The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-04-27
The Washington correspondent of the Bait

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be bitterly opposed by senators like Sumner
Drake and Howard, but there is no doubt thai
it will be acceded to. There will then be the
consideration of the eleven articles seriat,na.
Hon. Reverdy Johnson and two OF three o
the other senator's have taken pretty full notes
during the entire progress Of the trial, and il
is probable that they, with other senators, may
desire to make arguments on the legal aspects
of the case, and hence an effort wlFbe made
probably successful, to change the rule re.
stricting each senator to ten minutes time on
the discussion Of preliminary and interlocuJo-
ry questions.
From the best information now obtainable,
it may be assumed that three days at least will
be occupied by the Senate in making up its
verdict, so that the trial will not, probably, all
be over before about the 5th Of May. Be it
borne in mind that this new delay does not
come from the counsel of the President, who
expressed themselves as perfectly Indifferent
| to the matter.
THE MAIN QUESTION.
The Washington Star of Thursday evening
has the following:
1t appears probable that the main question
before the Senate in coming to conclusion
| will be, did the President Intentionally violate
| the law in the removal of Mr.. Stanton and the
appointment of General Thomas in his place ?
Those who hold that the Senate will convict
upon this issue say that body will base its
Judgment upon the fact that the Chief Execu-
tive officer of the republic, bound by the con-
stitution to stake care that the laws be faith
fully executed" has no right, under any pre-
text, nor in pursuance OF advice from any
source, to wilfully violate q statute, whatever
may be his private opinions as to its constitu-
tionality.
II Is curious how the barometer of opinion in
regard to the question of conviction goes up
1o-r 1or 10 do ft,xyo
cause. We do not believe that any one of the
half dozen senators whose votes will decide the
question has given the slightest indication
how he will vote on the final issue; yet it is
certain that the Washington atmosphere to-
day is charged with the belief that conviction
is certain.
THE CLOSE OF TIE TRIAL.
The Washington correspondent of the Bos-
ton Advertiser says:
The Senate, after the close of the arguments,
will go into secret session for consultation. A
proposition will be offered by Judge Edmunds
to admit the official reporters, 80 that the
speeches Of the senators may be taken down
and printed with the report Of the trial, and
half-a-dozen members are already known to be
in favor Of such procedure while several will
oppose it strongly. The vote on the separate
articles Of impeachment will be taken in open
Senate on Wednesday or Thursday, probably,
of next week. When the question arises Of
pronouncing judgment in case one or more of
the articles is sustained, the managers will
make the usual demand, and the Senate may
possibly retire again for consultation. At this
point an interesting law question is likely to
be raised. The constitution says two-thirds
vote shall be necessary to convict but IS silent
as to the vote on the Judgment, and the ques-
ton is whether majority or two-thirds must
agree as to the sentence. Some Of the lawyers
10 1oN1- &1,o,,
this head. The majority are doubtless in IA
vor of disqualifying Mr.. Johnson from ever
holding Office, in case he is convicted, but it is
by no means certain that two-thirds Of the
senators would agree to this sentence. When
Judgment has been determined it will be pro-
nounced by the Chief Justice. 1t is not ne
cessary that the President should be present
court will cease, and the Chief Justice will not
appear in any further proceedings.
HOW IT WILL END.
letter to The Baltimore Gazette says
1t is generally acknowledged now that the
President will be convicted. The programme
is to acquit him on all the minor points and to
find him guilty on some leading one, which
will probably be the removal of Secretary
Stanton. The necessities Of party require this
Most of the members are under party lash and
outside influences are also very strong. Nothing
but secret ballot can affect the result unless,
indeed, the next ten days bring wonderful
changes. The discussion will probably BIZ
prolonged for that time, now that the field of
discussion hasbeen thrown open.
WHAT OLD THAD. THINKS.
A Washington dispatch to the New York
Herald says:
Thad. Stevens displays the strongest belief
in the success of conviction. To-day he stated
that thirty-eight of the senators were know.
to be in favor Of conviction. This will be two
more than the requisite two-thirGs necessary
to success from his standpoint MIR. Stevens
feels SO much encouraged by this fact that he
even thinks the number will be more than
thirty-eight, which he illustrates by that prin-
ciple in natural philosophy called gravitation.
He says So larger body always attracts the
smaller, and by the law of gravitation, the
thirty-eight senators being the larger body
he thinks they will bring to their senses those
of the Ra licals who hang back" MIR. Stevens
never locked in better health during the pre-
sent session. The prospects OF consummating
q political necessity which he has 90 long been
pressing seems to act with a remarkably in
vigoratlng influence.
''MACKs" VIEWS ABOUT THE RESULT.
ssMack' writes as follows to the Cincinnati
Commercial:
"Banished from LONE! What's banished but set
Tree
From daily contact with the things loathe."
I think you may take it az fact nearly con-
summated, that Nh. Johnson Will have to study
up some such passage as this. His trial, at
first q show, then safety, and now almost
destiny, can scarcely eventuate otherwise than
in peremptory expulsion. HIS last reception, on
Monday night, will probably be his last OF all but
one From as careful canvass as l can make,
I believe that he will be convicted and re-
moved, though I doubt that the Senate will
disuualify him from holding further Office of
trust and profit under the United States The
full penalty of conviction under Impeachment
is optional with the Senate, and while there
are not sufficient Republican senator's straight
backed enough to vote for acquittal, there are
several who are ready to take the ground that
the Presidents rash acts we're merely rash,
and should eXculpate him from more than the
temporary penalty. Disqualification, they
say, would sound like persecution. Let him
go stump the country, as he threatens, and
make votes for u, as his speeches always do"
WHAT NI. JOHNSON WILL DO IF CONVICTED.
If not disqualified, Mr.. Johnson expects TO
acquire citizenship in Democratic State, and
be returned to the Senate, where he will fight
Howard, Chandler, and the other contrivers of
his conviction. He is confident of his ability
to master Tennessee again, as he has often
done, when he can slip into the Senate, say by
his relatiye-n-law, Patterson's resignation. His
resources are not great, but his confidence is