The Montana post., 1868-02-29
TELEGRAms.

..aI TELEGRAMS.
Through a Misunderstanding of the tele-
graph operator. one "report " was not re-
ceived at this Office on Saturday, last We
give the most important of them, as they are
IN regard to, and explanatory of the impeach-
ment case. We clip from the Herald:
Chicago, Feb. 22.-The Posts special says
that Stanton has beaten the President ut his
own game This morning, Gen. Lorenzo
Thomas was arrested by MARSHALL Gooding for
attempting to interfere with the duties of the
Secretary of War, In violation of the Tenure
Of ONCE Act He was brought before Judge
Carter, of the Criminal Court, this A. NJ. He
waived an examination and was released on
bail of $4,000, TO appear ut 10 O'Clock on
Monday. ay.--.-.--.---... 90 =. 90
The DEMONSTRATION Committee, at meeting
this A. M; agreed to report articles of i'm
parchment against the President, to-day. In
tense excitement prevails among the MEM
bers and IN the galleries, over the action of
the President. ~
The ournal's special says, that after his re-
lease by Judge Carter, Gen. Lorenzo Thomas
sion. Stanton ordered him to leave the Of
fee, threatening to put him under military ar
rest, whereupon, Thomas went to the White
House to consult with the President.
Chicago, Feb. 22.-Specials say that the
Senate has adjourned, after over seven hours
. The excitement in Washington is greater
than 1t has been since the assassination of
Lincoln. The Senate has passed, by a strict
party vote, the resolution declaring that the
President had no authority for the course he
pursued in the removal of Stanton. 1t was
ordered that copies of the resolution be sent
to tie President, Stanton and Gen. Thomas.
Several Senators appeared before Chic jus
tice Carter of the District Court, and made
affidavit charging Genl Thomas with viola
= Esl.zU & L.
warrant for his arrest. Justice Carter imrne-
diately Issued the warrant for the arrest of
Thomas, which will probably be served in the
morning.
7 Here is the substance of conversation be-
tween the President and the Correspondent
of the Herald: -- .rt t.'-.a
President.-I never had but one determina-
ton On the subject of Stanton's removal, but
have acted carefully, prudentIy and moder-
ately. Perhaps have been too slow about re-
moving Mr.. Stanton, but not because feared
the bugbear of impeac achment, or that feared
anything that Congress might do. Nothing
that that body could do, attempt or carry out
would intimidate or surprise me. know
they are capable of doing anything. / de-
lsyed final action solely to let the country see
and understand the position of Mr.. Stanton.
We first intimated to him that we would like
him to withdraw from our privy council. He
did not take the hint. We then requested him
to resign. He refused We then suspended
him, under the constitutional power which
we have to suspend or remove member of
our Cabinet. The act of suspension was also
not in conflict with the Tenure of Office bill,
though we did not, therefore, recognize its
constitutionality- ' III
AS matter of courtesy, we sent reas-
ons for our action to the Senate
That body pretended not to consider
those reasons sufficient, and assumed t.
reinstate Mr. Stanton in office. Well,we
still waited, hoping Mr.. Stanton would
see the propriety of resigning himself
Gems. Sherman and Grant offered to go
to Stanton and advise him to resign.
After waiting a reasonable time, We
thought proper to-day to order the re
mov1 of Mr.. Stanton, and appoint Gen
Thomas Secretary of War ad interim.
This is the whole story"
Correspondent.-Was this step dis
cussed in Cabinet council9
President.-No, sir; not precisely. The
general policy was agreed upon some
time since and the removal to-day is mac
cordance Herewith. have just re-
ceived a copy of the resolution adopted
by the Senate tonight in executive ses-
sion. The President here read the re-
solution.
Correspondent-wha will the Senate
do, Mr.. President, under that resolution
if you still insist upon having General
Thomas act as Secretary ad interim.
PRESIDENT don't see that they can
do anything The resolution itself is
the end of the matter so far as the Sen
ate is concerned, unless the House pre-
sents articles of impeachment and the
Senate undertakes to try the Executive
and resolves itself into high court of
impeachment. rr
Correspondent-Do you think Con-
gress really will attempt impeachment
PRESIDENT don't know indeed, nor
do care. 1t would make very little
difference to me.
Correspondent.-Here asked what
the President would do in event of the
passage of Mr. Edmunds' bill of suspen-
sion. To which the President answered
substantially as follows: "Sir, would not
obey the law if they attempted TO sus'
pend me. The law is clearly unconsti-
tutional There is a point against 1t
which you gentlemen Of the press seem
to have altogether overlooked The
bill of Senator Edmunds TO suspend the
pending trial would undoubtedly be an
ex most facto law so far as my case would
be concerned. Such law is declared un-
constitutional by the very law of the
Constitution itself. Ny offense, we will
suppose. Is the removal of Mr. Stanton.
THAT is an accomplished fact, and any
law prescribing a penalty for that act
would be ex post faeto, and therefore
unconstitutional. How, therefore, can
Congress legally pass bill of such q
character. ha-'a fo i 'l