The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-04-29

i
speech than the performances of Mr..
Nelson, who dragged along, SO to speak,
for two days, nearly. But I must not
speak hardly of the old man Nelson,
for remember away back in Deem
Der 1859, when I sat in the reporters GAL
lery of the House of Representatives
and looked down with grateful
satisfaction upon the same man
as he sent home telling rebukes
to Roger A. Pryor and the whole
herd OF secessionists as they con-
fronted him breathing out threatenings
and slaughter against the Republic.
Coming as the speech. did from Ten
nesseean, it was heartily welcomed by
the Republican side of the House, and
scarcely less so by the party through
out the North. Mr.. Nelson looks to
me now the same man that he did on
that memorable day, save, perhaps,
that his hair has changed from gray to
white color. But I see before me an
other venerable man who has essen
TALLY changed since that occasion.
Well do 1 recall the scene 4 few days
following, when Thaddens Stevens
stood poised on his uneven feet at the
edge OF an aisle on the Republican side
and. undIsmayed, confronted the ges-
uculations OF q fire eater from Georgia
named Crawford, who menaeed him in
a violent manner. remember how
imperturbably Stevens waved him
back, telling him that his plantation
tactics had no terrors for him. Scarce
ly. more than the shadow, of the old
Pennsylvania now EemaIna II Is al.
most painful 10 see him grope his way,
cane In hand, up TO the Managers
table. he looks so corpse-like. 1t can
not be that he will long survive this
trial, in the success OF which all that he
possesses oil mind is deeply enlisted.
As my eyes lift from Stevens they fall
upon Logan, another character that
can associate with those dark days OF
1890. He was on the other side then,
and, like Saul of Tarsus, he prosecuted
the Christians. he looks like the same
way to Damascus and the scales fell
from his eyes. remember the pass
age between him and his colleague,
Kellogg, and especially the scene
wherein the former made as II to draw
bowie knife Wherewith to rePel a
demonstration from the latter which
he had invited by his Wanton language.
It was Logau's boast at that day that
he was what was called a Northern
dough-face. and think he actually
classed himself as one of those who
were willing to do the dirty work of
the South, meaning that he stood ready
to aid in the restoration of fugitive
slaves and such like business. Then,
too, discover an other old familiar
face. see at the table the veritable
Butler whom remember to have heard
making a very pungent fare we'll speech
to the Douglas democratic convention
at Baltimore, in 1860, as he gently
seeded and went into the Breckenridge
opposition concern. Behold he is here,
pungent as ever, but like Logan, he has
been to the house of the Centurian and
learned his duty, even If he does per-
form 1t in a manner peculiar to q
democratic convert. Gen. Butler may
have one of the most lovely DISPOSE
tions in the world, but, If so, his phre-
nology and physiognomy do him great
injustice. With all that, however, and
several other things. against him, he is
sorbing man of this trial. He
is interviewer with the evidence
almost as much as the warp and
wool of it, and his speech. presume,
will be read more than any other du-
ring the campaign. He is remarka-
BILE individual, and everybody recog-
nizes the fact.
Whatever Is to be the future of this
trial in history, whether great or small
as an event, one thing certain, those
participating in 1t as counsel and as
judges, and also as spectators, take de-
clded comfort in the thought that it is
rapidly nearing its close. It has grown
wearisome, yea irksome, to those who
are officially compelled to sit and listen
day after day, first to the details of
evidence and now to the slow length
of speeches. 1t has been said, and per-
haps truly, that all that has been
brought out, either orally or otherwise,
as evidence, was substantially known
to every newspaper reader before. The
Senators do not profess to feel them
selves materially enlightened and per-
haps nine-tenths OF them have to-day
exactly the same opinion as to the facts
that they had on the opening of the
trial. And yet while this Is true it Is
easy to see that the trial does not have
allthe time the same look as to its scope
and bearings or as to its 6nal result.
Men, be they Senators or spectators,
cannot sit here day after day and listen
to, or read, the able arguments of able
men who from every variety Of
standpoint argue the pros and
cons of the question at issue as To-
ita historic and legal antece-
dents and as to the real interpre-
tatlon to be put on the specific accusa-
lions against the President, without
feeling more or less modified. For in
stance, Mr.. Groesbeck has been speak
ing all day to-day, and at the close the
Chief Justice and several Senators,
without reference TO their supposed
opinions, came forward and warmly
congratulated him on his able effort on
behalf of his client. And Il was an
able EFFORT, and while It will not proba-
bly, change a single vote yet 1t has had
perceptibls effect In modifying the
ideas of those who supposed the case |
had but one side. You Will hear men |
speaking of its points as involving in |
their minds doubts whether II the |
President were really different sort |