The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1868-02-28
Exciting News From
Washington.
johnson Orders Stanton S
Removal.
Stanton ssCan't See IT,
GRANT ALL EIGHT.
JOHNSON TO BE TMpEACHED
Stanton ssCan't See 1t. %
GRANT ALL EIGHT.
JOHNSON TO BE IMPEACHED.
Yeas, 12e; Nays, AZ.

The country has hardly been more
startled since the fall of Sumter, than
it was this week at the news from Wash
ington. The fight between the Presi-
dent and Secretary Stanton has assumed
an alarming shape, and clouds of war
lowered about the capital. We condense
the main facts from the voluminous tel
egrams:
On the 21st inst, both Republicans
and Democrats were surprised by COM
munication to the United States Senate. |
from the President, announcing that he |
had made direct and peremptory re-
moval of Mr.. Stanton, and had appoint |
led General Lorenzo Thomas in his place. |
This communication Immediately caus-
ed great excitement in both branches of
Congress, and throughout the capital.
The President ordered General Thomas
to take immediate charge of the War
Office. Mr.. Stanton very properly de-
clined to turn over the Office to Thomas,
and has lived i'll it day and night ever
since. Many of the prominent Sena-
tors and Representatives. visited the of
fec and advised him to stand firm,
assuring him of their support. Gener-
al Thomas, who is regular West Point,
rcd-tape, tempest-in-a-tca-pot sort of a
''crit ter" remained very excited amid
all these scenes and only ventured an
opinion of what he ..would do to-
morrow so
In the meantime the Senate were i'll
secret session over the matter, and pass
cd q resolution by vote of % to 6, de-
claring that the President had no au-
thority for his course either in the Con-
stitution or law that he had no right
oitllor to remove Mr.. Stanton or order
General Thomas to take his place, while
the Senate was i'll session, without its
consent Copies of this resolution were
!. sent to the President, Mr.. Stanton and
:, General Thomas.
; During the night of the Dist Secreta-
~ Stanton sworc out an affidavit before
Justice Carter, of the Supreme Court,
! against General Lorenzo Thomas, for
attempting to Interfere with his duties
as Secretary of War, in violation of the
y tenurc-of-office act, and carly in the
morning the General was arrested and
, taken before Justice Carter, where Inc
!, waived an examination and was released
, upon $4,000 bail to appear at 10 o'clock
: Monday morning. The Radicals were
III high sslec over this ooatio defdt of the
, Secretary, which stamped him master
of the situation" 1t had been general
ly expected that Thomas would get pos
session of the office and compel Stan
: ton to go into the courts to get ii
back again. But Stanton was a little
: too sharp for that
I After his release General Thomas,
+ with the advice of Mr.. johnson, por-
ceeded to the War Office and made per-
emptory demand upon Stanton for pos
session of the office at once, threatening
, that unless his demand was complied
, with he would resort to military force
to enable him 10 get possession. Stan
, ton declined to surrender the office and
ordered Thomas to leave the building,
5 which he did in splendid military style,
muttcring threats ola military" charac-
ter.
: While all this was going on Congress,
struction Committee of the House had
( the matter of impeachment in hand.
The feeling for Impeachment was gen
: eral with Republicans, after the unwar-
rantcd and outrageous action of the
: President. Ill
/ On the afternoon of the 22d. Hon.
/. Thaddeus Stevens arose and made a
f report to the House from that Commit
a tee, as follows:
The Committee on Reconstruction, to
: whom was referred the results of the
. House inquiry if any person or persons
l had combined to defeat the reconstruct
T ton laws of Congress and also the cor
rcspondence between President ohnson
;. and Gen. Grant also a communication
c from the Secretary of War, laid before
D the House yesterday, having considered
the several subjects referred to them
: submit the following report:
: The committee find that on the 21st
day of February, 1858, Andrew John.
son. President of the United States
signed communication or letter au.
thorizing one Lorenzo Thomas to- per.
= form the duties of Secretary of War
and directing said Thomas to take pos
, sion of the books and other papers and
property in the War Department. Upon
the evidence collected by the committee,
they arc of the opinion that Andrew
johnson, President of the United States,
!. ought to be impeachcd of high crimes
: and misdemcanoTs.
: The report is signed by Thaddeus
: Stevens, John A. Bingham, John T..
!. Farnsw orth, Calvin S. Hnlburd, II. /.
/ Payne, and Fernando c. Bcaman-all
: the Republican members of the COM
: mittcc. Appended to the report is the
!. following resolution:
ResoEred, That Andrew johnson. President
of the United States, be impeached of high
crimes and misdemeanors in office.
At the close of the reading of the re-
port, Thad. Stevens arose and said it
: was not his intention to make any re-
! marks upon the report ofthe committee,
: or to discuss the question at length. Ii
! there was any desire upon the Demo
cratic side to discuss the matter he
I,.rHuld allow them ample time, other
w;sa he -'dc of the house were ready