The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-05-13
LETTER FROM .occAsIos.L..
Correspondence of the Philadelphia Press
WASHINGTON, Nav D. 1859

WASHINGTON, May 4, 1868
After delugc of diluted rhetoric from
the counsel of the President, it was reli"s
to hear M. Bingham speaking for the peo'
pie of the United States. The crowded
galleries and the heavy attendance of mem.
bers OF the House proved the universal
anxiety to enjoy the last words for copy;c.
ton in reply to the many words for acop;t
tai. From Thursday, the 23d of April. !,
Saturday, the I'd of May, the case of An.
drew johnson has been argued with every
variety of speaking. Nothing was left I'M
said to justify, to excuse, or to explain
away his usurpations; and when these
more than eight days Of special pleading.
heavy periods, and unseemly humor had
passed, the Senate and the country lonpcJ
for something on that side which rests on
the secure foundations of justice. The
mere fact that Mr.. Bingham was to repIv
to these volumes of Democratic speechc,
gave freshness 10 the scene, and seemed n
be felt by himself almost US much as tho
inspiration OF his cause and the profnun5
expectations of his great constituency.
Much has been said in praise of the calm
bearing of Mr.. Curtis, the courtesy of Mr.
Groesbeck, and the finished sentences of Mr.
Evarts !; and al. that has been said of them
in these respects was deserved. Indeed
they had been selected for their various
gifts, and Mr. Nelson's part as Presidential
trumpeter aided to make a very acceptable
orchestra.
Mr.. Bingham does not fail in comparison
with his three chief competitors in the mere
graces of debate. Few men surpass him in
elegance Of tliction, clcarness of style, or
dignity of bearing. Those who have heard
him on the floor of the House will bear wit
ness 90 the justice of this tribute. SO that
when he came to cope with these polished
dialecticians he fell short in none of their
claims to rhetorical superiority.
Of the argument leave you to Judge for
yourselves 1t is enough to state that. up
to the hour of the adjournment, Mr.. Bing-
ham held his audience in brcathless and
unbroken attention, very few leaving their
seats, or leaving them only at recess, eager
to return and lose nothing.
The managers. speaking through their
able chairman, have evidently resolved to
leave nothing to the Senate but the facts
and the law; and hence you will observe
that most of his time is taken up in clear
ing away tue TuiDlSii vi WIDTHS anu Tue uuSt
of sophism piled upon them by the Presi.
dents defenders. Very few are these facts:
very plain is this law. You will not tail
also to dicover how closely Mr. Bingham
follows in the track of Mr.. Stevens great
statement of Andrew Johnson's chief of.
fence; and how, instead of bandying wit.
firing off newspaper squibs, quoting poetry,
or extracting from dead debates, he lays
bare the proved and confessed iniquities of
the usurper The most level head and the
most lucid Senatorial brain must have been
somewhat unsteadied and beclouded by the
endless platitudes and theories of the coun-
sci for the defence. and even those who had
adjusted their votes could not he otherwise
than grateful for the manner in which Mr..
Bingham brought them back to the common
sense of the controversy l..
How this argument will affect the great
Grand Jury of the Nation it is easy to fore,
tell. Every loyal man and woman who
reads 1t will say, eff Andrew johnson is
not convicted on such an indictment. no
future tyrant need fear the anger of be.
trayed country or the vengeance Of an out
ragged Constitution"
. .... ....- 0GNAST0NAT