The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1868-03-19
Ten Days Given him for Preparation.
FIFTIETH CONGRESS.
1@-4-.~.~~--<---
WAsnINuToN, March 10.
SENATE.
SECOND SESSION.

AaAAaN a y -
SECOND SESSION.
BY eleven o'clock the ladies gallery
was packed by brilliant audience,
as upon full dress opera night
The Senators seats are arranged MS
before; in the open space in front Of
the Presidents chair, two long tables;
each furnished with seven chairs.
One of the tables is intended for the
managers the other for the counsel.
Back of tho Senators scats,and filling
the entire lobby, are about two hun.
drod chairs, intended for the aocom.
odation of members Of tho House
aud judiciary, aud others entitled to
be present on the floor.
by halfpast eleven all tho Sena.
tors had ranged themselves in little
knots, discussing the impeachment
question.
The return Of the Sergcaut.at.
Arms, Of his service Of tho summons
on the President was read, when on
motion Of Mr.. johnson, the counsel
for tho President wcrc notified of the
commencement of the proceedings,
and alessrs. Stauborry, G.. w. Curtis
aud Nelson took thoir seats at tho
right of tho Chief Justice and oppol
site the managers, who were seated
on the right Of General Butler. Tad
remaining managers oamc in, and
shortly afier an other depuattion ar.
rived irQu the House, and entered,
headed by the Speaker. Messrs.
Washburne, (Illinois,) Mcpherson
and Clark of the House, aud ranged
themselves behind tho bar.
Mr.. STANBEnY rose, and address.
ing tho Chief Justice, read the an.
swer Of tho President, entering his
appearance and naming as his counsel,
Me3srs. Stanbery, Curtis, Nelson
Jcro s. Black aud w. N. Evarts,
and asking as rosponablo timo Cor
tho preparation Of his defence, the
period Of forty days, citing cases in
which periods as long, in proportion
to the magnitude Of tho case, had
been granted.
Mr. BINGuAM, on behalf Of the
managers, oontendod that the Sth rule
provided that on tho appearance of
tho President, he was required to Gle
his answer, aud in case his answer
was not fled tho trial should pro.
coed as on plea of not guilty. He
claimed therefore, that the trial
should proceed forthwith. Mr.. Cur.
tis in roply, referred to the casa of
Judge Humphreys and others aud
argued that the rule was susceptible
Of no such construction as that put
on by Mr.. Bingham. Mr., Nelson
followed, onlarging on the same views
as his colleague.
Mr.. SrANDERY expressed greater
surprise than ho had before felt at
this claim put forward by tho mana
gers, saying, it seemed to be tho dis d.
position to hurry through this mo.
mentous trial, as if it were case be.
fore police court He argued, from
tho wording Of other rules that, the
appearance day was not intended to
bo tho day for dnslcerNg aud trial,
lie said that two OF the President 8
counsel wero not present, that no op.
portunity had been offered for tho
preparation oft defense, or calling
of witnesses, and that in the worst
days of tia Star Chamber, such an
attempt TO hurry through trial had
never been attempted. lie spoke
very warmly, saying there seomcd to
have been trap set for the President
and his counsel
At tho conclusion Of his remarks
tho Chief Justice said the motion
would be argued for au hour, in Oc-
cordauco with the rules, when Mr..
BINGuAM rose and said he had been
greatly surprised at hearing tho hasty
words that had been dropped from
the lips of his learned friend, Mr..
SrANDERY aud asserted that tho only
rulo which the Senate had made was
to proyenta diliatory line of defense,
The Chief Justice was about to put
the question on Mr.. SrANBERY's mo.
tion, when MIR, EDMUNps offered an
order that April lst DO tho day ap.
pointed for tho filing of the Prcsi-
dents answer, aud that within three
days thereafter the managers file
their replication, and that ON the 9th
Of April the trial proceed,
On motion of Mr., MoRroN, at three
o'clock the Senate retired for consul.
totion.
At4:l0 tho Scuotc returned to
their Chamber aud the Court reassem
blod.
The Chief Justice announced that
the mStion under consideration had
been ovcrruiO1 aud an order was Gu
tered ,aat the prostGoNt ls requested
to file his answer on Monday, tks 23d
Of March,
Mr., BIN0uAM offered an order,
that on the filing Of the replication
/ by tho managers, the trial proceed
I forthwith. The Chief Justice sub
mittcd the order to the Senate, aud
on the question of adoption, the yea,
aud nays being taken resulted, 25 ac-
Iirmadve, 26 negative; SO the order
was denied
Mr. NELSON, of the Presidents eouu
sci, said he had come here expecting
to hear no political discussion. ant
under tho impression that the form
of proceeding would be purely judioia
in their character; hut like tho hon
orable managers. he did not oxpoo
they would be strictly limited by tn,
formal preeedents Of ordinary tri-
buuals. llethought liberia ity shoult
be extended by this high court to al
I unusual degree, aud oontended that tn
application Of the defendant for I(
days time was one deserving such lib
oral trea tmeut He cited rule o
tho Courts of Tennessee, whic
DroVidos fur the poStponemen