidents action ut
first, and without much comment it was re.
| ferred to the Committee Reconstruction,
although Mr.. William Lawrence made feeble
effort to raise q select committee. The House
then again went into Committee Of the Whole
After q while, however, light seemed to dawn
upon them, and the result of q consultation be-
tween Boutwell,, Butler, Ashley, Farnsworth and
others was; that, motion was made that
the committee rise, the mover, Mr.. Boutwell,
stating that he thought the eNgencies Of the
country demanded that tomorrow should be
| devoted to business instead Of debate, as had
boon previously ordered by the House. The
committee, however, refused 10 rise, but few
minutes thei eafter Mr.. Butler was moro sue.
cessful and the pleasure at his success was IN.
dicated in the satisfied smile that Overspread
his countenance, and the manner in which he
rubbed the pal rs Of his hands together. HC
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