New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-03-14
THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL.

uoIrsrNsrNAToR wADE's POSSIBLE ACTION
TUGDDEUs STEVENS ON MANHOOD SUFFRAGE
SUPREME COURT.
tEy TuI seRAPB TRIBUNE
WARRINGTON, Friday, March Is, 1858
Another days excitement in Washington, equal 10
sny that has been witnessed here since the lmpeach
snent began in earnest, nearly four weeks ago. The
adoption of the ticket system kept the crowd from
thronging inside the Capitol buildings, and secured
comfortable seats to the favored few but in the Ave-
mes and st the hotels and on the street corners
were scenes of excitement amounting almost 10 tu-
multi from 10 O'Clock this morning until this evening
as news or rumOrs from or the other end of the
sapital were received and discussed. Nothing like 1t
has been witnessed here since the most critical
period Of the war; when dispatches from the front,
telling of decisive battles, were received and dis
cussed. Ii was very well known that no person
could gain admission TO the Senate wing OF the
Capitol without ticket and that the number OF
tickets had been restricted to 1OO0-being the
capacity of the Senate gallery. Each Senator re-
eeived four, and each member of the House TWO
tickets, with which to supply all the demands
from their constituents and friends, and they
were literally beseged at their residences, their
committee-rooms, and wheresoever else 1t was
possible 10 find them up to IL o'clock this morning
II not an exaggeraton to say that for every ticket
there were 200 applicants, out of whom OF course.
199 necessarily disappointed. Never before was
witnessed such digging and importuning for any
favor as was seen in the struggle get these tickets
Ladies of wealth and fashion made personal applca-
fiona to Senators and Representatives,, and were
not discouraged with single refusal, but repeated
their petitions often as half dozen times, and
rs late as the hour for the opening of the
Court of Impeachment. One Senator was waited
upon last night at II o'clock by an esteemed
and highly respectable woman, who drove TO ms res
Idence in her carriage, and demanded TO see him.
M harN hot fha in
bed and asleep But the fair applicant was not to be
denied an audience ON that account and insisted
that she must see him. as her business was urgent
and admitted of no postponement. The Senator,
thus peremptoTily summoned, descended the stairs,
half asleep, and not more than half dressed. He was
met in the hall by his excited friend of whom
ne inquired in establishment what was the
matter--whether anybody was sick or had
suddenly died. OF what it that
had induced her to call at such an unseemly hour.
why, Senator" said she, nobody is sick, and no
body is dead but lido want ticket for the Impeach
sent and must have it," But" said the Senator,
smiling at the extraordinary call which had aroused
him from peaceful sumber and rubbing his eyes to
get the few remaining winks out of them, have
given all my tickets away" "Well, but must CO."
said the applicant not at all discouraged by the reply
that had turned away hundred applications of the
same kind to the same Senator during the day,
my mind to CO. and have been trying all day TO get
ticket and have finally come to you" The CONVEX
cation continued the Senator protesting that he had
no tickets and his fair prosecutor protesting with an
indifference to unpleasant facts quite refreshing
that 20 she would The interview lasted nearly half
an hour, and was terminated only by solemn prom
Use by the Senator that he would persuade friend
to whom he had given one of the tickets to surrender
It, and that he would send it to his visitors residence
hafo min Whafh
promise was kept your correspondent is not informed
but the incident is worth relating, il illustrates
as well as could be written ten times the space the
tremendous pressure for admission to the Senate and
the eagerness with which those having tickets at
their disposal have been impOrtuned for them.
Persons 500 miles distant have telegraphed for
tickets, saying that they were coming to washington
solely 70 witness the trial. and many have come t9fn
the East and from the West and yet been unable to
get inside the Senate chamber to-day Strong guards
of police were stationed at all the doors of entrance
20 the Senate wing of the Capitol which were
opened Mt IL o'clock this morning. The tickets of
admission arc about twice the size of ordinary
theater tickets with coupons attached The coupons
were torn off at the door, and the tickets
were taken up as the visitors entered the gallery
The police very strict in obeying the rules, and
denied admission to number OF persons who unpro-
yded with tickets, thought to gain admission by
one or two instances Senators grumbled and pro-
tested; but the guards were memorable, and their
friends that had tickets forced TO turn back
and muse over their misfortune. The galleries COM
nenced filing at II but under the admirable police
arrangements no rush nor hustle perceptibe in
aide the building, and, owing to the ticket system
there was little confusion outside for, with the ex
ceptions Just noted, none approached the entrance
doors but those who had been favored with tickets
The coupons were quickly torn, and the visitors
passed in like an audience gathering for opera or
y concert.
The women exceeded the men in number, probably
three to one. which may be accounted for on the
snppostion that Senators provided for their wives
md daughters before taking of their friends and
constituents Mrs. Wade occupied front seat near
the diplomatic gallery. Near her sat Mrs. Sprague
and her sister Miss Nettie Chase, and scattered
through the multitude at short intervals recOg
nizable nearly all the ladies who lead the fashion
able society of the capital during the gay
season They were attired in the most costly
robes of the latest fashion, and from the
stand point of the reporters gallery the scene was
one of wonderful brilliancy and beauty, much like
that which three years ago. on the fourth of March,
1856, was witnessed in the chamber when the then
Vice President elect now Presidentimpeached made
his famous inaugural speech. Among the personages
of note in the diplomatic gallery were NJ De
Bertbemy, French Ministers Baron Gerolt Prussian
Minister; NJ. Rangabe, Grecian Minister; Bacque
sey, Turkish Minister; NJ. Cerruti, Italian Minister
francis Glare Ford. Secretary of the English
legation. Whether OF not it was owing TO
u oversight by the persons who had the disposal of
tickets il was noticeable that no colored men OF
Hcmen were IN the Chamber. 1t is possible that the
saater nnorfunitV of the friends and acouantances