The New York herald., 1868-06-09
GENERAL BUTLER,S PRISONER.

GENERAL BUTLER'S PRISONER.
Petition Of MIR. WOOley to COngress-Ex2Iana-
tion of What Was Done With the geo, 1000
Mr.. WOOley, sheridan Shook and the Whis-
key RIng-Amdavits Showing that the
Money has been In a Hotel Safe all the
Time.
WASHINGTON, June 8, 1868
The following is the petition Of Colonel Wooley but
which was not read In the House,
WASHINGTON CITY, June 8, 1s6s
Hon. SCHUYLER CoLFAx, Speaker OF the House OF
The undersigned counsel Of Charles W. wooley,
respectfully ask that yOu viii lay before the House
the accompanying petition, which they submit fully
purges the contempt with which said Wooiey Is
charged Win great respect, your obed,ent servants
R. J. BRENT,
MR.. wOOLEY's PETITION.
TO THE HONORABLE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF
The petition of Charles W. Wooley, in answer to
the alleged contempt OF the House with which he is
IN close conhnementi the Capitol under an order Of
the House OF Representatives; that be was arrested
by the Sergaan-a Arms on the 10th day OF May last
on war; mt issued by the Speaker OF the House OF
Representatives in obedience to the requirements OF
resolution passed by your honorable body and was
ON the following day arraigned at the bar of the
House to answer the charge OF contempt in having
dlsregarded the summons issued by the Managers or
Impeachment requiring him to attend upon them as
witness, and having contumaciously refused to
answer interrogatores propounded by said Managers
IN the course of his examination that on said 27th
day Oh May your honorable body passed the following
reso utlon requiring the questions therein specified
to be propounded TO your petitioner at the bar of
House,
Resolved, That Charles W. wooey, of city Cincin
nat, ohio now IN custody OF the Sergeant Arms
to iSa ,or conemptin refusing or negeeng obedience
The of na1e n Ss 70 appear ana an testify before
him n,I the following y interrogatories
the Impeachment Of this House in of
me summons served on you for tina, purposes
secondAre you now ready appear before said
said Managers of impeachment.
That in response to said questions your petioner
MEG written answer which Is ON record on the
journal OF your honorable body, and to which your
petitioner begs leave To refer, and asks that the
same may be regarded part OF this petition That
in said written answer having fully explained, IN
answer to the first question the circumstances at
tending the service upon him OF the summons
issued by the Managers, and shown that
he had neither refused nor neglected obedience
thereto or in any manner evaded the same but had
fully complied with the requirements thereof and so
responded To the said second question by explicitly
to appear before said Managers and answer such
proper questions as might be prOpounded TO HIM by
said Managers OF Impeachment, intending thereby
not TO claim for himself as has been urs Isty alleged
ala nst him. the right TO u OF the propret OF the
questions he IN ght be called upon TO answer, but de-
signing that the language OF his reply should be con-
strued IN the same manner in which the language of
the .nterrogatory had been uniformly construed by
parlainenta y law ana the usage OF Parliamentary
boules; That the House Itself was the Judge as be-
tween its committees and witness OF the p opriety
OF a question propounded and to which the witness
might feel il has duty decline reply by reason OF
ans peculiar privilege or in the protection of his pri
Vate right; III order that his position In this regarl
iu-ht not De misunderstood your petitioner ia the
course of the debate upon the subjeci OF the written
answer herelnbelore referred TO as filed by him
nhder leave OF your honorable body, stated as fol-
lows
Mr. wootTyIn other words, Mr.. Speaker, IL the commit
ak hem as d on as oy 70 bs se proPrey on "a question WI
% h ah m anu asN We order of the House upon IT, and
Your petitioner believed end still believes that i'm
thus unreservettly submitting himself to the autho-
ri'y OF me house o. Representatives ne had SHOWN
10 your honorbie body all due respect: while in de-
lu1jid tue exercise ol your Judgment in regard to
the pEoiretv of any inquiries whch he might believe
we ileggl aud unaurhoXed he was projected by a
wcisr!ted ana recognized principle Of American
Ia essential To the rights ana dignity Of an AHer-
by Ioisapprehendng the attitude OF your petitioner
adopted tue following resolution, ordering him TO
De cSnunitted and detained IN custody
ed That tho said Chares ". wooley be committed
the olho curing the remainder OF the session, untn
~ naI laEs naied the contempt upon which he was
,e b g ~ oeioe the eoninit.e authorized to CON
WI the contempt was committed by SAID wooey.
ON the following day. Willie in custody under the
Tegoing resolutions, your petit oner was again
J. Ought before The Mana efs ol impeachment and
D effpga.tu as to certain sVbe which wers under
~ sea OF professional confidence ana IN regard to
vh ~, W lue rus Ol law 40 court in England or
Le 'nltel Hlales coud nave permitted han to tes-
y
essi onal trust had been rep0sed in Inn. |
he Questions ropounded by the honoraDe
lana feis weTS ear and specific, and the subse- |
uent action OF the House relieved the cause OF your
etito) lels IMPRISONMENT from the vague and in
eterm\ mate expressions IN the resolution last above
eferre, TO- aud upon which he had been committed
custo iy The report OF the committee of Managers
lade 10 Your honOtaOe body on the iol owing dav
wit tn 3Otl OF Nay, sets forth the questions and
a follows:-
Question The eomni;ee desire "a know wEetbcr on the
,My bsnes adjusted. Place ten to nv credit with Gil
!. Harvey { o., no. "a Broad sirect:''
Da zoo so G ,es1P1 s b s Snera1P dan ssoo.
9s may a hoTSlsg %ooeg aeStnsa an.~e in III.
sfbs + nrixos and confidential communication passing
relation and 10 ohing else and has reference what
er TO the ta Of IA. rresdent on On he articles OF inseah &
AL nor the an person on the trial nor any anson
hereto whatever. That IL my answer"
Your petitioner iur\ her represents that In giving
he foregoing answers he repeated the request that
e had prevous!y ma lie TO the comnittee TO be |
aken to the bar of the ouse that he might have the
judgment OF your h nora, re body .on the propriety
y y Tue questions propouuG ed, aVowlng AZ he same
nne I''t, ms submission TO Whatever Judcment you
nlgn, pass In the premises and his perfect readi-
ess 10 answer If that judgn ent shouhl approve the
uesIion as proper TO be propt 'unded.
iour conhlllee In their rep orr further set forth
ertain portions Of the testimon OF sherla Shook,
no, as your petitioner respech uly subm u, with
reat injustice 70 him. conclude that the reasons |
iven by your petitioner for decI no 10 rr mr.
ler are unfounded and evasve an d that the rea- |
on OF client and counsel did not e. list, a. he hai |
LEGGED. between the sad sheridan S, ,look and piu-
ELI, and thereupon submitted to yo.r homo. o.a,le
ody the following preamble and resouA ton, wncN
ere adopted by the House,
Whereas your believe the reasons qen nv The
itness in declining wholly ana
nj the eusa n deliberate contempt o the aui
ory OF the House and done for the purpose oonanp
e fact and embarrassing public Justice therefore rs y
Resolved That said Wooley for his repeated conten of n
authority Of the House, be kept until otherwise Ori,te
the House, IN contnement In the guard o. the
apal police by the sergeanat Arms until said wOoey
al fully the questions above recited ues I
ons put 70 him by said tee in relation the sub e "
Investigation, with which the committee IL charged, and
AT meanwhile yerson shall communicate with saii II
'osker Nv G