The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-09-16
NO1O.

+, the RepuDllcan Commftte, enoeaVOTeo
by circular, and, as time pressed, b
telegraph dispatches. to avert the threat
ened evil. They were all in the sam
spirit and all in the same high tone o
political and judicial morality, in which
he seems to have been sufi cientl,
taught The following dispatch viii
serve as an example:
| WASHINGTON, D. c., May IL, 1868
"To D. w. Wilder, Or D. R Anthony
"There is great danger of the peace o
the country and the Republican cause
if impeachment fails. Send to you,
Senator'S before Saturday, pub ic opin
ion, by resolution, letters and delega
tions.s , sE ss.s .e.-,
"RoBERT G. scHENcK, Chan
man."
This was respondent to Immediately
by the parties addressed, in one in
stance, in the following terms: -,.u
LEAvENwoRTH KANSAS May Il
1868.
"To Robert G. Schenck:
"We hope and pray there will be NJ
division among the Senators on the
conviction of Andrew johnson, rs there
is none whatever among the Republi
cans of Kansas.
I'D. R. ANTHONY,
SD. W. WILDER,
an. J. PARROT.
"WM. Fl. RALSTON."
General Schenck communicated this
telegram to Senator Ross, for whom il
was intended, who dispatched the fol-
lowing answer: -; -istF. 2
WASHINGTON, May i6, 1868.
"To D. R. Anthony and others:
GENTLEMEN-I do not recognize
your right to demand that I shall vote
either for or against conviction. l
have taken an oath to do impartial just
Ice, according 10 the constitution and
laws, and trust that shall have the
courage and honesty to vote according
to the dictates of my judgment, and
for the highest good of my country.
e. G.. ROSS"
This was not to be endured. What !!
Hold his oath superior to caucus man
date His presumption elected many
sharp rebuke. Here is one of them:
"Topeka, May 16, 1868.
To E. G. Ross:
Probably the rope with which Judas
hung himself is lost, but the pistol with
which Jim Lane committed suicide is
at your service.
L. d. BAILEY"
Such was the Republican estimate
of the sanctity of judicial oath, and
the order and prop rieties of judicial
trial. Six other Republican Senators
seven in aH-held the invocation, $50
help me God," paramount to its op-
posite, $50 help me caucus" All
had to pass through like ordeal with
Ross, but none of them except him
gave to the public any of the dispatches
of their beseechers and assailants.-
Something was. known as to Senator
Henderson, of Missouri. A friend OF
mine was riding in the r street car at
the time the excitement ran highest,
and there chanced to be on board an
elderly gentleman of decent appearance,
who talked very loud. He was de-
claiming against Hepderson's anticipa-
ted vote of acquittal, and said if he
gave it he would be hanged on his re-
turn to Missouri. A member from one
of the Eastern States, at home a judge,
who sat on the other side of the car,
went and sat near the vehement gentle
man, and said something to him in an
undcrtone, to which he replied loudly
and emphatically: "Oh, damn him.
I have told him So" Now, what says
the bench and bar of our country to
this mode of conducting criminal
trial in this our highest tribunal, whose
judgments are irrevsrsible, Sand whose
action challenges the Judgment of the
civilized world? Would you wish
that our Minister in London should,
in your name, avow and defend it Z
This was the same, though on
worldwide theater, as if the prosecut-
ing, when trying a criminal case before
a traverse jury, should by public ad-
call upon the friends of
jurymen, and ask them to prevail on
the jury, by entreaties or threats, to
find a verdict of guilty.
The action of General Schenck anu
Sos me, I have known him for half
life time, an honorable member of the
bar, bred and practiced in the high
of the profession. The wild
tale of the German students who,
thought diabolic influence. changed
souls, must have been verified in hun
Five years ago, or at any time. when his
soul was his own, he would navo nse~ed
to expell q member of the bar who
committed such professional atrocity,
and he would have felt dishonored by
sitting with him at the same counsel
table.
General Sohenck signed these letters
and dispatches as Chairman of the Re
publican Central Committee. 1t was
not his set alone, but the act of the
party, in the House, and indicates
their sense of professional morality
I find quite appropriate to the matter
the following item from the Cincinnati
Commercial of yesterday:
"Judge Stowe, of Pittsburg, on
Saturday rendered decision, granting
new trial in an important case, on
the ground that the plaintiff tappsred
with one of the jurors. The case was
tried three times before"
Judge Stowe is evidently ia mile
post on deserted road" Ho has not
been taught judicial morality by the
war. s
Most of the leading members of the
Senate, by their speeches, aDd nearly
the whole body, by their vote on the
amendment to the Tenure-of etfice act,
wero committed to the proposition that