Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-04-22
April 18th, 1868
From Wilkes Spirit of the Times
The Progress OF Impeachment---iShall
Andrew johnson be King?

We gave IN our last a synopsis of the evidence
taken IL the trial of Andrew johnson so far as it
has gone. Since then, the managers have put in
the testimony OF several reporters for the press who
took down Ibe harangues % the President at the
White House, at Cleveland, and st. Louis Those
speeches it will be recollected are charged 10y She
articles Of impeachment TO be high crimes and mis-
demean0rs in that they were indecent and sedtious
and calculated not only 10 Inhame the disaaectei
portions Of the country to rebel agi0st the awfai
authority Of Congress, but to so degrade Congress
itself in the pu bic estimation to facilitate his
medtated ultimate suppression Of its functions. The
reporters in each case, (though some OF them were
re.ainers for Democratic journals testified that the
language so charged in the articles seditous and
indecent had been used by johnson, and had, on
each occasion, been correctly taken down by them.
This testimony was followed by the evidence Of
Mr. Chew the chief clerk of the State Department,
who in like manner with Mr.. Creecy of the Treas
ury, testified that tho printed forms used for ap-
pointmenta in the State Department had been al
tered by order Of the President and Secretary, i'm
mediatey after the passage Of the tenure sc so as
70 conform to the provisions Of that act The change
made consisted in striking out The words which war
ranted the appointee TO hold his Office during the
pleasure Of the President for the time being, and
supplying them with the words subject to the con-
ditions prescribed by law thusdistnctly recogalz-
ing and acting under the tenure of Office law. Mr..
Chew further produced the record of search made
Of the archives Of the State Department, which
the Government been acting appointment made
Of any head OF department, except in consequence
of the temporary absence Of the Secretary; and
only one case Of removal by the President Of head
Of department, during the session Of the Senate
This was the case OF Timothy Pickering Secretary
of State, who was removed on the 18th May, 1900,
by the appointment On the same day, of John Mar
shall in bis place This historical incident had, it
appears been greatly relied upon by the defence as
precedent justifying Mr.. Johnson's removal Of
Secretary Stanton; but unfortunately for them,
Gen. Butler precptated the development, and sue
ceeded in proving by contempOraneous records that
| President Adams in the Pickering case, had con-
suited the Senate in advance, and had affected the
removal of Mr.. Pickering with their advice and
consept) BY the confirmation Of the nomination OF
/ John Marshall This as has been remarked, was
selling the guns of the defence and turning them,
| so as 10 plough up the main ground on which the
defence hoped TO stand.
After this striking piece OF strategy bad been
| performed, Mr.. Creecy was recalled, and produced
letter frusn the archives Of the Treasury, which
created still greater sensation than the overthrow
| Of the case Of Mr. Pickering Gen Butler having
established the fact that this letter hsd been written
TO Secretary McCulloch and bore the true signature
Of Andrew johnson, prefaoed its introduction BY
reminding the Senate that the President had claim
| ed In bis answer that be bad not removed Mr.
Stanton uncsr the tenure-ofoce act, bat under the
Constitution and the law Of 1898 BE then read g
| follows