The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-04-29
THE E4CHNENT COURT
AMENDMENT TO THE ORDER FOR
TRIAL on IMPEACHMENT
OFFERED.
Butler Asks Leave TO Make a Per.
sOnal Explanation.
SENATE.


upon the trial of i'm oeach hment. When
/ that has been read. If there be any obiec-
ton, VIII ask that il go over until the
close OF the argument, and take its place
| win other matters that will come up at
that time"
WHEREAS, It Is provided in the Consti-
tntion 81 Jhe United States, that, on the
/ trial of impeachment by the Senate no
| person shail be convicted without the con-
curing of tWo-thirds of the mem bers
present, but this requirement of two birds
IS not ex ended to the judgme1 ut in such
trials. wnica remains subject to the gen.
/ erai law, that a majority prevail S; there
fore, in order to remove any doubt tnere-
Ordered, That any question which may
arise, with regard to the Judgment, shall
De det ned by majority OF the mem
Davis objected, and the Chief Justice said
it will lie over.
Manager Williams then. at I2l5, resum-
ed his argument. After recapilulaing his
position OF yeste day. ne took up he sub
ject of the Presidents alleged Justification
Cabinet. He held that the President could
not shield himself behind the opinions Of
his own creatures whose sentim euts were
prOmpte1 by fear OF losing their positions.
He characterized the Cabinet, in It's newly
assumed functions, as a fungus growth
which sought TO make Itself q directory.
b e argued that If members Of the Cabinet
We're Intended TO advise the President on
him from responsibility for his actions,
they would soon have been made independ-
President had fa1Ie1 to show any sufficient
cause for his desire to remove Mr.. stanton.
True he was thorn in hIs side, but so was
Congress, and so was Grant and every
loyal man.
Mr. Williams held that the wanton re-
nOval of a meritorious officer from mo-
lives Of personal dislike is of sufficient
warrant for impeachme ent.
lie referred to the Presidents failure TO
maintained, would not have suited his
purpose TO have an tnterregnum whereia
his own will would be supreme. Ee then
gave a satiricai aud humorous description
of the cOnduct OF General Thomas on the
p - and I'D OF February, including his ap
pearanee at the masquerade, with regart
TO the defenss set mp by the President that
he had a right to resist and brin TO t4di-
eial decision the laws hat he considers uu-
constitutional. ..
Williams maintained that no provision
OF the constitution required such com
| nrmatton, and that extreme cases OF ua-
cOnstlt utIonal laws were not suppOsable.
he wOu admit that the Senate was now
sitting as court, but II was a court ho.d-
ing exclusive Jarlsd clton, winch c0u q de-
eide this whole IN alter according 10 his
own ideas, guided, but not bound by
/ precedents and laws.
Williams then argued that this suspea-
I sion OF Mr. Stanton was made under the
Tenure o. Ohice Law which the President
| thereby Recognized. He then M 4intaiued
| tnaU the avermeut of evil inten5 was not
necessary in this case, as in all others IL
| was inferred from the act itself Compar-
ing the conduct of Mr. Johnson with
| James II, he said il only now remained TO
]
! pleted. He c0ntended that the safety of the
people, the supreme law. was the only
/ law By which this case shou ID be properly
tried; II was oelttTled BY trivial and ina
pertinent legal technicaHties. He sOughs
/ the Senate TO take the larger view IN re-
/ gard to the 18th article. He had not the
! heart to dwell upon the dis IRA eefuI cOu-
/ duct which formed its subject If the
/ President, Ike ms counsel male m erry
\ while Rome was burning, and tnat one
| culpFit would ind in the Senate alcensorl
more stern than Cato
In conclusion. he said the result of the
| trial would determine Wn- ther the Presi-
| dent or the Senate wou d go down, aud de
| picting a series Of fearful consequences
/ that would follow from The acQuitJa-. He
| contrasted with II a glowing pie ure Of the
peace. prosperity, and happiness to result
/ from She Presidents conviction.
The Senate took recess.
! On re assembling, Butler asked leave to
MAKE a personal explanation in regard 70
/ the Alta Vela matter, referred TO by Mr.
4 + Nelson, and read a written statement in
which he condemned in very severe terms
| the Introduction ~ Mr.. Nelson of asser-
/ ttOns and instnuaJiOHs Unsup ported by
I evidence and irrelevant 20 the case, aud
Went on 10 relate the cIfcumstaneas OF his
cOnnec ion with the matter. he stated
I that he gave Lr. Shaeffar an opinion o y
I the Alta Neia claim before impeachment
I was decided on. or before the Pr sideut
I commit q the act which gave rise 70 it,
and that he had never heard of 1t
afterwards untils it was published in
/ the New YORK papers Mr. Logan also
signed II, buJ the other signatures were Of
!
the OElsl was given ~. the Flesluent.
! Neither he nor any ofthe other Managers
had any interest IN the Alta Vela claim.
J The signatures were sent 10 the Fres dent
I ia O-d5r 20 support him in ping what ne
{ had aIready declared his Intention
! doing.
( Bu5er then read the afi Iavit of Cnaun-
ces r Black, pr SchaeHer corrobor-
! atng these assertions
4 MI NeIson. by permission, replied aui
I reminde the Senate that the topic vas
not introduced by himself, d claimed
that he had rtghtta- vindicate ais cI en1
4 from the aspessiouS cast upon MIN py the
other SIDE; ne had brought no accuS atlOns
Z against the managers, and cDnten I'D
/ warmly that as the iDpuJauOn N 4de
az inst ntm Just " was uaIustldaule,
/ and outrageous, ne had supposed th3J
Jh- Origi al opinion was dated Ike the
{ copy ana asked why he had not been Cor
rScted V 1ea ne read the letters. III ailoWed
he would reproduce them tomorrow, and
{ would show that he additional sU<n aiures
I were made after the trial had I'm N need
nd Were used by Judge BIa to inuuence
he Pre- ident
In the course of his remarks Nelson was
called to order by Mr.. Yates, and Mr.. LO-
I gan stated that the signatures were affixed
before the Impeachment trial commences.
\ NelSC said the letter would show.
EYaFts then. at $3.50, rose and ad 1Tessed
the Senate and Chief Jus ice in behalf of
the President. His opening remarks had
reference 20 the grave charac-eE OF th6
cause, and the impOssibil W of human
pTescle1ce for seeing the results winch
would Low from Il. From these cOnstdera-
uOnS, he framed a strong appeal for cir
cumSpect1On aud impaartiaIity IN It's con-
siderat27u. gIefiy reviewing the issues in
VOWED IN the few i'm peachmsnf trials
I which have taken place in our country,
he spoke Of their utter insignihcance in
comparison with those now presented,
and said he should call their attention 10
some OF the probable results which WOu d
4SLLoe 1S4s = eA-~As1ItA GAtlSL dg- ~ sLS
president IS acquitted the eToveFnTnelt
will 60 on as before. Congress, the 1xeeus
live and the Judiciary viii resume their
proper iunetIonsi IN case Of conyleuton,
disturbances of various kinds will arise