New-York tribune., 1868-04-06

A. They were made by the President OF " % ~ these
O. Did the letters of authority proceed IN inost
cases from the President or from the head VI uep"
Mr.. EvARTs objected. and stated the papers ,neni-
selves We're the best evidence, and must pe hence
the papers ssued-whether they directly rom
the head Of department TO the Chief Clerk OF came Ho
| Mr.. EyARTs-That is the very objection we make
The letters OF authority are themselves the best
Mr.. BUTLER-I am asking from whence the auIhoIl.1
proceeded. because cannot know now to whom W sen
The cifEFJUsTIcE ito the wness)Is the authority
witness-It is always in writing
" From whom did those letters of which you speak
Mr. EvARTs objected.
! The CHiEFJUsTICE directed the question to be re-
| Mr. BUTLER then modified 1t to read, state
whether any OF the letters Of authority which you nave
mentioned came from the Secretary OF state OF from
| what other officer" . ~. 4.
Mr BUTLER sad-My object in putting the question. s
that he says that it from the President that Will
end the inquiry and if no says that they all came from
the secratary Of state then want to send ior them
than by the production Of the writing, which, the wit
| ness has stated, exists in all cases. A., .,o,.
am endeavoring TO nnd out from what source these
letters came, and following the usual course OF ex-
Mr. CURTIS ito Mr. Butler-Do you mean to inquire
| who signed the letter Of authorityi ,.,.,,s
Mr.. BUTLER-I mean To inquire precisely whether the
letter from the Secretary or from the President
Mr.. CURTIs-Do you mean by that VINO sghed Ine
letter. do you mean from whose manual possession IL
came ,.
|
Mr. BUTLER-i do not do it for the purpose OF proving
the contents Of the letter. but for the purpose OF deht
Mr.. EvARTs We say that the paper itself will show
Mr.. BUTLER-The difficulty with NE is that unless
take an hour IN my argument these gentlemen are deter
ton My proposition not prove the authority not TO
the signature but To prove the identity OF the pa
per. prove that it letter OF authority,
because Mr. Seward signed it, but It to prove whether
am to look for my evidence in given direction OF IN
| The CHIEFJUSTICE decided that the question in the
form In which il was put was not Objectionable and that
the question whether these documents were signed by the
| President would be also competent. -
authority which you have mentioned came the Sec
re m 81 ae or S Tna5 oef tba be Witness Is not 70
| answer by whom they were sent
Mr.. BUTLER nartiyl-I believe have the witness.
the witness not to answer at present by whom they we're
! signed.
| Witness-They came from the President.
Nh. BUTLER-Al Of themi A. such is the usual rule;
| I know OF no exceptions.
q. DO you know of any letter authority to chief
clerk TO act Secretary OF state that did not come from
q. VIII you your return 10 the Office examine and
see If there i anythmgi a. will. .,-.--,
Mr.. STANBERI-I see by the list only one instance OF
removal by the President of the head OF department
during the Of the Senate and that early
one-May 10, 1900 O. Do you know anything Of the cir
| cImstances Of that removal! A. Not at all.
o. You do not know whether that officer had refused to
| resign when rcquestedt 4. Lido not.
O. In your own knowledge since YOU have been in the
department. do you know Of any instance In which the
|
MF. BUTLER Ito the witness-stop a moment
! object.
The objection. was either sustained the question
10 ascertain under what circumstances il that Mr..
Adams removed Mr. Pickering from the head Of the state
Department IN lV When the senate WAS IN sessloh' A.
Mr. BUTLER-Do you know thathe was removed when
the Senate was in session OF your Own knowledgei A
~ Mr. Bt,TrER-Ino now offer Sir from the ninth volume
| 90 ha of Ia ell
by his grandson, Charles Francis Adams what purports
Of state. to John Adams, and from Adams to H. Any
| objection Ito hlr stanbery)i
| Mr. sTANBERY-Not the least.
| Mr BUTIFR-The ir's one % dated 'he1@h of Nav;
ile ogcal Iet.ls uf that time lavo not been able
nd any record vi them thus far Any objection gentle
Mr. sTANBERY-Not at ALL Sir.
| Mr.. BUTLER read a letter from President Adams TO
Timothy Pickering, Secretary OF State, dated May TO-
1900 which he said Saturday, announcing that the
Administration deemed change in the office Of secre-
tary Of necessary and stating that the announce
ment made in order to give Pickering an opportunity
| 10 resign He read the reply OF Mr. Pickering,
dated Department Of STATE May T.? 300 stating mat hat
lie had contemplated continuance IN office until the ith
March following after the election OF Mr. jefferson
which considered certain and refusing from various
Ter OF President Adams, Of the same date removing Mr.
senate have goodness send for the executive jour
nal Of May ~ 1900, TO be brought herei propose 10
show that the same hour on the same day Mr. Adams,
| the President, sent the nomination TO the Senate.
| MR.. CREECY RECALLED
we're pppontinent clerk in the treasury Office You are
familiar with the handwriting OF Andrew Johnsont A.
| c1' o. +. that his handwritingi It's.
o. Did you produce this letter from the archives OF the
| Treasury to,layi A. did
| MIR BtJTLER-Iust step down a moment TO witness.
Mr. President and Senators, IL will he remembered that
the answer the President To the rSt article In
these words And II has since remained and Is now
the opinion OF this respondent at the time when he was
forced aforesaid to consider and decide what act or
acts should might carefully be done by this respond
enl President of the United states to cause the ad
4 p.lapT la
Was also aware that this act the Tenureof Ohce acp
was understood intended be expression Of the
opinion OF the Congress by which that act was passed;
t6nt the poyer TO executive officers for cause
mgbt by law be taken from the President and vested in
h5 and the senate Jointly Mr. Butler read further from
the articles The President claims tnat lie had removed
section of the Tenure.ofOhice act, empowering the
President, during the recess or the senate, 70 sus-
! mend civil officers, except United States Judges.
tr incapac,y and misconduct and authorizing him TO
designate temporary successor To hOd ut acted upon
Within twenty days from the next meeting OF the Senate,
with reasons therefor He also read the eighth section
rrsssury OF such appointments made without the con-
sent OF The senate He continued Il will be seen, there,
fore MFR President that the President OF the United
states says in his that he suspended Mr. Stanton
under the constitution, suspended him indefinitely ana
AZ his pleasure propose unless 10 Is objected 10,
10 show that false, under his own hand and oher
biz letter to that effect which, II there is no objection
W" Mr. sTANBERY after examining the leter)-we see
| no inconsistency in that, nor falsehood
| Mr. BUTLER-That is not the question put TO you.
asked You 4 g you had any any objection D ctiiSnt,or
| Mr., STANBEkl- Il nave no OnJecllOn.
Mr. BITLER-The fasehood is not III the letter; IL Is IN
the answer then read the letter dated Washington,
| August Il, 1867. as follows; - - . -,
In rsmosncs With the requirements Of the eighth section OF The
~ Congress 1861 entitled An act regulate the ten
~ Of certain civil you hereby notified that on the 18th INST
fhis ONCE
Wf and Gen Ulysses authorized and empowered TO act
s.caty Of War ai hym. sir very respectfully yours,
| So'''' " ANDREW JOHNSON.
IN the Hon HuGH McCULL0cH Secretary Of the Treasury.
Mr. BUTLERI wish 70 call attention TO TINS again be-
cause il may have escaped the attention OF Senator'S
| Mr. CI'RTIs-We object. We wish 10 know what all
this discussion means What question is now before the
| Senael How ia IL that this statement Is made
| Mr. BUTLER-I am endeayoring to show that when me