Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-12-22

traces of what might appear to the disad-
vantage of either himself or of certain
others, who passed before the people for
earnest supporters of Impeachment. The
whole outcry made over WOolley was a
blind under which all other parties were
enabled to beat q retreat With the main
operations conducted by Randall, Webster
and Wendell, Woolley had little, if any
thing, to do. His friendsassert positively
that even he escaped by the payment of
S., 600. That he did escape all know.
That he did pay S., 900, under promise
that such payment would accomplish the
desired object, they positively declare.
This is also said to be connected with Mr..
Peter Schwab's exemption from a second
or third examination.
When Mr.. Webster was ordered to ap-
pear before the committee, he was actu-
ally frightened into three days sickness.
This was real, and nothing feigned about
it. He declared that he could not and
would not perjure himself, and the thought
of what might possibly follow from full
statement of the truth nearly drove him
wild. The man was in agony. He sent
for an old friend, one of the prominent
public men here, and a strong and true
Republican, to come and see him and adj
wise with him. This friend replied that
he could not come, aud that the only way
out of his trouble was to tell the whole
truth.
The testimony of Webster, Randall and
Wendell, as taken by Butler, has never
been published 1t would be matter of
great interest to see how, with the knowl-
edge he had of the case, Gen. Butler
avoided bringing out the facts stated in
the first part of this letter.
1t is possible that the testimony showed
it in pretty clear outline, but neither the
House nor the country has yet been al
lowed to pass judgment upon it. A pos
sible reason for suppressing this evidence
may be made to appear.
Randall, Wendell and the the President
had for year known of the existence Of
what is now styled the Legate letter, which
they were fully convinced had been writ
ten by Senator PomerOy. They had also
believed that the knowledge on his part
that they had a copy of this letter would
vote became necessary. So when Gen.
Butler began TO press his investigations
looking to fixing the payment of money
to some of the seven who voted to acquit,
one of the witnesses swOre to the exist
ence of this letter, and copy was pro-
duced, which is as follows:
"UNITED STATES SENATE CHAMBER,
WASHINGTON, April 16, 1867. - Deaf
Lcgate: want you to see the z. NJ. Gen.
in person, and ask him for the 2. o. at
Leavenworth, and if he will give it to you,
to-day, he may count on my support fol
his nominations, and should either himself
or the President get into trouble, even if il
be impeachment, they can count on me
to aid in getting them out, by word and
vote, and you may say so to him. DOM
20 home without making the trial, anc
make it in earnest.
81 sent for you last night, but cOuldno
find you. Burn this as soon as you hayt
read it. Very respectfully,
rs. c. POMEROY.
"a true copy:
CORNELIUS WENDELL.
On one occasion when Wendell was be
fore Butler, he stated that Legate ha(
brought him the original letter, which III
| recognized as in the handwriting OF Sena
| tor Pomeroy, with which he was prett,
| familiar that Legate induced him to g
| to Randall with it; that Randall insisted
| upon retaining the letter, but final.
agreed to be satisfied with a copy, which
| he (WcndelD made and attested as above
| Butler broke in upon Wendell durin
this recital with:
GLOW do you know that 1t was Senate
Pomeroy's handwriting!
GLOW do l know that you are Mr.. Bul
Ter, sir9"
The report would show that V ende
was about to give SEINE further Cvsdenc
regarding the letter, when Butler again in
terrupted with: "We want no heaTsa
evidence, sir. TeIlonly what you know
''Shall | tell all know, Gen. Butler
was the very significant answer.
When Wendell wasrecalled, few day
later, Butler said to him: "YOu remen
Der you were not sworn the last time 20
were examined.
To this Wendell replied that he Ia
thought of it afterward, and it seemed
very queer circumstance.
| The very pertinent question arises
'Did Butler make division of his VOL
into sworn testimony and Conyersatlo
SO that he could at any time take what
, | chose into the House 1t is stated pos
| lively by one of the witnesses that, viii
: he was examining into Schenck's tel
| | grams, part of the evidence was recor
= | ed and a portion neglected. As to {
| Legate letter, Mr.. Randall, under Oat
| | gave the same version regarding it tn
| Wendell had given, and declared it to
e in POmeroy's handwriting. Legate W
Y | also examined. None of this testimO
s was alluded to in Buffers report.
b Last summer this suppressed letter W
e printed in Kansas. 1t was copied into
S | New York paper at time when D
e | POmcroy was in that city, whcreupon
t sent the following letter to the editor:
C "SIR:-Thc above slip, containing WI
S purports to be a letter from me to q
s Legate, concerning The Leavcnworth Pc
: office, andmy promised support Of the Pr
IS idcnt is, as have once or twice bef'
:, published, entirely false from the fl
S word to the last. Not one sentence,
a word, or syllable, was ever seen or writ
d by me or by my sanction. a ba
forgery could not be peTpCtrated, a
10 have proved before committee of
RS House of Representatives, of which III
], B. +. Butler was Chairman, called,
E. think, investigating committee, andl
y fly them to produce the letter in my ha
D, writing Or over my signature. You W
le | know, make my denial as public as J
Us have my pretended letter.
d, 81 am, very truly,
Sc rs. C.. POMEEoY
re CASTOR HOUSE, n. Y, Sept. 5, 1856
So About the same date Mr.. Legate p
~ Iished denial, as explicit as that of
= Pomeroy, in Kansas paper.
= Shortly after, the editor of the pa
which had first published the Legate
C. ter, printed the following from Mr. "
nj dell:
~ 'WAsH1NGToN, Sept. q, 1869. To
!, S. Burke, Esq, Editor LeaVenworth 1
~ Lctin-SR Returning from the Nor
find yours Of the 7th inst, containin
IL COPY of letter from Senator Pomel
" etc, as published in your paper. In
vi ply, can say that a letter, of which
~ enclose q copy, was brought to me by
dc cate as from Senator POmeTOy, and th
III then believed, and still DO believe, tina
II was authentic, and the saidletter was I
W. by me to further Legate's political asT
~, tons. Yours, hastily,
ny &C. WENDELL.
At the same time, paper publishe
Atchison, the home of Mr.. POme
printed the following from Gen. But
ed 'LowELL, Sept. %, 1869.-"MY d
ii. PoMERoY: 81 remember perfectly
DIV matter of the so-called Legate letter,
ifs appeared before the Committee of Nj
roc gers of the House of Representatives
aJ the impeachment of Andrew John
w upon their investigation. 1t appeared
orc our entire satisfaction that an infan
on attempt had been made to complicate
r@e with regard to Andrew johnson by
| fDr,rorv pf VDuT Danp nrpCpntin0