New-York tribune., 1868-04-02

DEBATE UPON ADMITTING MR. BUKLhl1h B',1 - > - -
TIMONY-GEN. THOMAs, IN UNiPOhm' ~ @ Inn
CAIERY-KA AKsNER ON THE SIAhD-- I'M I'M
80 OF nrT,wARE ARE ON YOU THE
CutFF-JrsTl,E OVERCOME WITH EMOTION
TrtTtvoNy or SAMUEL WILKINSON AND
OTHERS.
., ,uSsnIpH IEE rsincSt
WAsnSGroN. Wednesday, Apfl 2, -Sts'
The galleries were thrOngod again tins morning
nat owing o the oppressive heat and bad ventilation
Of the chamber many persons "efo compelled 10
itbdrayr before the close OF the first two hours Inn
mcaitey after the reading Of the Journal Of yeser-
Ao,,s urocrcdinqs Air Sumner rose and submitted a
,es,lnnon. that under the Constitution the Chief
Jnsticc bas 10 sht to vote any question a1sing
during the trial. This Lad special reference, OF
course to the sting vote gwen By Tho ChetJustice
Yesterday on The question Of retiring for consuta-
ton it created ripple OF excitement m the gale
ries. and tho vote which Immediately followed ITS
presentation was anXiOusly watched The result was
that the resolution was defeated by y to a. Inc
Chief Justice quietly announced the vote anu 'uOh
stated the first business order before the Court.
It was the question Of the 90misslbiAy oI
the testimony of Waller A. Burlelgh about cOnYer-
s3:ion which took place between him and Cen
Thomas ON the night OF the 2lst Of February Ar.
Stanbery took the floor and made an elaborate
srceeb 10 show why il shOuld not be admitted. lie
contonded that as Gen. Thomas IS not on trial TINS
conversation is not relevant unless 1t can bo shoWn
that Thomas spoke 10y the authority OF the President
which he did not understood the prosecution 10
claim. Senator Frcughuysen sent written oues-
toG to the MANAGERS 10 know whether they proposed
To connect the President with Gen. Thomas u ibis
conversation 70 which GoG. Butler replied IN tne
Affirmative Mesrs Bingham Butler and Curtis
participated i'm the discussion which Nn Stenbery
opened and after debate OF nearly three hours tno
navs and yeas were called aud the Court decided, by
avote Of 80 to II 10 receive the testimony tie Demo
cqts alone vQtingin the negative.
= Mr Dlrloigh was then called % taa stand. Tie
testified at considerable length concerning the cor-
vsrsation between himself and Gen. Thomas. Tie
most important point was that Con. Thomas told
hin, he intended if Necessary 60 use foico 70 Sct pos
session of the War Ohce br. Stanbery crcss-eN-
amucd Mr. Brllcigh and worried hIm o goo1 ota- ih
the process, without however, getting hm TO
wea,cn tho force Of his diro.t teftmony in the cast
While an this was going on, Gen. Thomas, in fail
uniform. was an interested and anxious spectator
and auditor i'm the ladies' gallery.
Tho next witness called was samuel W.-keson,
whose testimony was brief but 20 the point, and de-
lvered in such straightforward manner as TO leave
no room for any eros Examination, bat few unim-
portant questions were WOp0uaoed and tLey leit
tho Presidents ease 40 b0ttec on than Do
fore they were put. lie IelS,ed two conversations
with Thomas, one in the afternoon and tie otnoT M
the night of the DIST OF February. 40 whfn Cen
Thomas declared his intention TO ta1c possession q
War Office -.-. ...... ----.'L..
Next came one Karsner, from Delaware. whose
testimony was very important and at the same time
very ludicrous He met Gen. Thomas at the PIesi-
dents levce on Monday evening, Feb. =, and con-
retu9ted him on the position TO which ne had been
assigned telling him to do his duty and that the
ewes of Delaware were upon hiin. Tho eyes ol
Delaware falling so quantity as the phrase d-d upon
tbe ears of the Senate and galleries drew out -&uGh
in which the Chief-Justiee heartily joined. 10
Karsners cougratulation. Gen Thomas replied that
the people of his native State would not be dsap-
pointed in him. forfhe would certainly do hs duty
and kick that fellow ont, uHquest.ouably meaning
Secretary Stanton but mentioning no names MI.
Stanbery now took charge OF kaisHeT, evidently
with the purpose OF confusing him and max
ing him contradict himself lie commenced
b. putting so many irrelevant questions
that the Cluei-Justce felt constrained
to interfere with objection and stop the farce
Mr. Stanbery then asked the witness whether lie de-
tailed the conversation 10 any one on the nght OF us
occurrence Yes" the witness sid, no had. what
was his name inquired Mr. Stanbery Karsner hesi-
tated as though trying TO think of name oi not
less than ten svlabes OF Dutch auo
tben raised his head toward the counsel and with the
air Of one who had just caught IT, after desperate
effort said it was smith peal Of laughter followed
The Chief Justice caught the contagion as badly as
any one in the galleries the floor and laughed
90 heartily himself that he ashamed to call others
to order The scene was rcGnacJsd Two minutes later
when Mr. Stanbery asked what was Smiths first
name. and the witness replied it isn't JOhn' 1t
isn't John. but William" said be MI Stanbely soon
dismissed this witness but Gen Butler bade karsner
remain i'm the city as ne thOughJitm DO necessary
Ia cali ON him again KarsneTs testimony seemed
10 annoy the Presidents council and they viii
endeavor 10 impeach bis character IN order to de-
stroy the effect of his testimony. Ra-sner, however
Is said 10 he a man oil integrity He lives IN Della
ware. where he owns a large farm. When the war
broke ont he took decided ground IN favor OF the
Union and for this he was driven from his home for
some months. Iiis business IN Washington, at the
time Of his conversation with Gen. Thomas. was in
connection with the establishment Of postal route
in the County of the state in which Le resides.
When Karsner had fDished testfylng the Court
odiou,ped until noon tomorrow From tho manner
in which matters progressed to-day is generally in
ferrod that the tiol viii terminate n at least three
weeks IL seems apparent from the course that the
Presidents counsel are pursuing that hoy intend to
delay the proceedings in every possible way; bnt
they can be cheokmated in this II they persist, by
the Senate holding night sessions Tho trial absorbs
public attention here, and scarcely anything oi pnp-
lie interest outside has taken place snco 1T began
ASSOCIATED Press Es5otI
The Senate met at y o'clock. prayer vas offered
by the Rev James D. Kane Oi Brooklyn, New-iorS
Ho asked blessing upOu this gT,at Court, assembled
FOR the u1al az the most momeutOus question "lch
has arisen during the existence OF the nation The