Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1868-03-21
TUE IMPEACHMENT.
Andrew johnson is TO File His
Answer ON the 23d of March
THE TRIAL WILL COMMENCE ON THE
.-.t OATH OF MARCH, -.. 80

THE TRIAL WILL c COMMENCE ON THE
-- -..5 III. BATH OF MARCH. -... '.1
WAsHINoToN, March 13.--The galleries
of the Senate began to fill up at ten o'clock
and before the Senate went into session,
the seats were all occupied. ,.,. ,...... ..-
E d. ...H THE TRIAL COMMENCES. -.ll.
At precisely o'clock, Mr.. Wade said
that the hour having arrived for converting
the Court OF Impeachment, he would vacate
the chair for the Chef Justice of the United
States. "r
AS soon as Mr.. Chase had taken the chair,
the Sergeant-at-Arlns made proclamation.
Senator Howard then arose, and said
that lie presented resolution, moving that
the Secretary of the Senate be required to
inform the House of Representatives that
the Senate was ready to proceed to the trial
of the President of the United States.
The Managers were duly announced to
the Senate by the Seargeant-at- Arms of that
body. after which they came forward with
ia the bar of the Senate, and took the seats
to the left of the presiding officer.
ABsENTEEs SWORN.
Senator Edmunds, who was absent before,
was called and sworn also Mr.. Patterson,
of New Hampshire; and Mr. Vickers, of
Maryland. Mr.. Doolittle was Called, but
was absent.
Mr.. Chase said tnat the first business in
order would be the reading of the journal
of the previous session of thc court The
Secretary of the Senate then proceeded to
read the journal. ..
THE BOARD OF MANAGERS
on the part of the House entered the Senate
Chamber fifteen minutes after one o'clock,
followed by the members of the House of
Representatives. First came Bingham,
Boutwell, and Logan then Wilson and
Williams, Messrs. Butler and Stevens not
appearing .
THE RETURN.
The Secretary of the Senate then read the
certificate of the Sergeant-at-Arms of having
served the summons upon the President last
Saturday at z o'clock p. N. MIR. Chase next
directed the Sergeant alarms to call the
accused, which he did. At this point the
counsel for the President, Messrs. Stanbery,
Curtis and Nelson, entered, and took seats
to the right of the Presidents Office.
TBADDEUs STEVENS AND GENERAL BUTLER
Entered soon after, and took seats along
with the other House Managers. Mr. Stan
| berry arose and said that he, with Mr. Curtis
and Mr.. Nelson, appeared for the President.
sTANBERY's CLAIM FOR DELAY.
After the preliminaries were over, Mr..
| Stanbery, in a nervous, treuulous voice,
read written answer from the President
naming his attorneys, and asking of the
| Court reasonable time to prepare his an
swer, and asked for forty days time. Mr..
Stanbery contended that to-day was the
! return day to the summons and not the
! trial day There was not time for the Pres
ident to prepare an answer to-day, and he
denounced the attempt to force a trial now
as a trap partaking of the character of star
chamber proceedings. He demanded a
reasonable time, and they would abide by
The result, whatever it might be.
| He condemned the haste with which it
was sought to force the trial. .-|| t
Mr. Bingham maintained that the Senate
should stand by the rule it had adopted,
and not on the threshold of this trial dis
regard its own solemn acts. He insisted
that the eighth rule should be adhered to.
THE PRESIDENTS ANSWER
reviews the articles preferred against him,
and quotes the case of Judge Chase, who
was allowed thirty days. But there were
only eight articles preferred against him,
and the President considered that he was
entitled to forty days, 20 afford him oppor.
tunity to prepare his case.
| . THE sENATE's DECISION.
Mr.. Chase announced that the application
of the accused was refused, and he was or
dered to file his answer on March 90.
DELAY GRANTED.
Mr.. Bingham moved that the trial pro-
ceed immediately upon the managers filing
| their replication, which would be the ensu.
ing day. This was objected to, and on a
vote being taken by yeas and nays, amid
the most profound silence, it was lost-25
| to 26. The decisive vote being cast by
Mr.. Patterson, OF Tennessee, to give delay.
Mr. Wade declined to vote.
| Mr.. Sherman then moved to fix tho time
for April G, and Mr.. Wilson moved to
amend by making it April 1.
GENERAL BUrLER's SPEECH.
General Butler took the floor at this june.
ture, and in one of his finest efforts, for over
half an hour, held both the Seuate and gal.
leries entranced with his eloquence and logic,
and bis piercing thrusts at his opponents.
He drew vivid picture of the great crimi-
nal playing the usurper and seeking to get
control of the army. He said there was no
time to lose in arresting johnson in his
career.
He was astonished TO hear gentlemen
asking for forty days more delay, the exact
time in which the whole world was once
washed away.
Judge Nelson feebly and vainly tried to
reply, but with little effect.
MIR. RINoHAM's VIEWS.
In speech of only ten minutes duration
Mr.. Bingham, with great eloquence, dispos-
ed OF Judge Nelson's argument.
SENATOR ooNKLISG SPEAKS.
Then Mr. Roscoe Conking, always clear
headed and ready for and emergency, offer
ed resolution that Immediately after the
replication is fled, unless otherwise ordered
by the Senate, the trial shall proceed
THE FINALE.
Once more the roll was called, and this
time party lines were drawn, and this
amendment carried by 40 to 1O-Mr. Wade
not voting,and Messrs. Cragin and Salisbury
being absent. In tifteen minutes thereafter
the Senate Chamber was empty. r-...'-...,..
Judge Nelson was in Congress in 1850,
and made strong Union speeches, but in 1861
went into the Rebellion, and voluntarily
took the oath to support the Confederacy.
He was recently pardoned by Mr.. johnson.