The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-04-04
Late kilograms per Idaho.
Impeachment Proceedings.

WASHINGTON, March 5.-SENATE-The morning
hour was occupied by the transaction of unimpor-
tant business. Atits expiration the President pro
tenn said all Legislative and executive business of
the Senate was ordered to cease. tor the purpose o.
proceeding to the business connected with impeach-
ment. Ihcrrupon he vacated the chair, and the
Chief Justice then advanced up the aisle. clad in his
official robes. accompanied by Justice Nelson, aud
escorted by \ Committee appointed Tor that purpose.
followed by the Managers of the House, who stood
behind the bar. The Chief Justice ascended to the
Presidents chair, and said, in IL solemn and inn
pressivc voice:
Senators. in obedience to notice have appeared
to join with you in forming IA Court of Impeachment
Tor th. trial OF the President of the United States.
/ am ready to take the OATH
Judge Nelson then administered the following
oath
Il do solmenly swear. that in all things pertain
ing 10 the trial of the Impeachment of Andrew john
son. President of the United States. / will do
impartial justice. according to the Constitution and
laws. So help me God"
The Secretary then called the roll, each Senator
advancing and taking the oath prescribed by the
rules. The only Senators absent were MessrS. Doc
little, Edmunts, Patterson OF New Hampshire and
Salisbury.
When the name of Senator Wade was called Mr..
Hendricks rose and put the question. whether the
Senator from Ohio, being the person who would
succeed the President, was entitled to sit as Judge
in the case?
Mr.. sherman argued that the Constitution itself
settled that question, as it provides that the presid-
ing officer of the Senate shall not preside at the
Impeachment Of the President, and being silent as
to his right 10 be a member of the Court, it follows
by implication that he has a right.
Mr.. johnson likencd this trial to ordinary judicial
proceedings. and said no judge would be allowed
To sit in Il case where he had "a direct interest. He
desired to postpone a decision till the precedents
of the English House of Lords could he examined
The debate continued ut great length. Messrs.
Davis. Hendricks and Bayard arguing against sir.
Wade's right to sit rs u member oi the Court.
Mr. Hendricks said when Mr.. Wade ceased TO be
presiding officer OF the Senate he could be sworn.
but now he was incompetent
Messrs. Merrill, Williams. Howard. Morton, Sum-
ner. Sherman. Drake. Thayer, and Howe spoke III
favor Of Mr.. Wadeis right.
Mr.. Morton argued that there was no person here
authorized to make objection it was the right OF
the party to waive the objection of interest on the
part of the judge or jury. When the President
came here for trial, he might ask why was not the
Senator from Ohio sworng The Senator was n
member of the Senate, and his rights as such could
not be taken away.
Mr.. Thayer argued that the question of interest
was raised against the Senator from Ohio it ought
with greater reason 10 he raised against the Senator
from Tennessee. Mr.. Patterson. who was closely re-
lated to the President besides. every Senator who
might succeed tO the office of the'presiding officer
was also Interested.
CHICAGO. March 6.-The Senate adjourned last
night. leaving the right of Wade to sit in the i'm
parchment court undecided.
During the debate, Senator Summer proved from
the Madison papers and debates i'll the Virginia
Convention. a well rs IN the National Convention
that adopted the Constitution, that the Senate had a
right to suspend the President from office during
the trial for high crimes and misdemeanOrs. He
also showed that the object of the trainers Of the
Constitution in providing that the Chief Justice
shall preside over the Senate when engaged in the
trial of the President. was. that the lawful presiding
officer OF that body. the Vice-President of the Uni
ted States, might he relieved from duties in the
Senate. AID perform those of the President while
the ChietExecutive was under Impeachment.
CHICAGO, March 7.-There is hardly any Wash
ington report from last night, owing to the storm.
Tn. senate nan tl.a rntIrr- sa.SIan a. - f,nurt nI
Impeachment, wrangling over the admissibility Of
Ben. Wade.
Mr.. Dixon took the floor. and was called to order
by Mr.. Howard. The Chief Justice required the
point of order ia be reduced 10 writing. which was
done. The point of order was that the objection to
administering the oath TO Mr.. Wade il out of order.
under the Constitution and rules of the Senate. In
the meantime. Mr. Dixon attempted to continue his
speech. but was interrupted and called to order by
other Senators.
Chief Justice stated that his point Of order was
before the Senate Tor debate and Mr.. Dixon again
attempted TO address the Senate but was immedi-
aiely called In order on the ground that n point OF
order is not debatable. Things began to get con-
siderabiv mixed. several Senator's attempting to
call Mr.. Dixon to order, and the latter. apparently
bound To proceed. Mr.. Howard made the point of
order that the 22i Rule, adopted by the Senate.
required all questions of order to be decided with
out debate. The Chief Justice ruled that the Court
was not vet organized. therefore the 22d Rule was
not binding. Mr.. Drake appealed from the decision.
and the decision was sustained by dgeS "a. noes 20.
The following Republicans voted with the nemo-
Gratis to sustain the Chief Justice Mcssrs. Anthony,
Fessenden. Fowler. Frelinghusen, Grimes, Hender-
son. Morril! Of Maine. Pomeroy. Ross. Sherman.
Sprague, Van Wrinkle. Wiley and Williams.
Mr.. Dixon attempted to speak. when Mr.. CONFESS
made the point of order. and when this had been
settled he again took the floor, but Mr.. Stewart in
terrupted him. after which Mr.. Dixon, apparently
in despair. surrendered the floor altogether.
Mr. Hendricks followed in a brief speech, at the
close of which he withdrew all his objections to the
swearing in of Mr.. Wade. which was then accord
invlv l.up and the remainder of the Senators on
the list were sworn. The Chief Justice then stated
that the rules must be adopted nv the Court, or
they could not b. binding upon it. By n vote the
Court then adopted the rules, as adopted by the
Senate.