The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-05-23
,,.,.,erson'ss speech ON rharsday.

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H. uenaer.on'ss peesaen rhar.aay,
B WI r., Henderson rose to a privileged qaes.
l 'i1 n. President, / rise to what | regard .
8 NJ In If privilege. Il is one that con.
8qnes''On a, only myself equally with every
Germs sa Nv Of this body, but il concerns the
. .ser abiding to some other matters, he
AN. 10, TO a request to appear before Che
J 81" =" lars he had replied as follows sss'tt
N''' WASHINGTON CIrY, May 1858.
4, MANAGERS OF Impeachment OF die
TO NC n he House Of Representations
r .,,snen.-Yours Of this date is re-
oss You say ga question has arisen in
ce''e ..,rse Of our Investigations, wherein
/ The nav INV, testimony will tend to instruct
20" u ys Of Representatives and aid its
he Nv; nv and fhereupon You request lny
l'2 gu D:stttendauce before the Managers as a
F TS;s reouest, take it, is intended to am
=. .r ,be purposes Of . subpoena, and is is
'' 'i nnder authority Of resolution adopted
;.FL ,bs House on Saturday last, il the fol-
ling words--to wit s,.t
'I 4 have already read the resolution.l s u .
, NJ, nrosecution by impeachment against
1. President is set on foot, and now, when
Evidence and arguments have been fully
tiled. and the Senate, as q court, Is
VIBRATING on its judgment, q second
ss s,,srution is instituted against the Senate
..if Whatever may be the purpose of
~ ;.' inouisition-and / use the word in no
.s,siye sense---it is, in my Judgment, not
~ direct insult to the body Of which /
member, but a proceeding Of most
@,zerous tendency in the future. Al large
~ Of onr proceedings has been conducted
.ecre;-the Managers, counsel, and re-
.,,srs being excluded. If a member Of
/ |, court can now, before the rendition Of
! ,,pment, be withdrawn from consultation,
4 subjected to the inquisition Of the
! ,,secutors, that inquisition may reach to
! + proceedings, and thus subyert the dig
! ,,y and independence Of the Senate. If
he 10 purge corruption from the Senate,
be Senate is the proper body to guard and
,,otect its own honor.
Personally, have no objection to APP
,e,riny and testifying before you to all
matters within my knowledge on the sub
iec, Of impeachment andw ] to refuse,
know new shower of calumny, base and
rteyOus enough already, would certainly
!. poured upon me. But, in my Judgment,
III; proceeding rises above personal con-
slsrations; it concerns public justice; and
iects the character, honor, and dignity Of
3s Senate. $500 -. 49,.
lam engaged to appear before another
annttee of your, body to-day, and on the
nseting of the Senate tomorrow I shall
admit this question for its consid eration,
snl be governed accordingly. ~
Yours, respectfully ess-r-.tf ~
j. B. HENDERsoN.s
The Senate will observe that I make no
G,jection as an individual to appearing and
;stifying on any and all matters within my
knowledge on this subject of impeachment.
I, in the midst of the unreasonable and
excitement heretofore prevail
ng, hut now happily subsiding, | should
vail myself of any personal right or pri-
ilege to decline or refuse an examination,
SIN we'll aware that my refusal would be
nepted by many as conclusive evidence OF
he truth Of all imputntions contained IN
very irrelevant or impairment question
hat ingenuity could devise. AS have
,a,ed in the letter read, the falsehood and
dummy heaped upon few Of us in the
rogress of this proceeding have surely
cen sufficient to pain our friends and togra-
iiy our worst enemies. For us personally
would be better that the conduct Of all
enators, from the origin of this proceeding
Iown to it's consummation, should he SUBJ
ected to the most thorough examination
ven the most inquisitiye scrutiny.
So for as am concerned, tits proper for
ne, in this connection, to say that ! have
.ready been subjected to this scrutiny.
appeared on yesterday before the COM
ntee appointed under this resolution las
ohinlself and the Missouri delegation], and
liter stating all the facts connected with
the subject matter of inquiry embraced in
It's terms, interrogatories were propounded
md answered touching conversations and
consultations between other senators and
myself on the subject Of impeachment. !
frankly answered also all questions pro-
pounded in reference to the conduct OF
thief Justice Chase, the reported organiza-
lion Of new party, the rumors Of new
Cabinet appointments, reported presidential
pledges OF protection to what is f0olishly
termed conservative senator's, dinner-table
talk with friends, and even my own private
opinions. .ss
disclosed all that knew on these sub
jects, and it is, perhaps, enough to say that
my knowledge of the facts referred TO
scarcely extends beyond the every day ru-
norS of the public press. And Remember
now nothing more than / have already
stated before one committee. That com-
Mlttee was lawful committee, appointed
Tor lawful purpose-the investigation. OF
the conduct of its own members by the
House. 1t is true Its duties we're confined
to that one purpose. Its jurisdiction ex-
tended no further. fully knew my rights
when before it, but lest my motives might
be misunderstood or impugned, answered
July every question asked, and only en-
ered my protest when the examination had
been closed. 49, =. 49, 49,
refer to this thing to show that ] cannot
be actuated by any personal considerations
N calling the attention-of the Senate to this
''her extraordinary proceeding. II were
'alled before the Managers I could only re-
peat what have already stated, and what
am willing to state anywhere, ard what 1
hall often repeat before those who, OF least
n my opinion, try with eyen-handed JUS
ice not only presidents, but senators and
ongressmen. s8s = ,ssstses, ! Z IS ssassss
object to the present proceeding, first,
'seaase it originates under o resolution
,hich, in its language, is asdirect insult to
ne Senate as body-an insult which y
must now meet and resent, or lonely cub
MI IN the future to that just contempt and
gnominy which must follow from o base
urrender of its dipnity and itS privileges !;