New-York tribune., 1868-03-24
WASHINGTON.

CATIoN-WHAT GARRET DAVIS WILL DO
GIN. HANCOCK BEFORE THE MANAGERS
GEN. MEADEs ORDER-THE PRESIDENTS
RECEPTIoN-A VET0-GEN. BUCHANAN
BY TELEGRAPH 70 TRIBUNE.
WASHINGTON, Monday, March %, 1868.
The inpeachment proceedings to-day are, of course
the aI-absorbing topic of conversation everywhere
in this city tonight The Presidents friends are
generally rather chop-fallen. They had expected
that the astuteness and acumen of the counsel on
their side would enable them to make stronger and
mora substantial answer; but the plea presented
Inv them to-day is considered on all sides
weak and il-advised. 1t will be observed
that the President through his counsel merely de-
urs so far as the main articles are concerned to the
law. and that he seeks to justify his action in the
removal of Secretary Stanton going so far even as to
hold that he may remove any executive ofhcer When
ever he NAV see fit so to do This is regarded by law
vers as narrowing the case down to a mere question
of law and in great measure dismIsslng the neces
sitv of taking testimony to any very great length
There is much speculation concerning the probable
time which the Court will allow him to prepare 1or
trial after the replication shall have been hied TO-
morrow. On this subject various opinious are ex-
pressed some confidently asserting that he Will get ~
days, but from canvass of the Senators your cor
respondent is led to believe that the extension VIII
not be longer than days, and the impression Is
that it will be much shorter than even that time.
Considerable surprise expressed to-day at the
absence of Judge Black from the number of the
Presidents counsel. and the appearance Of Mr..
Groesbeclx, whose name was not announced as the
counsel on the first day of the proceedings. We
have authority for asserting that Judge Black has
retired from the case altogether for reasons which
will be made public in day or two. Those who
cling to the Presidents fortunes regret this
very much, and hold that tho defense
has lost It's ablest man. It appears that
he and the President differed so widely
on some Of the points connected with the case that
Mr. Black felt it his duty to withdraw. The Hon.
Mr.. Groesbeck was accordingly substituted for him.
and took his place to-day with Mr. Johnsons counsel
On the other side the Managers on the part OF the
House have decided on their course They had de-
termned TO hold meeting tonight, TO prepare their
replication but in view Of their entire unanimity,
they agreed TO postpone their meeting
until tomorrow morning. They have de-
cided on tie course to be taken tomorrow,
and VIII write out their replication, which
will be of the simplest FORM and present it to the
House. and have il there adopted before i o'clock,
when they will again attend the Court. The replica
ton will be somewhat as follows Replication by
the House of Representatives of the United States to
of the United States to the Articles of Impeachment
exhibited against him by said House of Represen-
tives The House of Representatives having con-
sidered the answer and plea of Andrew johnson,
President of the United States to the Articles of I'M
parchment against him by them exhibited, in the
name of themselves and of all the people of the
United States reply that the said Andrew Johnson,
is guilty in such he stands impeached and
that the House of Representatives will be ready to
prove their charges against him at such time and
place as shall be appointed for the purpose" 1t is
generally understood that Gen. Butler will present
the case for the House and make the opening argu
ment The different votes to-day excite much COM
ment particularly the one on GarTet Dayis's order
obectng TO the jurisdiction of the Senate account
of the misrepresentation of ten Southern States 1t
will be observed that only two votes were cast in
favor OF it, by the honorable member himselfand
the other by his associate from Kentucky Mr.. Nc
Creery. The general opinion tonight is that this
gentlemans next step will be to resign and not be-
long to a body which is illegal and unconstitutional
Major-Gen. Hancock and Major-Gen. Gordon Gran
ger were before the Impeachment Managers to-day.
They separately interrogated as to any conver-
sations they had had with the President respecting
military matters. The former was especially asked
the reason of his coming to Washington by order Of
the President He replied that he had previously
asked TO be relieved from the command of the Fifth
Military Department, and 10 be sent TO ST. Louis to
await orders and that the President had desired to
converse with him on that subject and on the state
of affairs in Louisiana. The President had said
nothing TO him apart from these matters nor had the
President yet determined to relieve him from his
present command
Gen. Meade has published an order for an election
in FLORIDA to ratify the new Constitution, and to
o1ao NJ Stota and m tat N
gross, on the first Monday, Tuesday, and Wednes
day in May. He orders that all bar-rooms and
saloons in the State be kept closed during
the days Of election, and closes his
order by saying that no contract
OF agreement with laborers made for the purpose of
controlling their votes. of restraining them from
voting, will be permitted to be enforced against them
in this district" An impression has gone
forth that two Republican tickets in the field in
Florida ia we'll as two sets of Constitutions, when
in fact but ticket receives the support of all the
loyal men of that State.
1t is reported tonight that the President will
probably send TO the House tomorrow a short mes
sage yetong the Bill repeating much of the Act Of
1861 rs takes away from the Supreme Court appellate
jurisdiction in cases of habeas corpus. 1t gener
ally expected that the Court would render a
decision in the McCardle case to-day, and the Su-
pItlne NOuIt lOOm was tnTOHReu III consequence No
decision however, was pronounced, and it will prob
ably go over until next Monday.
A gentleman connected with of the foreign
legations here says that the Gable dispatch from
Constantinople, relating to the restoration of har
mony between the American Minister and the Turk
ish Minister of Foreign Affairs would be inexpcabe
if it had not been ascertaEed that, by some mad
vertency, paragraph in one of the American
Minister'S last years dispatches, referring to rumor
current in regard to the mental condition of the Sui
tan, intended only for the private knowledge of Mr.
Seward, war included in the published correspond