New-York tribune., 1868-04-28

Of the fact that It applies 10 and governs the
case of Secretary Stanton. He recognized the
sape facts also IN his order suspendIng Stan
ron a proceeding authorized only by that law,
and in his message communicating 20 the Sen
ATE the reasons for the suspension. Well may
M Stevens declare: "HOw necessary that man
sbould have either good conscience or a
" Good memory THAT be should either obey
tbe law. OF if he attempts TO DEFY H. that he
sb,,ld no able 10 remember whether he has not
recognized its validity
Mr.. Stevens then. with crushing force, con-
-rasts the above confession OF his obligation 20
obev this law. with his subsequent celebrated
and unfortunate letter TO Gen. Grant. IN which
be states that the General knew that the
:. President was desrous of keeping Mr.. Stanton
" ont of office rhether sustained ~ his suspen-
81. sion or not In this letter be stated that had
he known that Gen. Grant would not cooperate
in keeping Stanton out OF ofnee, whether the
Senate sustained him or not, he would have ap-
pointed some one else IN place Of iGrant Here
the President, after acknowledging that stanton
was within the terms of the TenuTe-ot-Ofhce
law. and consequently could not be removed
without consent of the Senate, nor suspended
after they mad restored him. shows not only
that he had attempted 10 sednce and bully
Gen. Grant into aiding him 20 keep Alr. stanton
ont of the Office after the Senate had voted 10
restore him, but declares that he would have
removed Grant had he known that the latter
would refuse to join him IN his dlso0edl-
epce He moreover abuses the patriotic and
elear-headed General for ObeyIng the law IN
terms of foul insult and vilihcation winch be
has never since lns apostasy, applied 10 a
Rebel OF a traitor. There Is more than mere
/ illegaliry in such inconsistency. There are the
/ bypocrisy and scoundrelism OF desperate
who has but one definite purpose or intent,
/ viz. 10 evade violate, OF DEFY the law. and
who cares not, so long as he gets past IT,
| whether he drives over 10, around 70, or through
/ 1t.
MI Stevens, with hi, large knowledge of
/ human nature. md, an authority. more torclble
/ than could be derived from musty books IN
/ the thrice-repeated votes Of more than two
/ thirds of the Senators themselves. IN favor OF
the Tenure of Once l<w before n was passed
added 10 which was q fourth vote OF the same
! Senators restoring M. stanton TO Office after
the President had suspended him. followed
/ still by "a fifth vote of the same Senators for
the resolution cOndemning the removal of
/ Stanton and the appointment OF thomas as
unlawful acts.
Nlr. Stevens says truly that any Senator who
now without cause. with no fact developed
which was not fully known 70 him when each
OF these five votes was cast, should stultify
them all by a vote for the acquIttal Of Andrew
Johnson. would " be tortured on the gibbet OF
everlasting oboquy. How long and dark
svould be the track Of infamy which must
mark his name and that OF his pOsterItY.'
AIr. Stevens calls 10 mind that all the later
and minor usurpatiOns OF the President nave
grown ont Of ms tirst great usurpatlon ot the
legislative power 90 reconstruct the Union and
impose terms of peace upon the conquered
Rebel States. His one consuming ambition was
so 20 reconstruct the Union as 20 impose eter-
nal political slavery on that race whose social
slavery had rent the Union asunder, and
thereby to obtain the political control
OF the late Confederate States. This
would have caused the mantle of Jefferson
Davis 10 ta.l upon Andrew Johnson and
10 grasp and wear this he spurned and
trampled under foot the descending mantle
of Abraham Lincoln. and entered his
career Of perhdy 20 the loyal States and
contempt for the lawful Congress. Mr.. Stanton
disapproyed tins course, and therein lay ms
sole offense His career as Secretary Of War
had been the most brilliant and successful
this or any other country had ever known.
More than Carnot. he had organized victory.
Tie had raised and distributed a billion OF
doIars aa-..-I3y Delng cii.siz zvd sus-
pected OF the mal-appropriatlOn Of q dollar
This unimpeachable officer against whom no
charge could be brought, was % be removed,
/ IN detiapce of the Constitution of express law
and Of five successive votes of the Senate Of
the United States. and al this by President
whose name was perfdy and whose career was
I a continued crime.
Mr Stevens's physical inability prevented
him from reading the greater part OF hls speech,
and devolyed that duty upon Sen. Butler
IL was listened 10 with deep interest, and We
doubt not was regarded by the senate. as y
will be by every attentive reader as perhaps
the most logical and effective speech yet made