Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-05-07
The Impeachment Managers and the
H''sii Alta Yela Affair. p"itt


''.''' Alta Yela Afiair. ''''t
A special of the 1st instant to the Chi
cagO Tribune SAYS:
For the last two DAYS the subject of the
alleged letter of four Managers and other
members of the House to the President
upon the Alta Vcla case, has caused almost
as much talk as impeachment itself
Messrs. Logan, Butler and Garfield each
made statements Gin the House)i which
wholly took away any foundation for the
charge that any of the Managers whose
names were on my letter had the least idea
that the paper they were signing was 10
go to the President Mr. Butler stated
that he had given legal opinion to Col.
Schaffer as friend only; that General
Logan had signed, and then General Gar
field, and that then, the son ;ef Judge
Black had taken the paper tothe presi-
dent. Fhe o President had q asked
Black 10 get seme more members of
Congress on it to stiffen him up
against Seward, as the New York friends
of the latter were interested, and
Seward would do nothing in the case
| Young Black came TO the House and OBJ
tanned some other names, and rs soon as
the President got them he published the
letter in New York paper in accordance
with his usual treatment of letters. How
young Black got the signatures of the
Managers and Others General Garfield ex-
| planned BlaclSturned the paper over to
| him, and he (GariieldD took it to Mr..
Bingham and told him 1T was legal
opinion of General Butler regarding the
rights of certain American citizens to an
island MIR. Bingham, after asking if it
was all right, signalsit General Garfield
then took the paper to Mr. Stevens and
told him the same thing. Mr. Stevens said
he knew that Mr.. Seward had acted the
rascal in that mattel, and he signed it will
ingly. MIR. Blaine did the same, and so of
the other members, not one of them know
ing or supposing that the paper was going
TO the President The whole thing is a
clear case of attempting to make political
capital against Impeachment II also came
out that Nelson himself had taken part
in this same rratter,and given the Prcs:-
dent substantially The same opinion as that
in Buffers letter to Colonel Schatfcr. As
part of General Garfelds explanation, he
caused to be read the following letter
from Judge Black:
NEW YORK. April %. 1873.
MY DEAR SIR: The newspapers talk wildly
about my retirement from the impeachment case
Some of them put Mr.. johnson i'm the interesting
| predicament of an iil-used gentleman because l
| am not defending him before the Senate. Mr.
Nelson said very absurd things in his speech the
other day. What IL worse they assert. by inuendo
at least, that some of the Radicals in Congress had
mischicyous purpose in expressing their opinion
that Justice ought TO be done to the owners of
Alta Nela- want you to understand and remcm-
Der two or three points: H T-Gtf
First, / knew nothing about the paper until il
went into the hands Of the President / never in
my lfe- spoke TO any one Of the signers about the
case, except TO You, and not 10 you until after the
| date OF the papPr.
Second, You certainly could have had no design
in making breach between the President and me,
| for when told you of his conduct. and that the
misconduct of Mr.. Seward might compel me to
decline acting "a his counsel, YOU advised me not
| to- decide hastily ON question of 30 much mo-
nent TO my professional regulations:
Third never saw or heard anything from which
| it could be inferred that you or any other MEM
per OF Congress sigaed the paper in question for
any reason, except that il expressed your real con-
yictions:
Fourth, You know certainly that my retirement
was not prompted by anybody. II was my own
act, for which alone am responsible. and IL was
done because felt myself morally forced to H.
The story that gave the President the choice be-
tween decision of the Alta Vela care and the loss
of my services counsel is all false from first to
last. i never asked him to do anything in il ex-
ccpt ON the ground OF pure justice. distinctly
Told him that did not want IL "a a favor to me.
When foend that Stewards policy wac stronger
than legal duty. / was done blu; Mr.. johnson did
would or might have the effect of iissoiving our
relations. have nothing to say against the mag
nanimiiy or courage for which Mr.. Nelson gives
him credit; only that there was no necessity for
showing those Qualities 70 me- did not put him
to any test whatever. q ift it.ts SO 'f43A u
lam, most truly you'ss. sc.
Hon. j. A. Garfield. - G8rfrf -fTaH
The same day Judge Black wrote this
letter to General Garfield he addressed one
to President johnson, of which the fol-
lowing are the main points: The letter
first calls the attention of the President to
the general features of the case, and states
that the President had never suggested
any possible justification for the outrage,
and had never uttered word of excuse
for Secretary Stewards course in the case.
Black then says he deems it necessary to
stir up the pure mind OF the President by
way of remembrance, which he proceeds
to do. He states in the most positive
terms that there was no understanding be-
tween himself and any members of the
House, and that he never knew of the let
ter till it had gone into the Presidents
hands; and further, that he had had no
communication whatever with the signers,
directly or indirectly, either. verbally or in
writing. - fter reviewing the case az some
length, Mr.. Black asserts that Seward made
a false statement to him in writing, con-
corning the conclusions the President had
reached, and that when the deception was
exposed the President ordered the written
exposure of it to be put on record. Upon
this Black makes the fc,lowing comment:
lit Is impossible 10 unc srstand how Won could
sleep one night without turning the perpctrator
of this scurvy trick ont Of Office -
After detailing the position assumed by
Mr.. Seward in the paper used to deceive,
Mr.. Black continues: 80. i-.,....' &. r..
. He tSeward) has since been trying to maintain
himself in this 1discreditable attitude by argu-
ment which no man Of average understanding can
listen 10 without disgust. Mr.. President You
have never seemed to think this was wrong You
know the facts. but they have apparently made no
impression upon your moral sensibilities. must
test the conduct OF your Secretary, not by his no
uon Of higher Law. (which means anything to pro-
mote his interests and crafty his partizans but by
the law Of the land. .sl.ilf .r'-srfs - q -
Next follows a long review Of what is
called Stewards historical research con-
nected with the case a11l In summing up
the case on that part, the letter proceeds
- There is no doubt about the law Mr. Presi-
dent. The only question il, whether Mr.. Seward
can possibly be ignorant enough to misunder-
stand it. An American Secretary of State ought
science which apply to the everyday business of his
Office. 1t is your duty to ascertain whether this
gross perversion of ii Is blunder fraud. II
the result OF such an Investigation shall satisfy
show what mercy you think proper to such pitia-
bic weakness. IL you find reason to believe that
he has willingly tried to lead you into the commits
sion Of hg great wrong you wei know how to deal
him headlong from his Office, without the delay of
an instant
What a Black Man Can 10.