Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-04-02
these questions would ever be decided, s,
that the Managers night know what to rely

nays. a
Mr.. CONKLING moved that the counsel
for the President be allowed time for furth
er remarks, as they had been unter misap
prehension as to the bearing of the rule.
Mr.. EVARTS said they had not yet ex-
hausted their hour.
Ma. CONkLlNG withdrew his motion.
The CHIEF JUSTICE stated the ques-
ton to be whether the question of Mr.
Butler should be put to the witness, (Bul-
leigh.)
MFR. DRAKE again made his poiat o.
order aud was not sustained - 8
Mr.. JOHNSON called for the reading of
his question to the managers. k@l-a
Mr.. BOUTWELL, stated that they had
declined to answer it, considering 1t too
much in the nature of an argument. II
Yeas and nays being demanded, resulted
80 to IL. 3 <bif
Mr.. Burleigh was then called. and said
that on the evening of the 21st of February
he went to see General Thomas at his res
idence. General Thomas told him he had
been appointed Secretary of War ad interim
had gone to the Department and demanded
possession, that Stanton asked him if he
would give him time to remove his papers.
Witness understood Thomas to say he had
already issued orders as Secretary of War.
He also said he intended to take possession
at 10 o'clock. in reply to inquiry by wit
ness, General Thomas stated he would use
force 60 obtain possession if it were refused
him.
Mr.. BUTLER asked witness if he had
had any conversation with MIR. Thomas
while he was acting as Adjntant General?
Mr.. EVARTS inquired what date the
question applied to.
Mr.. BUTLER said this appointment to
that Office was made about week before
he attempted to gain possession of the
War Department.
Mr.. EVARTS asked what was the pur-
pose of the testimony.
Mr.. BUTLER said it was to show that
Gen. Thomas had attempted to seduce his
brother officers from their duty, just as
Absalom had at the. gates and tried to
draw off the people from their allegiance, to
King David.
Mr.. EVARTS-Do you intend to put
Absalom into your question? ar7e
Mr.. BUTLER-NO. Intend to use him
as an illustration. Laughter.]
After recess of fifteen minutes,
Mr.. BUTLER read the question he pro.
posed TO put to the witness, as to what he
heard Thomas say to the clerks of the War
Office during the week prior to February
2lst.
Mr.. EVARTS objected, on the ground OF
relevancy.
Mr.. BUTLER made short reply.
Mr.. EVARrS rejoined, denying that the
of the declaration made subsequently to
February 81, allowed the presentation Of
declarations made previous to that time
There had been no proof adduced in sup
port of the aspersions and villtfyiDg re-
marks made about Gen. Thomas, and they
were uncalled for certainly at the present
time.
Mr.. BINGHAM argued briefly in reply,
and cited authorities in support of the po-
sition of the managers.
The CHIEF JUSTICE ruled that the
question could not be put no evidence
having been offered in proof of conspiracy
before February 2lst.
The question was submitted, the yeas
and nays cSulted 2S to %, and the question
was put.
Witness heard Thomas make an address
to a number of clerks in the War Office
about week or ten days prior to Febru-
ary 21st, in which he said he intended to
relax the harsh and arbitrary rules made
by his predecessor regarding the clerks; as
gentlemen they could go out and come in
when they pleased. if they were absent
only reasonable time. 7li
Mr.. BUTLER asked if Stanton had ac-
knowledged that the testimony given by
witness before House committee was true
Tue question was objected to and with
drawn. -.-..--- s+ -.-- -. .
Mr.. BUTLER asked if General Thomas
had, since February 2lst, restated any por-
tion of his conversation with Burleigh
about breaking down the door of the War
Department. 1-E .s.
Objected to by Mr.. Evarts, as were sew
eral notifications of the question, which
was finally put as follows: Have
you had any conversation with
Thomas since the first one, and since
his appointment as Secretary of War ad
interim, wherein he said anything about
| cip f,ra in iptn hn War nffio
or in any other way reasserting his former
conversation, if so, what he said?
| Witness replied-He had asked General
Thomas last week why the performance
promised did not come off. He answered
it was because he was arrested by the Mar
shall early in the morning, otherwise he
would have broken in the doors. &c.
| On cross-eXaminatiOn by Mr.. STAN
Berry, the witness said he went to the De-
partment on business with the Adiutant
General. Thomas made some address to
each of four or five clerks as they came
into the office, that he would not hold
them to strict accountability about
coming to work precisely at
8 o'clock, but that on returning to his
position as Adjutant General, he was dis
posed to relax somewhat the severe rules
made by his predecessor. He should, ol
course, expect as faithful performance OF
their duties. He spoke only to the en-
ployes of his own Department.
! Samuel Wilkinson was then called. He
testified he had known Gen. Thomas six
or seven years; had a conversation will
him on the afternoon of February 81 a
the War Department, in which Thomas
said that since the affiir had became pub
lie he felt free to talk about it without re-
4 serve. He stated that he had demanded
D session of the War office, and Stanton haC
asked it time would be allowed to remove
mis- papers, which he (Thomas) granted
He expressed to witness his intention tt
demand possession on Monday following
and would, if necessary, call on the Gener
al of the Army, tor the assistance which h
. sought could not be refused. At Willard's
Hotel, that evening, he reiterated the samt
, intentions, except that he would carr,
them into effect the next Monday. FL,
seemed to mean what he said.
, @Cross-eXamined by MIR. EVARTS-I
: connected with the press; Thomas tolC
!, him on Friday that he had issued an orde
, to close the Department on Saturday; wit
a ness did not know whether issued as Ad
iutant General or Secretary OF War.
' On direct examination-Heard Thoma
! say he claimed to be Secretary of War.
Il Geo. w. Karsener had known Genera
q Thomas many years; saw him at the leve'
e of the President on the 9th inst; said
: him: General, the eyes of Delaware ar
r upon you; the people ask you to stand firm
: He replied that he intended to, and in
s short time he would kick that fellow out
+ He did not say who it was he intended t
i kick out; witness understood him to refe
= to Mr.. Stanton.
: Cross-examined by Mr.. STANBERY-
Saw Gen. Thomas the last time before i
: Newcastle, Del. Remembers when an
: where he ever spoke to him before. Di
v not come from Delaware to see Tnoma
When IN the East room felt a desire to 81
e him and the rest of the Cabinet. Bein
t from the same State, he wished to pay h
q respects to him. Thomas was pointed OIL
q to him by Mr.. Turner. He introduced hin
d self. The idea of kicking out did not con
e from witness. Did not know whether
I. approved OF the line of conduct whic
= Thomas spoke of taking. Witne
: oo,o ,,,un;oot I'D thic conVprS "a tiOn-