Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-06
THE TRUTH OF HISTORY.
The Impeachment of Ex.Presidcnt
JOhnsOn--Letfer from tbs Hon. Il.
III. Webster.

JOhnsOn--Letter from tbs Hon. E.
HI. Webster.
To the Editors of the Baltimore Gazette:
BELAIR, Dec 81, 1869.-My attention
has been called to-day, for the first time,
to an editorial in your issue of the 9th
inst, in regard to the impeachment trial
of the late President johnson, and the al
legged corrupt use of money to secure his
acquittal, in which occurs the following
language, which you quote as having been
used by Mr.. Cornelius Wendell, of Wash
ington city, at an interview held with him
few days ago.
'That raised" he said, ''by Henry B.
Smythe never reached Washington. Web
ster, the Baltimore Collector, raised lot,
which he swore was paid to counsel.
would like to know what counsel. None
of those employed in the case ever re-
ceived it. 1t was a good pretence on
which to raise money, and people bled
more freely than they would had they
known that the money would go no fur
ther than the Collectors pockets"
This language contains such an asper-
sion upon my personal integrity and hon
or-whether it emanate from Mr.. Wendell
or some newspaper correspondent, matters
not-that cannot consent to pass it in
silence.
In the first place, the general intimation
contained in the article, that | was party
to the raising of money to buy Senators,
or for any other corrupt or improper pur-
pose, or that was aware that any money
was to be used for such purposes, in con-
nection with Mr.. Johnsons trial, is absO-
lutely and entirely false. And in the Sc
cond place, as more distinctly charged in
the language quoted, that l collected
money in connection with this trial,
which did not pay over, but on the con-
trary, put into my own pockets, is equally
as false
The facts, in brief, of my entire con-
neCtion with this matter, are substantially
as follows; and these facts, may add,
l swore to before an investigating com
mittee of the House of Representatives,
shortly after the trial of Mr.. Johnson was
over, having appeared before said commit
tee in obedience to their legal summons
was in the habit of visiting the Treas
ury Department, while was Collector Of
the Port of Baltimore, almost every week,
in the transaction of official duty. AT
one of these visits, during the impcaCh-
ment trial, Hon. Edmund Cooper, for
merly member of Congress from Tennes-
see, then Assistant Secretary of the Treas
ury, said to me that the counsel fees in
Mr.. Johnson's defense would be. consider
able, and that in view of the fact that Mr..
johnson was comparatively q poor man,
and that he was subjected u this trial be
cause he dared to resist the encroachmentS
of Congressional power, he thought his
friends ought not to permit him (Mr. j.
to bear these expenses, but should them
selves raise the amount necessary 10 de-
fray them. | replied that l fully agreed
in opinion with him, and expressed my
willingness TO assist in raising the money,
at the same time asking him how much he
thought ought to raise. He replied that
two or three thousand dollars would be a
liberal sum.
On my return to Baltimore | stated the
facts of this interview to several of the
! most prominent and most respected mer-
chants, and these gentlemen contributed
and collected among their business asso,
ciates, and paid over to me a sum some.
what less than 81, 200. do not remem,
Der the exact amount at this time, though
| then had, and think | could yet find
| among my papers, a list containing tho
name and amount of each contribution.
| In addition to this, | raised few hundred
dollars from among the personal friends OF
the President, but none of it from my
subordinatcs in The Custom House. The
| total amount thus collected, including one
hundred dollars (S1OO) which | contributed
myself, and no individual contributed
| more than that sum, was twenty-five hun
drcd dollars go, 500. Every dollar oil
| this | paid, without unnecessary delay, ia
the Hon. Edmund Cooper, in the presence
| of the Hon. Stevenson Archer, VI. C.,
who permits me to use his name IN thl,
connection. At the same time, l SAID
! that if desirable, had no doubt | Coulc
very easilyraise more money. Mr.. Cooper
said he did not desire me to do so. | nevel
did collect another dollar, in connection
with the impeachment, beyond the sun
thus paid TO Mr.. Cooper.
In conclusion, desire to say, in the
fullest sense, that if any Senator wa
bribed to vote for Mr. Johnson acquittalr
which l do not believe, had no lot Of
part in that disgraceful business, and wa:
and am utterly ignorant of any purpose o.
attempt to do so. will also add, that Il
my opinion, Mr.. johnson was entirely III
capable of conscnting to the use OF suci
improper means to prevent conviction.
Claiming the right, at least, to have thu
communication placed as prominently Il
your columns as was the article which
contained such unmerited imputatlOns,
am, your obedient servant,
| FDvIN III. WEBSTER.