Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-04-07
CONGRESSIONAL.


dent pro tenn vacated the chair, and the Chief
Justice took the seat and called the Court OF
Impeachment to order. Mr.. Sumner offered
an order denying to the Chief Justice the right
OF voting on any question where the Court is
evenly divided 1t was rejected by vote of
yeas q to nays o. The Chief Justice stated
that the pending question was in relation to the
admission as evidence of certain conversation
between General Thomas and Mr.. Burleigh.-I
The managers submitted the question asked by
them in writing. 1t was that Mr.. Burleigh
should state whether Gen. Thomas, in the con-
versatlon referred to-, said anything as to the
means by which he intended to obtain, or was
directed by the President to obtain, possession
of the War Office. Mr. Freliughuysen asked if
the managers intended to connect the state
ments made in this conversation with the Pres
ident? MIR. Butler said they did. Mr.. Stan
berry rose and delivered an able argument de-
nouncing, the admission of such testimony "a
galnst the President, to which MIR. Butler
replied in long speech in favor of allowing the
| testimony to be offered in evidence Mr. Curtis
OF the residents counsel, argued against the
admission OF this testimony. MIR. Bingham, OF
the managers, said that the question of admit
ting the evidence should not be submitted to
vote Q: the Court but must be decided by the
| Chief Justice alone He denied that the man.
ayers were restricted to the articles of impeach-
ment, but commended that they had the right to
submit all evidence tending to prove a conspir-
acy. After the conclusion of Mr.. Bingham's
speech point of order arose on the question of
| allowing an extension of time for the argument
of this question, the time allowed by rule twen-
| ty not being sufficient The Chief Justice sub
mitted the question to the Court, and it was
| decided that the rule should be enfo1 ced. Mr..
johnson desired the managers to state whether
they would prove by this testimony that the
President intended to take possession of the
| War Office by force, &c. The managers declin
ed to answer The question was then taken
whether the managers should be allowed to pro-
pound the proposed lnterrogatory to the wit
| ness and it was decided in the affirmative by a
vote of yeas 80 to nays IL. Mr.. Burleigh was
recalled and his examination proceeded with
A number of objections were made to the ques
| tons put by Mr. Butler and considerable time
was consumed in the examination The testi-
mony related chiefly to the conversation before
referred to between the witness and Gen. Thorn
as. Samuel Wikerson was then examined
He testified that General Thomas told him of
his intention to forcibly eject Mr.. Stanton, and
had said that under the President instructions
he could not do otherwise. George W. Carsener
was then called and examined He testified to
having had a conversation with Gen. Thomas
during levee at the White House, in which
he told the General that the people of Del,
aware expected him to stand firm and General
Thomas replied that he was standing firm, and
would in two or three days kick Mr. Stanton
out. At the conclusion of the examination of
this witness the Court adjourned. and the Pres
ident pro tenn, re. umed the Chair. The Senate
then went into executive session, and, at its
close, adjourned
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, business
was transacted in the House, as the members
we're engaged in attending the impeachment
trial.
SENATE. Thursday, April 2nd.-No legsla
tive business was transacted up to the hour of
IL NJ, when the Chief Justice appeared and
the impeachment trial vas resumed After the
reading Of the Journal Mr.. Drake moyed to
amend the seventh rule, and the motion lies
over.
Two witnesses, General Emory and Colonel
Wallace, were examined. Nothing new was
elected from them. Their evidence was the same
In substance as heretofore published
The Presidents letter to General Grant was
read
The Presidents counsel dem anded that the
certificates of the Cabinet officers should be read
as part Of the document.
Judge Chase put the question, which was de-
feated-ayes 20 nays g. So the managers
were not required to read the certificate.
William E. Chandler, late Assistant Secre-
tary of the treasury was introduced and testif-
ed regarding the Treasury routine. The defence
objected to questions regarding the appointment
Of Edwin Cooper
Butler stated that the Managers intended
proving by this evidence that the President APP
| pointed Cooper SO that Thomas might have &C
cess to the Treasury through him The Presi
dent had also violated the tenure-of office bill
in appointing Cooper This evidence was reject
ed, e to 2s.
| G. 4 Tinker, teIegreph manager, was ex-
amined regarding teleg ANS between the Eresi-
dent and Governor Parsons, regarding the "a
doption of the Howard amend nent BY the Ala
bama Legislature. The defence objected to this
evidence.
Boutwell, said that in the kilograms the Pres,
ident spoke Of Congress as set of individu-
ais.
Butler cortepaad that the adoption of the
Howard amendment was among the REQUIRE
ments of the Reconstruction acts, and thePres-
ldent had no right to oppose it. ."
Ihe kilograms were admitted, q to It. On
motion to adjourn ine vote stood % to o.
Judge Chase voted aye, and the court adjourn
ed
Judge Chase decided no questions to-day, but
submitted them to the Senate in the first in
stance.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, An order
was adopted that hereafter no business shall be
transacted after the return of the House from
attending the impeachment trial, unless pre-
vious notice shall be given by the Speaker
The House, in Commi ,tee Of the Whole. pro-
ceeded to the Senate Chamber, at P. M. re-
turned. The House then adjourned.
SENATE Friday, April 3rd.-No legislative
business was transacted. At II NJ. the Chief
Justice appeared and called tho Court of I'm
parchment to order An amendment was adopt-
ed to rule seven providing that all votes upon
questions of evidence shall be taken without a
division unless the ayes and noes hall be de-
manded by one Rftil Of the members of the Sen
ate present Mr.. Butler submitted the IA essage
of the President dated June %, 1866, in reia
ton to the action Of the Secretary of State in
transmitting to the Governors of the different
States the 18th amendment to the Constitution
he examination of Charles A. Tinker, tele-
graph operator, was then concluded. He testi
| lied in relation to the transmission of a speech
made By MIR. johnson at Washington on August
49, 1866. Joseph B. Shtr dan, stenographer,
testified to having made report of the Rresi-
dents speech before referred to. James O
Clephane, photographic reporter. also testified
to having made a report of the same speech
Francis E. Smith, official reporter to the House,
testified to having made a report of said speech.
These witnesses testified that the wording of
their reports had been corrected by Colonel W.
| q. Moore, the Private Secretary of the Presi
dent. Colonel Moore was then examined in rela-