The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-04-27
IMPEACHMENT TRIAL.
INDECENT HASTE OF MIR. sUsrNE1
PRESIDENT JOHNSON TO BE REMOVED
FORTHWITH, IF CONVICTED.
Close OF MIR. Groesbeck's Speech.


day communications were received from the
Secretary of the Navy regarding the deten-
ton of the steamer Sabine at the navy
yard at New London, Ct, for alleged po-
litical purposes, and from the Secretary Of
the Treasury regarding the sales of gold.
Neither were read, and the House proceeded
to the Senate chamber.
In the Senate q resolution that the pro-
ceedings Of the court in retirement be pub
lished by the regular reporters in the usual
way was postponed until Monday.
Judge Chase ordered the prosecution to
proceed. Mr.. Stevens being absent, the
prosecution asked for time, and the defence
then proceeded. Mr.. Groesbeck is now
speaking.
The weather is very inclement.
Second Dispatch.
WASHINGTON, April 25.-When Edmond's
resolution, ordering that the Senate delibe-
rations be published regularly and in order,
was brought up,
Mr.. Drake moved its indefinite postpone
ment.
Mr.. Sumner said: "That's the proper
motion"
The indefinite postponement was de-
feated-27 to 20.
Mr.. Sumner sumbitted motion that the
vote on the several articles proceed at IL
o'clock of the day after the argument shall
have been finished.
Objection was made, and the motion goes
over till Monday.
Mr.. Sumner proposed two additional
rules: First. That Judge Chase shall ask
each senator " How do you vote ?" and the
senator shall say" Guilty" or "Not guilty"
Second. That upon conviction it shall be
the duty of the presiding officer to order the
removal of the convict forthwith.
Objection was made, and the motion goes
over till Monday.
Several senators made points that these
new rules would come into the Senate,
where interminable debate was allowable,
thus postponing the result Indefinitely.
Judge Chase ordered the argument to
proceed. The prosecution not responding,
Mr.. Groesbeck, for the defence, commenced.
He argued that the body he addressed was
court taking its law from the Constitution,
which permits neither bills of attainder
nor irresponsible tribunals, especially such
as were claws unto themselves" Mr..
Lincoln's plain violation Of the Constitution
had been ratified by Congress because his
motives were good. He argued that the
first eight articles rested on the question
whether the President had the right to re-
move Stanton and give Thomas the nd in
/ term appointment. He contended that had
Lincoln lived, and had the tenure-of-office
bill been passed in hostility to him, that
under its provisions during his second term
he could have legally removed the Cabinet
officers appointed by himself during his
first term, and that Stanton had infinitely
| less claim to tenure under Mr.. JohnsOn's
term.
Mr.. Groesbeck was suffering from bron-
chitis, and an adjournment was proposed,
but Groesbeck feared few days delay
would not help him, and asked to be allowed to
proceed, though circumstances compelled
| him to make important omissions in his ar
| gument.
The President, he said, having consulted
advisers educated by the Constitution, was
| auiltless of crime. 1t was omparatively use
| less to urge the constitutionality ola actwith
those who framed it, but granting its con-
stitutionality, he denied the Presidents
criminality. The Presidents oath of office
required him to maintain the Constitution
Minor officers only swore to support. An
| swering Boutwell's assertion that the Pre-
sident was bound to execute oil the laws Of
Congress, Mr.. Groesbeck inquired about
the Presidents duty when the Supreme
Court had declared law unconstitutional
He quoted numerous presidents, against
which stood solitary the act of 1867
claiming that there was abundant
room for doubt and hesitation on the part
of the President, sufficient at least to In
duce him to resist with view of obtaining
judicial decision. He asked whether the
| President was to be convicted and deposeo
because he had acted on the Interpretation
sanctioned by his constitutional advisers
by the Thirty eighth Congress, by the SUI
preme Court, and by the uniform practice
of Government. He showed that ne acted
in the public interest in removing Stanton
He commended that the Presidents acqul'
| essence in the tenure-of-ofice bill, as long
as it was possible, was point in his favor
As Mr.. Groesbeck proceeded he recovered
his voice and held the floor and galleries.
spell-bound. In conclusion, he expressed
his confidence in the final result, and charac
terized the precedents of convictions re-
ferred to by the Managers as rather beacon
lights of warning than examples Tor gul'
dance. He closed with. a glowing eulogy OF
| Mr.. Johnson's life, character, and services
| to the country.