The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-05-10
correspondsnee OF she Rnea.s.

beIt HAoinmela' as p. 10. on the
4th itstss-reached Charlotte about II
| p. M leigh about 9 a. m. on the
18th inst. : Weldon about 8 p. m.-Pe.
tersburg at 6pam. m.--Riohmond about
Sp. m.--Acquia Creek about q a. m.
on the 9Th inst.-4and Washington,
about o. m. this day. We found,
the route a pleasant one! To tile
Presidents of the Charlotte, N. c..
Central, Petersburg, Richmond and
Fredericksburg Railroads, We are in-1
debted for kindly courtesies. We
had the pleasure of making the &c.
iuain lance OF Messrs Collier and Ellis,
OF the Petersburg Railroad, and the
Richmond and Petersburg Railroad.
We found these gentlemen efficient
officers. and, as We conceive, fair spe-
cimens of the. Virginia gentleman,
when Virginia survived. One advan-
tage Of the route North yia RALEIGH.
and Weldon, is the fact that you pass
through without o change of cars
from Weldon to Acquia Greek, where
you take the steamer. The country
about Petereburgl and Richmond we
found still bearing the evidence OF
the vast armies that lay encamped
around, whilst those cities were be.
leaguered. The country is bare of
forest trees-'where the Confederate
and Unionist wrestled in repeated
struggles few scattering graves
mark the soldiers resting place, and
fields OF waving grain are now to be
seen where white tents once stood.
Down the road, where charging CO.
lumns once met, we saw men quietly
walking, and long lines of earth-work,
behind which the few but brave de-
tenders of the 'lost cause" 80 often
stood and repelled the fierce on
slaught OF Grants thousands, we
observed now serving but as the di-
viding lines between contiguous fields
OF grain. We saw the works on vii.
cox's farm, where the United States
troops broke through Lees feeble
extended lines, on that fatal morn
when Petersburg was given up, and
the end was near. Well, all OF that
is now lost, but the spirit that led to
the sacrifices and fierce struggles of
the late war will. we hope. never die.
Let the same spirit now animate onr
people in redeeming and building up
our land, and again will we have in
the South an err of prosperity and
happiness. ''~
Through the kindness of a United
States Senator, and the courtesy of
his daughter, we succeeded in obtain
ing card of admission to the Senate
Chamber. This was the last day of
MIR. Bingham, who was the closing
counsel against the President. Thus
we witnessed the concluding part of
the impeachment business, so far as
the arguments of counsel are con-
cerned. The Senate Chamber was
crowded-about 1,200 visitors being
present. About IL m., the court was
organized, and soon Mr.. Bingham
arose. He made o speech Of two
hours duration. He is good speak
er, but entirely failed to commend
his argument, at least to our mind.
Beneath the veil of his plausible pre-
sentation of his side of the question,
We saw the weakness of his cause,
the failure of his logic. He was ear
nest, but his heat, we thought, was
but the heat Of the mere partizan,
and not the warmth of genuine elo-
quence. At the close of his speech,
thegalleries loudly applauded, where
upon the ergeant-at-arms was order
ed to clear the galleries, which was
forthwith done; and thus, as we pre-
sumo, the matter is closed, until the
jury are ready to pronounce their
verdict. AS ITO what that verdict
shall be, we find men divided in
opinion. This, however, seems to be
very generally agreed upon: that it is
only as q party matter, it will be
settled. SO far as the law and facts
go, the President stands acquitted.
But on the altar of party, the martyr
may be sacrificed. There is, however,
one thing which this impeachment
matter has developed, and that is
this, VIZ: that the country has yet
the ability and brains to make it
great and respected. The President
has been nobly and ably defended,
and the speeches of Messrs. Curtis,
Nelson, Evarts and Groesbeck, are
four specimens Of compact logic, of
searching analysis, of scathing re-
buke, ofpolished irony and of tonch-
4