The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-04-16
CHI A r l. E S TON T..
THURSDAY MORNING, APRIL 1e, 1868.
The Presidents rrial-Now it Will End.

The Presidents Tria1--How it VIII End.
Newspaper readers ere doubtless some
what perplexed by the conflicting reports
and varied vaticinations which reach us
from Washington, in regard to the probable
President. 4 correspondent ofthe New FORK
Times-a paper which, in its own shifting
and indirect way, has always opposed the
mpeechment-analyse the chances of ac-
oui.tal and conviction with q seeming
shrewdness and impartialify that should
entitle his conclusions to more weight than
is usually attached to the prophecies of cor
respondents. He divides the Senators into
three classes: Frs, those who are certain
to vote for acquittal; secondly, those who
are equally certain to vote for conviction;
and thirdly, those who, either have not yet
decided how TO vote, or who have succeeded
in concealing their decision from the lynx
eyed spies of the political AMI newspaper
world. AS it is known that neither the
first class nor the second are strong enough
numerically, at this time, TO carry the YER
, dict, i; is upon the action Of the third class
that the Presidents fate now depends. After
alluding to the difficulty Of canvassing the
views of these doubtful Senators, the Times
correspondent concludes: cit must be adj
mitted that there is everything to induce
the Republicans to convict, as they, one and
all, admit that political death for them would
follow acqui,tal. There is one way, never
theless, in which the Senate can be can
vassed, and that is through the opinion of
its members regarding the Legality of Sec
re:ary SrANroX's removal, or in other
words, by asking them if they think Mr..
STAyToNs tenure Q: o:ice is affected by the
civil tenure ac! Wien tee President sent
in his message announcing the removal, one
Republican Senator. Mr.. EDMrNDs, of YER
mont, after the suhiec; lad been consid-
cred in secret session for nine hours, voted
against the resolution, declaring that the
removal was made without authority Of law.
Since that time he has given evidence Of
contrary belief, and it is therefore proba-
BILE that he was then Influenced by an opin-
ion that the wording Of the resolution was
not proper, or, perhaps, acted little stub
bornly because the resolution offered by
him had been rejected. To understand this
mode OF canvass;ng it must be admitted
that the President will be acquitted on all
the charges except that of violating the
civil tenure act, which is quite probable.
This being admitted, the argument made by
the defence to the case must also be under
stood as hinging solely on the application
of that act to Mr. STAXToN's case. If, then,
in the minds of the members of the court,
President JoHNsoN's frequent recognition
of Mr.. STANTON as Secretary of War is
accepted as sufficient proof that he (STAS-
TOM is an officer, otherwise than 'by the
sufferance of the President, notwithstand
ing the expiration of his commission under
Mr. LlxcoLNs administration, conviction
under this charge is a foregone conclusion.
1t is argued from this standpoint that the
Senate preiudgel the case when it adopted
the resolution referred 10. against which
Mr.. EDNvSDs voiei: anu it IS evident that
there is weight in tic argument; but it is
possible tha; party discipline aud an incli
nation to Keep nal:cal Ike Mr. STANTON
in Office, rather ;laa allow ito pass into
the hands of Conservative Ike General
THOMAS, had Muca - 90 with he case at
that tine. Con.e aeai.y i; will be admit
ted that there wa. 10 prtiu.;gment, unless,
as IS frequently asserted, anu as the people
generally seem TO :niLK. the trial is after
all political mare9Tre. A.! things con-
sidercl, however. i; IS safe TO predict that
the final vote WI, s1ow that more than two
thirds Of nc Senale'a:c os The opinion that
Mr. STANTON is AZ o:::iccr IN the eye Of the
law, and that L.. removal %as consequently
violation Of me tenure OF Office act | do
not pretend 10 have ~ lc a canvass of the
entire Senate Oh this question; but with
other interested parties, have canvassed
the class, alluded TO above as shifting, with
the foregoing result. Ii woull be danger
Gus to attempt TO give exact figures, but it
is safe TO assert that On the charge of vio-
lstinr the civil tenure Office act the accused
will not be sustained by the votes Of any
except his partisan adherents On the
other charges, as l nave intimated, the