The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-04-03
xLth C0NGREsS---Seccn Session
WAsHixaTos, April


XLth CONGRESSES Session
s, WAsHixoros, April2.
HOUSE.
! Leave of absence was granted several mem
Absrs, after which The House, in Committee OF
The Whole, proceeded to the Senate Cham-
! Der.
SENATE.
Tie Senats met at II m. The chair vas
/ Immediately vacated for the Chief Jnstice-
| The maasaers were. announced and took
4t,e,r places, snd immedia'sly following about
dozen members OF the House.
| The journal was read.
! Mr.. Drake Immediately rose and said
/ Mr.. President: Isend TO the chair and ask
| the adoptiAn a. an amendment 70 Rule No.
| I, adding the following: Upon all questions
of evidence and incidental ousstions, the
vote shall be taken without division unless
/ the yeas ard nays be demanded by one fifth
of the members, as required by she presiding
officer.
Under the rules, the amendment lies over
one day.
Mr.. Stanbery said
| Mr.. Chief Justice: Before the msnageH
proceed with another witness, want TO re-
| call Tor a moment MT. hafsHeI
Mr. Butler--I submit that il Mr.. karsner
is to be recalled the examination and cross
examnation having been finished on both
sides, be must be recalled as a witness Of the
respondent, and the proper time to call him
will be when they begin their case.
Mr.. Stanbery-Ws will call him but for
moment.
The Chief Justice to Nr. Butler Have you
any. objection?
| Mr. Butler-No, sir.
| Mr.. Karsner took the stand. The exam>
inaiion was brie: and unmportant.
| Thomas NJ. Ferry, Member Of Congress
from Michigan, vas called and testified that
ion the morning Of Feb. 22d, when General
Thomas came to the War Office, | was pres
ent paid attention to what occurred and
made . memorandum have that nemoran-
| dunn.
an account Of what was said in the Interview,
which was pretty much the same - testified
| 10 by other Witnesses Stanton asked Thomas
II he intended to use force; Thomas replied
THAT be had not made up his mind.
| The witness Was briefly cross-examined
BY Mr.. Stanbery and dismissed
| Gen Emery, commander of the post of
| Washington, testified that he had an interview
with the President some time ago in regard
to the movement of troops in Washington;
can only give the substance Of the conyssse-
| tion; told him the strength Of sAch fort, and
had some conversation As to whether more
troops would be brought here something
said about an organization of military force
| in Maryland | said ! did not see the object
OF the organization. ] was sent for again BY
| the President about the 22d. Received
/ note from Col. Moore read the note TO the
I Dan. r6iteJ IN III q
| President about noon; can give conversation;
! the President asked me if | recolleeted the
! conversation | had with him when took
commsnd told hiu | did. He asked what
changes had taken place, and told him no
material change. | went on TO state the
changes. The President stated that be did
not refer to those, bat some made within a
| day or So | assured him that no recent
changes had been made. | told him, under
the recent law of Congress, all orders must
be signed by General Craft. The President
asked what order it was. | replied, order
No. II, of the series of 1861. At this time a
gentleman came in and | withdrew to the
| other end of the room. In the meantime
messenger gave me copy of the order.
When the gentleman retired showed the or
der to the President, who read Ii and re-
marked that this is not in conformity with the
Constitution of the United States, which
makes me Commander in Chief, Or with the
language Of your commission ] replied that
is the order have approved for the guidance
Of the army, understand that | can't give
an order except through the General Of the
army. / replied TO him that s-oh vas my
opinion; that there had been considerable
discussion ss to the meaning Of the law, and
! had consulted lawyers who advised me TO
obey the order. The lawyer consulted was
Robert j. Walker. | understood that other
officers had consulted with Reverdy Johnson.
The Presiden. said the object of the law was
evident, aud the conversation ended.
Cross-examiusd BY Generel Stansher7-
The order under which General Thomas re-
sumed his position as Adjutant General was
produced, and the letter Of General Grant
was offered requesting the President to put
in writing the verbal order be gave the Gem
eral to disregard any orders from the " ar
Department assumed TO be from the Presl-
dent
The next article produced was the letter
from the President, dated February ls, 10
General Grant in reply to the letters and
NOTE asking fora written copy OF his ins'rae-
sions.
Mr.. Stanbery said i, appeared this was a
letter purporsng TO be part OF the cores
pondence between Grant apd the Presidents
be would ask the Honorable Managers II they
intended to produce the whole OF the cor
respondence.
Mr.. Wilson replied the letter was all they
cared for.
Mr.. Stanbery asked the object Of pro-
ducinx this letter.
Mr. Wilson said the letter went to prove
the Presidents intention to prevent Mr..
Stanton from entering upon the discharge oi
his duties,
The be letter letter =as reed
Mr.. Wilson was about to offer another doc
cment, when the Chief Justice interrupted
and instructed the Sergeant alarms Ia hfinf
lin the absent Senators.
Mr.. Ssansbery asked Mr. Wilson to read
the documents referred TO in the President
] letter.
!, Mr.. Wilson said there we're no document
. referred to, and be offered nothing more thsr
: the letter.
The letter was handed to Mr.. etansbesy
. Who examined and read that portion refer
ring to letters addressed to the President b.
the FIVE Secretaries; he asked if those let
! tsrs would be produced.
Mr. Bingham said they were under no OBJ
legations to produce these letters; there va
, no rule of evidence which compelled them Z
: introduce such matter.
Ihe Chief Justlce sad ne eoHhsei 10
: the President viii please reduce their obiee
tions to writing. .
They we're then written out by Mr.. Curtis
, to the effect that the letter was not evidence
!. unless the managers produce the enclosur
! mentioned.
. After some debate between the counsel
: the Chief Justice put the question whethe
the objection was to he sustained.
/. Several Senators asked, il the objection
, sustained, will the letter be ruled ont?
Chief Justice-1t will.
Vote taken and resulted ayes 90, nays %