The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-03-10
MATTERS IN WASHINGTON.

THE IMpEACHMENT-BREF TIME ALLOWED THE
PRESIDENT TO ANswER-THE PRESIDENT Sc
RENE-HE REGARDS HIMSELF AS THE REPRE-
SENTATIVE OF THE LIBERTIES OF THE PEOPLE.
The Washington correspondent of the Balti-
more Gazette writes under date of Friday
night, the On inst:
The proceedings to-day in the "Senate, " or
ssCourt," whichever it may be called at the
time. developed / @ important facts, beyond q
question of DON'T. Ths first is, that Chief
Justice Chase ce.,not be used by the Jacobins
to run their NJ, ac ment machine. While bis
rulings WI; ~ rc:iy correct, and precisely
such as were 20 nc expected, yet there was an
undesirable something about them which
satisfied all parties that Judge Chase could not
be counted in the fight on the side OF the i'm
peachers. The second important fact was that
no time is to be lost in clutching Executive
power, and that the same indecent haste which
has characterized the inpoachment proceed
ings from their first conception to the present
time, is to be doggedIy followed up through
all the stages of the trial No one
had supposed that less than Ten or twenty
days would be allowed the President to pre-
pare for his trial; but all decency was outraged,
ent in person, or by counsel, on Friday next.
Just one week to answer charges which it re-
ouirei the silyery-tongued Bingham half an
hour to read in the hearing of the Senate. The
proceedings have thus far been er pdrte aud
under the exclusive control OF the manage
ment OF the Grand Inquest. From this time
forward, the current of events may run less
smoothly with these distinguished gentlemen,
and the impression prevails here tonight, that
long before this trial closes the American peo-
ple will be forced to the conclusion that it is
not Andrew johnson who is on trial. Who
the criminal may prove to be, or how many
NAV find themselves impaled on the sword Of
public Justice, it is not now the purpose to an
ticipate. Suffice it to say, that Judge Curtis
and his associate counsel will have tine
field in which to display their abilities.
EsThere may be persons who suppose, and
very naturally too, that President johnson
is greatly distressed at.the sudden tGrn affairs
at the capitol have lately taken, and that he is
grieved at being thus dragged before the high
court of impeachment charged with crimes and
mlsdemeanors. Your correspondent has avail
ed himself Of the proper facilities to got at the
truth in order to disabuse the minds OF those
who may be disposed, in the kindness OF their
hearts to sympathize with Andrew johnson IN
his present mistortunes. Under ordinary cir
cumstances it would be q great misfortune for
public officer to be arraigned before o court
for trial under charges Of crimes and msde-
meanors. But in the present case no crlml-
nality enters into the charges. Criminal in
tent is alleged in no part of the articles OF I'M
peachment. No one pretends to say the Presi-
dent has been guilty of aught which furnishes
his honor or lessons him in the esteem and
confidence of his countrymen. The war upon
him is admitted to be purely POLITICAL and Is
prompted solely by bitter partisan feeling.
MIR. Johnson regards tho impeachment OF him
self simply as q war upon the constitution.
He feels that the Jacobins are assaillng con-
stitutioDal ibcrty-not Andrew Johnson. Ina
Cabinet meeting held to-day the situation was
informally but freely discussed-there being no
business requiring attention-and the Presl-
dent Joined heartily in the conversation. DE
said his connection with the trial was but the
result of his having possession OF the power
the dominant party was aiming to usurp, ana
the present movement was the last desperate
act BY which to seize that power and subyert
the government.
The trial, he said, was one in which he had
deep interest, in common with the whole
American people. This interest he had and
felt-nothing less, nothing more. In his per-
sonal connection with the trial, he. .ls under
stood to regard himself simply as the repre-
sentative of the liberties Of the people, and In
this representative capacity will make his de-
fence. Such are known to be President john
sons views Of his impeachment and trial, and
he claims to have no interest in the proceed
lngs beyond that Of any other patriotic citizen
who is determined to do his duty in defence OF
the constitution and the liberties OF the coun-
try.
CHIEF JUSTICE chase AND THE IMPEACHMENT
MANAaEMENT-Tm COURT ORGANIZED, &C.
The correspondent Of the Baltimore Sun
writing on the same date says:
in
the Senate to-day, the best of humor appeared
to prevail, and the buzz and hum OF talking was
continuous, no one seeming to care about any
thing the Senate might do previous to the
hour Of one o'clock, when the court oflmpeaoh-
ment would again be formed. MIR. Wade rap
ped louder and oftener than yesterday for order,
but it was no use; the galleries soon learn
what kind of metal presiding officer is made
Of, and shape their course accordingly. MIR.
Wade lacks the grand essential OF presiding
officer, innate dignity.
There were several striking points in the
proceedings-as when Mr.. Howard left his
seat, and, coming Immediately in front Of the
Chief Justice, raised the point OF order that 1t
was not competent for one senator to object to
another senator and that there was no power
in the Senate to prevent Mr.. Wade from being
sworn in; that the constitution was imperative
on the subject, and it was the duty Of the pre-
siding officer to immediately administer the
oath to HIM. Then with tho evident purpose
OF forcing the Chief Justice, in vulgar par
lance, ''to show his hand" MIR. Howard insist
ed that the chair should give ON immediate de-
cislon on the point he had raised, without de-
bate.
BY the triumphant and half-nsulting manner
of MIR. Howard and the significant looks which
passed between Sumner, Chandler, Drake and
some others. it was plainly to be seen that the
impeachment party thought they had sue
ceeded in calling the previous question. MIR.
Chase, however, was too willy to be caught in
this manoer, and threw the onus of dividing
the question on the Senate.
Under the rulings Of the Chief Justice the
court was finally organized. MIR. Hendricks,
after an exciting controversy over points OF
order made by several senators to the inter-
ruption of Mr. Dixon having temporarily with
| drawn his objections TO MIR. Wade b ing sworn
as o trier of the President. Tho only senators
who were not sworn in were Messrs. Doolittle,
Edmunds and Patterson, who are now engaged
in making stump speeches in New Hampshire.
The rules framed by the Senate for govern
ing the impeachment trial were adopted by the
court.
The friends of Mr.. Wade aver tonight that
he will not vote on any important questions
during the progress of the trial, even should he
not be challenged by the defence. But after
what has been seen, grave doubts may we'll be
| expressed OF this. The extreme Radicals are
| charging Mr. Chase with being in the Interest
| OF the President, and it is determined TO throw
obstacles IN the progress OF the trial but none
have denied that he has go lar borne himself
with all proper dignity and impartiality.- At
one time to-day he seemed little unnerved by
i III, u.ifh IA IyaS hpSlt