Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-12-29
THE HElMPEACHMENT.
Beast Bailsr Is interviewed by the New
York Sun Reporter.

Ben. Butler was recently inter-
viewed by a New York SU1repOrter,
at the Astor House, New York. The
following was the result:
Reporter suppose, General, you
have read what recently appeared IN
the papers concerning your own part
and that played by Cornelius Wendell
in the impeachment of Andrew john
son?
General Butler-Yes, yes; ! think l
have seen all that has appeared. At
any rate. 1 have seen what the Gin
cinnati Gazstts has said, and most
absurd collection of falsehOOds it Is, as
far as / aIn concerned. You must
know that there is an animus here.
Buynton. the Washington correspond
ent of the Gazette, hates me, for no
acts of my own, tut simply because l
am & good friend 10 Gen. Howard,
and the reason that should make him
hate me is a church quarrel that Oc-
CURED between his father and Howard
some two years ag). 1t is a well
known affair that he pitched into
senator Harris for the same reason.
He is a fierce enemy Of Howard, you
know.
Rep0rtar-But how about the un-
derstanding which Fessenden, Grimes
and frum5Ull are said TO have had
with Andrew johnson and his partl-
sans?
Buller-Well, I was fully aware Of
tbe pledges which johnson gave them
a. 10 his good behavior in the case OF
acauittai, and that on these conditions
they agreed to vote against the I'M
Yz.aehaent articles. But l did not
know they had advised the use OF
money TO bring about acqulttal. L
felt satisfied that Henderson had re-
ceive-d money FOR his vote, but had
not proof sufficient 10 bring II home
70 hlm. Il dOae at ali, the thing must,
OF course, have taken place as secret
ly a. possible.
Reuorter-What share did Wen
dell have in these transactions, Gene
raj?
Butler-I don't think he had much
10 do with the matter at all. The
fact : he tries TO make himself appear
a very important figure in the story;
but / myself think his part was a
small one.
Raporter-Is it true that you sought
an interview with him in order TO
lean from him what he knew about
the proceedings OF JOEnsOn's friends?
Bulier-NO, sir; nO-nOt word OF
truth la it. a very silly story II ls,aiI
through. Sensible men d0n'J skuik
about iB close carriages, and wall be-
hind patent offices. That's the way
bows look for men; or, rather, the
way the boys look Tor girls-nOt the
way | would try to get meeting
vi q Wendell. [ never met Ur tired
10 hud Wendell on this business IN
any place except in the committee
gOOm.
R.DGrter-D;d you ever offer Wen
della hundred thousand dollar check
10 draw his knowledge of their secret
transactions from him? or do you
know of any such Otfer having been
made?
Butler-No. sir; on the whole, / am
Inclined to think Wendell has been
hoaxing Bgynt0n. You know Wen
dell loVos q good joke, or any joke at
all. and Boynt6n viii jump al any
story he can send TO the Gazette about
ntvseIf or any of HOWagd's friends. IL
Is pOsSible that Wendell Wss himself
hoaxed into believing I was hunting
for him: but 1 think 1t likelier that he
haaxed Boynt0n. This isn't the first
story Boynton has fabricated against
me. He got some absurd statements
from = Etw England Superintendent
of Internal Revenue, q year ago, and
Dublished them IN the Cincinnati
IF1zgtfe. This ex-saDeriutendent fan
cied ne had been turned out Of Otnce
rot =
this manner. But not only was there
not a word Of truth IN the story, Out
he had not lost his Office through me.
Reporter-Did you reply 10 this
story OF Boynt0n's?
Butler-NO, sir; I never answer
stories that are set afloat ia the news
papers. Lie is short, you know, ana
I wouldn't have tine 10 reply to them
ad in this world. l would in no way
have answered this last story either.
You remember what an Gproar the
Ncyi0a raised during my MasSacnu-
sells campaign, calling ON me 10 Nin-
d5cafp NV character. and so forth.
Now there was animus there, too
GOdkin not liking the opposition
made TO appfopriating h.teen thOu-
SAND dollars from the Freedmen
4uuds for the establishing OF MS paper
He claimed that the paper would ad-
yoc5te the cause OF The freedmen.
How il has done it its pages show: ..
R-pnrtrT-GsneTai, how Is Wendell
uer-Iuaily disposed toward yoa?
Bi,,i>r-Nery well, sir; very well.
Then. j. 10 vumiJy between IA. We
Ike each other very we'll, Out the tact
l. ne likes 10 hoax people. He loves
good joke. So,
-Dorter-D.d you have any knoWl-
edge. General, OF that hfty-thOusand
dviiar BET which il has been said was
offered By one of the Impeachment
S.patorj to one Of JOhnson's neal
friends, that johnson would be ac
ouitsd, and which WAS regarded as :
direct o1Isr ID vote down cOnVIctlOl
for that sum?
ButIer-We!l, I heard o. something
Of the kind, but il seems to Inc th'
date has been misplaced. 1t seems
WAS near the end Of that trial; but /
know nothing about il for certain. !
ya- merely q wager.
Reyorter-It has been said here tina
at the time OF your RESEARCHES IA thE
uuderhand business You took teStllnO
ny 10 report to the House a5 yOI
rie8sad. That at one time you ha'
xitne-ses sworn, and at others did no
so that vOu might choose what yOl
pleased for publication.
Butler-Ihis is perfectly absurd
sir. At the time that / took the te'
tinonv Of which you are speaking
the reporter regularly in the emplo,
of the Government was continually
present. and took everything dow
that was done. ItSeems 10 me tn
hes thing you could do would be
take trip to Washington, where 70
viii find all the papers and reports o
file. This viii iree the proceeding
from the doubts that these silly s.Oriy
have thrown about them. l reporte
10 the House such evidence as
thought essential. All the rest yo
viii tud at Washington.