The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-05-27
Mr.. Rvarts and some Passages from
his Speech.

| The Charleston Courier says that some
'fofthe finest passages Of Mr.. Evart's speech
are those in which with severe but quiet
! and parliamentary invective, be shows the
Whole character Of the impeachment, and
covers with confusion the managers on the
| part of the House. These at the same
time have all the force and point of argu-
mant.' They are interspersed amidst his
clear and concise reasoning
|. 1t is well known that the first ten arti-
c!es Of accusation were prepared under the
direction of MIR. Butler, while the eleventh,
owes its origin to Mr.. Thaddeds Stevens.
Mr.. Eyarts, in abiding to this fact, thus
brings Mcssrs. Butler and Stevens and
their inconsistencies in bold relief amid
the laughter of the Senate and the audi
ence. he said:
i understand the Honorable Manager
| Mr. Butler) to say that if there is not
anything in the first ten articles, you need
not trouble yourself to think Of the eley
enth and MIR. Manager Stevens thinks i
there is nothing in the eleventh article, you
need not bother yourselves for looking to
anything in the first ten, Laughter,1 for
he says a county court lawyer could getrid
of them. Here is what Mr.. Stevens SAYS
IN the House:
81 wish it to be particularly noticed that
intend to offer this as an amendment. /
wish gentlemen to examine and see that
this charge is nowhere contained in any Of
the articles reported and that unless it is
inserted, there can be no trial aud that if
there be sbrewd lawyers, as I know there
will be, and caviling judges Che did not
state any certainty Of that, and without
this article, they do not acquit him, they
are greener than | was in any case ever
undertook before court of qlasterly ses-
stems"
So, too, Mr.. Bingham had assailed the
President, as also had Mr.. Butler, for what
they called his improperly of speech .
while on his tour through the North and
West. Mr. Evarts holds up to public
view in the light of their own cause, these
accusers of the Executive. His satire is
keen ard effective.
We have The remarkefD report in the
House of Representatives of very brief
debate between two of the most distin-
guished members Of that body, who can, as
we'll as any Others, for the purpose Of his
trial, furnish a standard Of what is called
by the honorable Manager propriety Of
speech"
Mr.. Bingham says: II desire to say,
Mr.. Chairman, that it does not become
gentleman who recorded his vote fifty
times for Jefferson Davis, the arch-trai
in this rebellion, (roars of lahghterl as his
candidate for the Presidency of the United
States, to undertake to damage this cause
by attempting to fasten the impntation Ell
tier on my integrity or my honor. | repel
with scorn and contempt any utterahees Of
that sort from any man, whether he be the
hero of Fort Fisher not taken, or Fort
Fisher TAKEN"
Mr. Butler, after some remarks, slid
/" But if, during the war, the gentleman
from Ohio did as much as | did in that di-
rection, | shall be glad to recognize that
much. But the only victim of the gentle
mans proves that | know of was an in-
nocent woman hung upon the scahold-
one Mrs. Surratt; and I can sustain the
memory Of Fort Fisherif he and his pres
ent associates can sustain him in shedding
the blood Of woman who was tried by
amiitary commission, ard convicted with
out sufficient evidence, in my Judgment"
Mr.. Bingham, with spirit replied Il
challenge the gentleman-I dare him, here
or anywhere, in this tribunal, or in any tr-
burial, to assert that / spoilated or mutila-
ted any book. But such charge without
Que title Of evidence, is only fit to come
from q man who lives in bottle and is fed
with spoon. What that refers to I do
not know"
Mr. Evarts, continuing, said: "This all
comes within the common law of courtesy,
in the judgment of the House of Represen-
tatiyes. We bave attempted to show that
in the Presidents addresses to the people
there was something of irritation, some
thing in the subject, something in the man
he. of the crowd which excused and ex-
planned, if it did not justify, the style Of
his speeches aud you might suppose that
this interchange of debate which | have
Just read, grew out of some subject which
was irritating, which was in itself savage
and ferocious. But what do you think was
the subject that these honorable gentle
men were debating upon? Why, it was
charity.
A Senator What?
Mr.. Evarts- Charity; q question of
charity to the South. That was the whole
staple of the charity which suf-
fereth all things, and is kind" Laughter.
"Charity envieth moi charity vaunteth not
itself; is not pulled up; doth not behave
itself unseemly; seeketh not her own; is
not easily provoked; thinketh no evil;
reioiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in
the truth; beafeth all things believeth all
thingsi hopeth all things; esdureth all
I;ngs. Charity never fails"
But the Apostle adds-wbat may be
exactly true in regard to the Managers
"ToDgues may fall"
It has been the constant boast of the
Radical party that their corner stone is
freedom Of speech. And yet one Of the
very charges against the President is that
when assailed upon his tour by Radical
partisans, he replied in terms Of indigna-
ton, Mr.. Evarts very pleasantly and yet.
forcibly, illustrated the course thus pur
sued, BY the following comparison:
"When Cromwell, in his career through
Ireland, in the name of the Parliament.
had set himself down before the town Of
Ross and summoned it to surrender, this
Papist community, exhausted in its resist
auce, asked only to surrender ON condition
Of freedom of conscience. Cromwell re-
piled AS to freedom ofconscience med
die with no mans conscience. But if you
mean by that, liberty to celebrate the mass,
would have you to understand that in no
v>loon whara tho nownr nf tho Parliament