Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-04-14
THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL.
ooncIusioo of Yr.,erd.y'. Preeeedi.s.


When the President tendsred TO you on the two
occasions. nth January and 3fst Of January,
1861, the once Of Secretary cd interim, did be
state what his purpose IN so dong was'
The Chief Justice submitted the question to
the Senate, whether the interrogation should
b. put, when the senate agreed 10 allow it. yeas
The question wss then put and Gen Sher-
man said, 1.-The President stated TO me that his
purpose"-
Nj Buti1r objected. and said the question
was whether he stated his purpose, and not
what he stated.
The Chief Justice deemed that the question
was now being answered,
Senator johnson stated that his purpose Was
10 ascertain what the President did say
Mr.. Bingham objected to the question, and
was proceeding to say that the senate had al
ready solemDly refused TO allow this CONVEX
sation 10 be stated, when r.
Senator DAVIS raised the point of order that
II was not competent for the Managers to OBJ
Jeet to question put b. the Court.
The Chief Justice sustained the point OF order.
Senator johnson modified his question by
adding, will you state what he said his pur
Senator Howe asked whether the prosecu-
ton or defence had put in the evidence about
the trpder of the office to Gen Sherman.
Mr.. Butler replied that the defence had put it
The question was then taken upon admitting
the question rs modified, and il was agreed to-
General Sherman then said I intended TO be
very precise in my statement of the con versa
ton; but is appeared to me necessary TO state
me that the relations bet ween hmsell and Mr.
Stanton. and between Mr.. Stanton and the 9th
er members of the Cabinet, were such that he
could not execute the office which he filled as
President of the United States without making
provisions dd interim for the office of Secretary
OF War; and that he had the right, under the law
ana ihat ms purpose was, to have the office
administered in the interests OF the army and
of the country. and he offered me the office in
that view. He did not state TO me then that his
purpose was TO bring il into the courts direct
fnT a nm of h..x- Of1n
mlnistered properly in the interests OF the army,
and of the whole country. (Sensation in courtl
asked him why lawyers could not make the
case. did not wish TO be brought, as an officer
Of the army, into controversy.
Senator Conkling. Please repeat the last an
swer, general.
! Witness. 1 asked him why LAWYERS could
not make a case, and not bring me, or any off,
Ger, into the controversy. His answer was that
1t was found impossible, or that a case could
not be made up: but, said he, ssif we could
/ bring the case into the courts, il would not
stand for an hour
MIR. Stanbery. What took place at the second
Mr.. Butler objected. The counsel had once
dismissed the witness.
/ Mr.. Stanbery interrupted to say that they had
not dismissed the witness
: Mr.. Butler objected to the counsel continuing
the examination of the witness
The Chief Justice said IT was with the discre.
ton of the Court Nothing was more usual
than this practice.
The question propounded by Mr.. Stanbery
was then reduced to writing, as follows: .sHave
you stated as 10 what took place at both inter
views ~
I MIR. Evarts briefly argued that the question
4 should De admitted.
Mr.. Butler argued against it, and seemed to
Intimate that Senator johnson was acting ia
I the capacity of coun sci for the President, by
I the questions which he had put, similar ques-
tons not having been admitted at the instance
S.nator Johnson.-If the honorable Manager
thlnRs mat am acting IN the spirit of a coun-
sci for the President, be does not know the man.
am acting in the performance of nv duty, and
know the law as well a he does.
Mr.. Butler repeated what he had said. The
Senator, as IA member of the Court, had asked a
question, and then, after his mind was satisfied
the counsel had no right TO ask this question.
He meant no imputation against the Senator
from Maryland.
Senator johnson was satisfied with the ex-
plantation and agreed with the honorable Man
ager that counsel had no right 70 ask such
question.
part of all his associates, any idea of question
ing the right of any Senator 10 PROFOUND an
I interrogatory.
After further discussion, :he question, sHaye
you answered as 10 both occasions - was then
: put again.
I Gen. ShermaA-The question first asked me
seemed 10 restrict me so closely to the purpose
that endeayO Ted 10 confine my self that point
alone. he first day, or the first interview in
which the President offered me the appoint
ment cd intSriu,, he confined himself to general
terms, and gave him no definite ans er The
second interview, on the afternoon OF the 30th,
mot the 3lst. rs the question puts it, was the
interview during which he made the point
which have testified to, and in speaking or
referring to the constitutiOnaity of the bill
known as the tenure-of-office act it was the
cOnstItutionality of that bill which be seemed
( DESTROYS of having decided when he said: ssIf
, n could be brought before the Supreme Court
properly, IL would not stand half an hour
He also spok OF force. / first said that if Mr.
Stanton would simply retire. although it was
against my interest, against my des,re, and
against my personal wishes, and my official
wishes, might be- willing 10 under take to adj
minister the War Office ad interim When n,
supposed that the point was yielded, and
made this point. p. Suppo.Ing Mr.. Stanton will
not yield Z" he answered "Oh, he will make
no opposition; you present the order, and he
viii retire. L expressed nv doubt, and he re-
marked, u know him better than you do; he
Is cowardly-" daughter in COURT 1 then
begged TO be excused from an answer / gave
the subject more reflection, and gave him my
hnal answer in writing. / think that letter
OF You insist on knowing my yiews) should
come In evidence and not Parole testimony
taken OF n. But my reasons for declining the
office were mostly personal in their nature
Senator Henderson propounded the inter-
rogatory, - Did the President, Oh the oc :asIon
alluded 10, express his positive intention to re-
move stanton from sffice p A. If by removal
Is meant removal by force. he made no such
lntimailon 10 me, but SAID that he would never
hold any further intercourse with MI Stanton
q. BY Senator Howard. You spoke of force
btlng mentioned What did the President say
about itf' A. 1 suggested that Mr. Stanton
might not give up peaceably. He said there
was use in considering that question.
Senator Howard.-Is that a full answer to
the question A. L think il is
y major Henderson propounded another
question as TO the character of the ady vice given
by witness TO the President relative TO the ap-
pointment OF Secretary ad interim, and the
removal of Mr. Stanton
Mr.. Manager Butler objected to the question
and the Senate refused 10 allow it,
The witness, R. j. Meigs, was then again put
upon the stand. Witness had brought the
docket with him.
The entries on the docket We're then read by
The Clerk, from which it appeared that Gen
Thomas was discharged on motion of his own
counsel.
On motion of Senator johnson, the Court ad.
journfd.
The President pro tenn. took the chair, and the
Senate then adjourned.
The NATIONAL THEATRE was crowded last