Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1868-05-07
MIR. Stanbery's Concluding Remarks.

MIR. Stanbery's Concluding Remarks.
On Saturday last, Mr.. Stanbery, one
of the counsel for the President, before
the Court of Impeachment, concluded his
able and unanswerable argument in de-
Tense of Mr.. johnson, as follows:
Senators, it is not at all necessary for
the defense of the President that in the
exercise of that discretion which the law
allows to him he should be put to prove
that his intentions were all right. He
has gone far beyond the necessities of bis
case. Never were good intentions and
honest motives more thoroughly proved
than they have been proved in this case.
1 repeat it, that if everything else were
made out, this great exculpatory fact must
absolve him from all criminal liability
And now, Senators, [ have done with the
law and the facts of the case. There re-
mains for me, however, duty to per-
form-one of solemn import and obliga-
tion-a duty to my client, to my former
chief, to my friend.
There may be those among you, Sena-
tors, who cannot find a case of guilt a.
gainst the President; there may be those
among you who are not satisfied that a
case for impeachment has yet arisen, but
are fearful of the consequences of an &C
quittal. You may entertain vague ap-
prehensions that, flushed with the success
of an acquittal, the President will proceed
to acts of violence and revolution. Sen
ators, you do not know or understand the
man. [ cannot say that you willfully
misunderstood him; for [, too, though
never an extreme party man, have felt
more than once in the heat Of party con-
ficts the same bitter and uncompromising
spirit that may now animate you. The
time has been when [ looked upon Gen.
Jackson as the most dangerous of tyrants.
The time has been when, day after day,
[ expected to see him inaugurate a
revolution, and yet, after his admins
tration was crowned with success and sus-
tanned by the people, lived to see him
gracefully surrender his great powers to
the hands that conferred them, and under
the softenlng influences of time came to
regard him not as tyrant, but as one OF
the most honest and patriotic men.
Now listen for moment to one who
understands Andrew johnson better than
most of you, for his opportunities have
been greater. When, nearly two years
ago, he called me from the pursuits Of my
professional life to take seat in his cabi-
net, I answered the call under a sense oil
public duty. I came here almost stran-
ger to him and to every member of the
cabinet except Mr. Stanton. We had
been friends for many years. Senators,
need 1 tell you that all my tendencies are
conservative? You, Mr.. Chief Justice,
who have known me for third Of cen
fury, can bear me witness, law, not arms,
is my profession. From the moment that
| was honored with seat in the cabinet
of Mr.. JohnseA5 nota step was taken that
did not come under my observation, not a
word was said that escaped my attention.
l regarded him closely in cabinet, and still
more in private and confidential converse
ton. l saw him often tempted with bad
advice. KNEW that evil counsellors were
more than once around him. I observed
him with the most intense anxiety, but
never in word. in deed, in thought, in &C.
ton, did [ discover in that man anything
but loyalty to the Constitution and the
laws. He stood firm as rock against all
temptation to abuse his own powers or to
exercise those which were not conferred
upon him. Steadfast and self-reliant in
the midst Of all difficulty, when dangers
threatened, when temptations were strong,
he looked only to the Constitution of his
country and to the people.
Yes, Senators, l have seen that man
tried as few have been tried. I have seen
his confidence abused. I have seen him
endure day after day privations such as
few men have ever been called upon to
meet. No man could have met them with
more sublime patience. Sooner or later,
however, knew the explosion must come.
And when it did come, my only wonder
was that it had been so long delayed
Yes, Senators, with all his faults, the Pre-
sident has been more sinned against than
SHINING. Fear not, then, to acquit him.
The Constitution of the country is as safe
in his hands from violence as it was in the
hands of Washington. But if, Senators,
you condemn him; if you strip him Of the
robes Of office; if you degrade him to the
utmosestretch of your power, mark the
prophecy: The strong arms of the people
will be about him. They will find a way
to raise him from any depths to which you
may consign him, and we shall live to see
him redeemed, and to hear the majestic
voice of the people: Well done faithful
servant you shall have your reward.
But, if Senators, as I cannot believe,
but has been boldly said with almost Off
clal sanction, your votes have been can
vassed and the doom of the President seal
ed, then let that judgment not be pro-
nounced in this Senate Chamber, just here
where our Camillus, in the hour of our
greatest peril, single-handed, met and
bafHed the enemies Of the republic; not
here where he stood faithful among the
faitbless; not here where he fought the
good fight for the Union and the Consti-
tuition; not in this chamber, whose walls
echo with that clarion voice that in the
days of our greatest danger carried hope
and comfort to many responding heart,
strong as an army with banners. No, not
here; seek out rather the darkest and
gloomiest chamber in the subterranean
recesses of the Capitol, where the cheer