Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-04-14
THE IMPEACHMENT.
The Defence Opened by Judge Curtis.

1ue SEeuI feature OI the l1npeacnmenLuid
now in progress, was the opening speech for
the defence, by Judge CURTIS, on Thursday
last. The Washington correspondent of the
Baltimore Gazette, in his letters of the 9th
and 10th, gives the following particulars of
the proceedings, and the effect of the Judges
great argument.
WASHINGTON, april 8, 1888.
Courts is to speak to-day" was in every
persons mouth this morning, and at an early
hour the ticket holders were vending their
way to the Capitol to secure favorable seats
for hearing the opening speech in defence of
President johnson. The approaches to and
through the Capitol were lined, as BEFORE
with liveried policemen and the Senate Cham
Der presented nothing new in appearance ez-
cept that the diplomatic gallery was crowded
for the first time during the trial. Hereto
fore foreign ministers have hesitated about
attending the trial, doubling, as they did, the
propriety Of it, in view of the fact that they
regarded impeachment but partisan move
ment against the head of the nation to which
they had been accredited by their respective
Governments. Now that his defence has
commenced, they feel no hesitation or delicacy
at attending Mr.. Thornton, the English
Minister, although officially the youngest
member, was the first to enter, followed by
Baron Gerolt, the dean of the Corps. Others
crowded in, until their section of the gallery
vas full. The other immense galleries were
packed with brilliant crowd, two>thirds of
whom we're ladies, not likely to listen with
much interest to a dry legal Argument
General Sherman entered the Chamber few
moments before the session opened, and took
a conspicuous seat Immediately in front of the
Chief Justice, which he continued to occupy
during the whole day, occasionally passing
word with Senator Stewart of Nevada, who
sat at his left In his position the General
was the observed of all observers.
A lively conversation was kept up in, the
Senate on general topics until the. managers
were announced. These entered not by twos
as before, but in Indian file, Bingham leading
the line and Butler playing the part of tail.
What brought upon him this disgrace no one
could tell. It was only known that at the
opening of the last session Bingham and
Butler entered arm in arm at the head of the
managers, and since his effort in behalf Of i'm
parchment he has been sent to the foot by
Bingham. When the Sergeant alarms of
the Senate announced the House of. Repre-
sentatives, twenty>four members entered to,
continue sin the name of all the people" their
prosecution of the President for high crimes
and msdemeanors. Stanbery trim as blooded
racer, entered the main door, and bowling to,
the right and to the left as he returned the
salutations of Senators, passed up the main
aisle and took his accustomed seat. Curtis,
followed by Evarts, Groesbeck and Nelson,
entered side door and deposited himself
behind fearful number OF volumes which
had been carefully arranged ON the table,
All eyes were now turned from Sherman to
Curtis, and breathing seemed to be for the
time, suspended. On motion of Senator John
sou the reading of the minutes was dispensed
with. Horror of horrors Butler calls another
witness. Spectators are disguised. Wood,
carpet bag man of Alabama and Union SOL
der, is sworn bad applied to the President
for an Office, couldn't get it; President had
Offices only for his friends. Motto. evidently
was '.justice to all, favors to friends only"
stanbery blew this witness sky high by in,
quiriug if he did not tell his friend Coppelr
that he had been advised it would be to his
interest to testify against the President
Blodgett, postmaster at Augusta, Georgia,
also had his private griefs, and after being
sworn, told how the President had suspended
him from Office on the Sd of january last,
but did not tell the cause of his suspension.
If the game was worth the trouble, this fact
could also be established.
Curtis now arose. amid profound silence,
and delivered speech worthy of his reputa-
ton, and this is the highest compliment which
can be paid it. 1t was solid pyramid of
legal granite, with its foundation laid deep
and wide. Step by step he brushed away
the trashy positions Of the impeachers and
erected lasting monument to legal ability,
strict justice and gentlemanly bearing. He
held Senate and galleries spell bound through
out its delivery. Fessendcn, Trumbull, Sher-
man and such men scarcely moved in their
places, while the speaker commanded the ad-
miratiOn of the impeachers themselves. a
singular state of affairs was presented. Judge
Curtis was evidently on the same side with
the "managers," for he, too, spoke in the
name of "all the people" and defended their
chosen representative from the assaults of his
enemies Comments on the speech would be
ont Of place in this correspondence, as the
speech itself will be read by all classes of
men everywhere. Impeachment was dead
before. Curtis delivered its funeral grafton
to day.
The Tennessee members of Congress have
applied to General Grant for an order to
General Thomas to take prompt and efficient
measures to suppress the Ku, Klux, Khan or
ganization. They argue that since the close
of the war 275,00O young men of the South
have arrived at a fighting age, and being with
out the counsel rwisdom of their fathers aud
elder brothers who had fallen in battle, and
actuated by the keenest sense of wrong and
hatred which is implacable, these young
men are prepared for any act of desperation
which may suggest itself and which may be
practicable through the agency of these or
CARNATIONS. General Grant declines to give
the order, as Tennessee has regular organized
Government. E.
WA sHINGToN, April 10th 1868.
There was again a crowded Senate to-day
in spite of the inauspicious weather-even
the ladies not hestating to turn out, so great