Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-05-15
The Alta Vela Letter.

pie of the United States, the odorous So
b,iquet of the "Guano Managers, deserves
more consideration at our hands than the
brief mention which it has received in the
telegraphic dispatches. In fact, from the
attention given to it in the speeches OF
Manager Boutwell, and Judge Nelson, and
the excitement it caused subsequently, both
in the High Court of Impeachment and In
the House of Representatives, it has be-
come an important part of the res gest6e OF
| this trial The circumstances are briefly
| these In his speech before the Senate,
Mr.. Manager Boutwell, had referred to the
difficulty between the President and Judge
Black, imputing to the former some gross
| misconduct as q reason for the withdrawal
of Judge Black from the defense in the
| impeachment case. 1t was we'll known,
however, that the difference arose out of
the Presidents refusal to take certain per-
emptory action, required by Judge Black,
in relation to the island Of Alta Vela,
claimed by client Of the Judges Mr..
Nelson, in replying to this portion of MIR.
Boutwell's speech, explained the Presl-
dents course, not only on the merits of the
Alta Vela question, but by calling atten-
| ton TO the fact that four of the impeach-
| ment managers had signed letter to the
| President, recommending the action de-
manded by Judge Black. Thus the Presi-
dent was placed in this embarrassing de-
lemma--leaving out of view the merits of
the question if he yielded to the request
he would seem to have been influenced by
fear of the power which could be exerted
against him by the signers of the letter,
and by the threatened secession Of Judge
Black if he refused he would lose the
services of one of his most valued and
trusted defenders. The New York Tri-
bune says the letter was written some
time before the i'm parchment proceedings
were instituted" The National Intelli-
gencer, on the contrary. gives the follow
ing history of the transaction:
The impeachment resolutions were pass
edinth the House, and the managers appoint
ed February Oath.
The articles of impeachment were laid
| before the Senate March I'd.
I'll summons to appear and answer on
March 18th was served upon the President
| March 9TH.
| On the 9th of March the following letter,
dated of that date, and signed by four of
the managers of impeachment-Butler,
Logan, Thad. Stevens, and Bingham-was
delivered to the President by Chauncey
Black, Esq, son and law partner of Judge
Black, strongly urging immediate action
by the President in regard to the Alta Vela
tual declaration of war against San Do
mingo.
| Again, on the 10th of March copy of
the same letter, dated March 9th, with the
additional names of Messrs. Garfield,
Koontz, Blaine and Moorhead, the will
ing witness for the prosecution, was deliv-
cred to the President by Judge Black.
During all this period Judge Black was
acting as one of the counsel for the Presi-
dent and in such capacity conferred with
the other counsel for the defense, and ac-
tually prepared portion Of the Presidents
answer to the articles of impeachment.
i The copy of the letter of March 9th,
which was delivered to the President
March 10th, is as follows
WASHINGTON, March 8, 1868.
Colonel J. W. SHAFFER, Washington, D. c.:
| Dear Sjr-In answer to your question relating
to the validity of the claim of the United States to
the jurisdiction over the island of Alta Vela, upon
considerable consideration of the subject, am
VoIn or1v1 nf hot thn 0loJT no
United States its citizens have the exciu slVe right
to take guanO there.
This is clearly indisputable, both by the law of
nations and our municipal law. l have never
been able to understand why the executive did not
long since assert the rights of the government
and sustain the rightful claims OF its citizens to
the possession Of the island in the most forcible
manner consistent with the dignity and honor of
BENZ F. BUTLER
| I concur in the opinion expressed above by Gen
eral Butler JOHN A. LOGAN.
| And We concur
| j. A. Garfield Thaddeus Stevens,
| w. 81. koontz, J. G.. Blaine
| W. Moorhead, John A. Bingham.
Col Shaffer, to whom this letter is ad.
dressed, was formerly chief of staff to Gen.
Butler, and is now counsel for the Alta
Vela claimants. At the time of delivering
this letter, (March 49, Judge Black urged
with great earnestness immediate action in
the premises but the President, at this
Same interview, firmly and positively de.
clined to act in the matter, and Judge
> Black withdrew, evidently offended at the
refusal. On the 10Th of March Judge
Black transmitted to the President his
+ letter of that date, withdrawing from the
defense of the impeachment case. On the
: 22d of March he sent second letter, o.
that date, explaining his action and sub
, sequently another of later date of the
E same tenor In the meantime the counse
: had inquired of the Navy Department the
t mode of procedure in reference to sending
: United States war vessels upon such ser
vice as was desired, and urged this infor
0 nation to strengthen his appeal to the
: President for immediate action. The
:. President felt most keenly the desertion O
d Judge Black, and only the allusion to it
: made by Manager Boutwell, would have
= induced any reference to tho details of the
}, circumstances.