The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-05-28
Tho Innenehers Trapped

WASHINGTON, May 26.-The impress
sion being general that no vote would
be taken, there was nothing like the
rush which has heretofore characterized
the Impeachment proceedings. Never
theless, the immense galleries were
packed.
Mr.. Edmuuds came in and announced
coutd-htially that voting would be
postponed. \ few moments later other
Senators catered with indifference ana
soon engaged in conversation, groups
being formed, during which the acton
of the CAUCUS was discussed. Specuia-
tious were freely offered as 10 the prob
able effect of p9stpouemcnt on party IN
terests. Yet soon after the Court organ
lied Mr.. Edmuuds rose slowly and Of
fVred a resolution resembling all pre-
yiUus rules on the subject Of voting.
The Chief Justice thought the resolu-
ton not in order, but the majority
thnught otherwise and the rules were
resciuded.
Next came n resolution pOstponing
the vote on impeachment until the 23d
of June. The Chief Justice considered
this out of order, but was again over
ruled. On each of the propositions,
Dir Ross voted with the lmprachers.
aud q decided sensation among them
was perceptible. The Radical Senators
were boUUing their heads, and great
effcIt WAS made To cOnf,r. Ross had
defeated them on the eleventh Article;
abuse bad been heaped upon him; was
it possible he had repeuted'
Cenkling offered substitute, pTOvid-
1. 81, % Id n 4.
vote on the remaining articles
This was believed 10 be offered in
good faith. aud when it WAS rejected
by an overwhelming vote, many OF the
spectators left the galleries, surprising
the days performances were closed.
Newspaper men, in their anxiety TO
Out-strIp competition, flashed the news
over the wires that Impeachment was
pOorpnueG till the twenty-tAlrd Of
June" No one doubted the fact except
the parties engaged in the desperate
game. COnkhng's purpose proved 10 he
To draw out Nj. Ross, who, understand
ing the game, in turn set trap for the
imueaChrrs NJ Ross voted sQuartly
against COnklmg's substitute aud an
other buzz WAS heard on the Radical
side. Sumner left his seat hnrrledly,
and passed to the srats of Edmunds,
Williams and others, hOtding bSlet con-
frrences. Senators leaned towards each
other aud passed hurried wor',s. The
spectators continued leaving. The tele
graph had already spread the news IN
every direction. An uuder-current was
now seen, the exact character of which
was unknown. The counteuances of
al nh. hr1..
unexpected turn in events was evident
" anticipated, Mr. Ross had been drawn
out and WAS upou record with the Im-
peachers on every preliminary Ques-
ton. He seemed TO Oe acting IN good
faith. The impeachors voted down the
caucus resolution TO postpone, aud
moved Ia 20 into vote ON the sec
oud article. The impeachers were now
all smiles. They had adCoitly aScer-
tanned exactly how Ma. Ross would
vote-as they supposed-and now
they could convict. They little sus.
pected that there were two parties
to their game they little suspect
ed that the modest, Snsopbistica-
ted Senator from Karsss intended 10
entrap the thirty-fye impeachers at "A
sin lie haul. The roll was called amid
breathless silence. The interest height
eued as the votes of doubtful Senators
were reached, eliminating when Ross
was called. Now came the tug of war.
Tue impeacheEs had hazarded every
thing upon this vote; could it be posi-
BILE that thjrty-6ve politicians had been
over-reached by one mau IL was
true!!! Mr.. Ross had Set his trap and
caught the whole party, and when he
answered in clear, ringing voice Nor
GUILTY." there were countenances on
the Radicals, which would have for
nished subjects worthy of Hogarth,
impeachment had been long dead, and
was now buried.