Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-03-03
THE WASHINGTON IMBROGLIO.

their own conclusions. We prefer not to
present. any views of our own upon the mat
ter in its present phase, but shall content our
selves to await further developments, which |
seem near at hand.
After our paper had gone to press last
week. we received the message of the Presi- |
dent, assigning his reasons, in answer to a
resolution of the Senate. for the removal of
Stanton from the position of Secretary of
War. In defending his course, the Prcsi
dent saws that under the law and Tcnure;of
Office Act itself, Mr.. Stanton's term Of Office
expired on the 4th of April. 1865, one year
after the expiration of Mr.. Lincoln's term,
for which term he was nominated and con-
frmed lie argues that Mr.. Stanton has
acted ever since as Secretary of War by suffer-
ance. and that not having been nominated
and confirmed since the expiration of his
first term, the Senate has no control over his
tenure of office.
WOULD RESIST ATTEMPTED SUSPENSION.
The y. Y. Herrald'S correspondent gives
an account ofan interview with the Prosi-
dent: "Your correspondent here asked what
the President would do in the event of the
passage of Mr.. Edmund's bill of suspension,
to which the President answered, substan
TALLY: Sir, ,cocid not obey the lac ifthcy
attempted to suspend me. The law is clearly
unconstitutional. There is a point against it
which you gentlemen of the press seem to
have altogether overlooked. The bill of SEN
ator Elmunds to suspend pending trial would
undoubtedly be an cr post fIIcto law so far as
my case would be concerned. Such law
would be unconstitutional by the very lan>
cuago of the constitution itself. My offence
we will suppose is the removal of MIR. Stan
ton That is an accomplished fact. Any
law Prescribing penalty for that act would
be e.c post jacto, and therefore unconstitution>
ttitutional.
Elsewhere VIC present the rules ofimpeach
msnt which are to be observed in the Sem
ate, on the trial of the President, if it is ever
reached Referring to this subject the well,
Informed correspondent Of the Baltimore
San says:-
BY Tuesday afternoon, at tho outside, it is
expected that the House will have adopted
articles. and the Senate will take them under
consideration the following day, if in the
meantime the rules for conducting the trial
shall by that time have been adopted.
These rules were printed this afternoon,
but how much time may be expended in de-
bate upon them can only be conjectured. 1t
is probable that several days may be consumed
in discussion upon some of these rules, as
there is no limit to debate until the rules
Themselves shall be adopted.
There is Il decided determination on the
part Of those who favor impeachment to rush
the whole matter, Prcliminarics and trial, at
sort of previous question speed. But the
belief among those who rely upon ina jority
of the Senators for temperate, judicious and
lust action is. that reasonable time will be
accorded for full debate and calm considera-
ton, as well upon the prcliminaries as upon
the final trial.
The impeachment party say but two or |
three days shall be given to the President to
answer and prepare his defense, though there |
does not appear to be any ground for this |
unfair proposition other than the assertions
of outside managers Of the impeachment
protect
There are many stories told of what has
been said privately by this or that radical
Senator, aud of what Chief Justice Chase
has said on the subject of impeachment, but
although, as has been asserted, there may
have been loose and injudcious expressions
of opinion or feeling by few of the Senators
who are actively managing the impeachment
mltter in the Senate, yet your correspondent
is warranted in stating that very large ma
jOriy of the radical Senators have observed q
becoming reticcnce since the adoption of the
pea chucut resolution in the House, and
that the report that Judge Chase has. during
The same period, conversed upon the merits
of the I'M parchment, either in its legal or po
ltical aspect, is wholly untounded.
Under date of March 1st--which is the |!
latest we Laye-the same correspondent fur |
nishes the following:
The condition and temper of the public
mind here to>day has been in strong contrast
with the extraordinary excitement and tone
ID feeling one week ago. All is quiet to-
Light, though there is much discussion of
the Impeachment articles the probable result
IN the Senate, the effect of verdict Of guilty
in case the Scnate should convict, &c Dis
passionate critics express surprise the weak
ness of the impeachment articles and the
paucity Of facts set forth therein to constitute
Il crime or misdemean0r, and the absence of
proof of criminal intent on the part Of the
President. In this view some republicans
COINCIDE, and to meet these objections MIR.
Jenckes of Rhode Island, has given notice
Of his purpose of urging an additional article
to morrow. Generally. however, the rcpub>
llcans appear to consider the articles as re-
ported by the committee sufficient to sustain
the Impeachment aud secure verdict of
guilty upon trial in the Senate, whilst the
democrats and conservatives regard the ari-
oles as an utter failure to make a case for the
solemn consideration Of high court of i'm
peachment and they believe, confidently, that
Dir. johnson will be acquitted.
Among the radicals there is some interest
manifested in working out the effect of the
removal of Mr.. johnson and the installation
of Mr. Wade into the White House. Upon
he question as to the impression such re-
suit will produce among the voters for Presi-
dent next November there is a conflict of