The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1868-03-12

Mr.. Wade took the chair as IL CLOCK,
and raped the Senate to ORDER and'
after prayers, an hour was consumed In
an uninteresting routine Of business.
One p. M. found M. Wilson in the
middle of speech, in behalf of bill
from the Military Committee. The
Chief Justice in his Official robes, entered
by one of the side doors. Mr.. Wade an
nounced that the hour had come Tor
the Senate to resolve itself into court
of impeachment. Mr.. Wilson took his
seat. Mr.. Wade left the chair, and the
Chief Justice promptly filed it.
There was slight rustic of attention,
a short pause, and then the Chief Justice
said: ssThe Senate will come to order"
sNo, the court Of impeachment, not
the Senate" whispers some 'one in the
reporters gallery; but it is not a court
of impeachment yet, for the Senators
are not all sworn.
John W. Forney then advanced to
the Secretary's desk and read the jour
nal of yesterdays proceedings, commen-
cling with the legal phrase, ''In the
matter of the United States against An
drew johnson"
The Chief Justice stated the case as
il stood at the hour of adjournment yes
terday, from which it APPEARED that the
pending motion was that Of Reverdy
johnson to postpone the consideration
of Mr.. Hendricks objection to Mr.
Wade's admission as o member of the
court until the other Senators, were
sworn in. Upon this question, he said,
the Senator from Connecticut is enti-
tied to the floor.
Mr.. Dixon Immediately arises with
books and documents before him, evil
dently for long speech against Wade's
admission.
Mr.. Howard, of Michigan, who is
the leader of impeachment in the Sen
ate, has, however, prepared himself
since yesterday with question of order,
and is prompt to rise to it and interrupt
Mr. Dixon on the threshold of his ar
gument.
Mr.. Dixon is slow to yeild. Not very
sharp at hearing at the best, his ears
have little extra wax in them to day,
and he proceeds until Mr.. Howard utters
third time in loud voice, not unmixed
with anger: II call the Senator from
Connecticut to order.
This time the Chief Justice interferes,
raps with his gavel and asks the Sena-
tor from Michigan to state his point in
order.
Mr.. Dixon sees rather than hears that
something is wrong, and friend at
his elbow whispers close into his ear
what the matter is.
Mr.. Howard makes the point of order,
that under the Constitution every Sena-
tor must be sworn as member of the
Court The Chief Justice requests Mr..
Howard to reduce his point of order to
writing, which he proceeds to do.
While Mr.. Howard is bent over the
Secretary's desk with sheet of foolscap,
Mr. Dixon, who has been standing up
this time in the attitude of one entitled
to the floor and not inclined to yeild it,
proceeds with his speech, but has not
fairly got under way when Mr.. Drake
rises from across the chamber and calls
him to order, and makes the point that
he has no right to speak until the ques-
ton raised by Mr.. Howard is decided
by the Chair.
By this time, Mr.. Howard has got his
point in writing, and he submits it to
the Chief Justice. The Chief Justice,
hands it to the Secretary, who reads it
to the Senate. He then says that he
prefers to submit it to the Senate for
decision, rather than decide it himself.
Mr.. Dixon again essays to address the
Senate, but again called to order. this
time on the ground that point Of order,
is not debatable, to MAINTAIN which half a
dozen Senators have copies of the rules,
and are ready to read the one applica-
BILE to the case. Four points of order
within five minutes, and four Senators
ready to make four more, if necessary,
rather than let Mr.. Dixon go on. But
Mr.. Dixon is undismayed; being slightly
deaf, he only hears very small portion
of what is being said, and, at any rate.
he has a speech and is bound to make it.
It looks as if matters would get pretty
badly tangled, and from the galleries
the Chief ustice seems to be the only one
who is not annoyed or excited, or who
keeps the points of order from running
into one another and making the con-
fusion worse confounded. He is as
grave and self possessed in the midst Of
the parliamentary whirlpool as if he
were on the bench of the Supreme Court
l;atouino tn tho dn1I ost If aneochpa