The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-10-25
Ex-pREsIDENT JOHNSON.
"reminiscences of the Impeachment
Trtas.
From tie New York Sun

|
orable impeachment trial in which he
was defendant toward the close OF his
term of office as President of the United
States. The late Cornelius Wendell,
who was familiar with the incidents Of
that trial and actor in some OF the most
important OF them, used to say that Mr..
Johnson's ac9uittal was attributed, not
as many supposed, to the ability and
eloquence OF the distinguished counsel
employed by him, but to tie use OF
money. We never understood that Mr..
johnson himself furnished any part OF
the sum paid; although the parties who
advanced it unquestionablY counted
upon personal advantages to themselves
to result from his appreciation and
gratitude after the trial should be over.
Mr.. Wendell's story was as follows:
The idea OF saving Mr.. Johnson had
been almost wholly relinquished by
his friends; his conviction seemed
foregoue conclusion, and was almost
universally spoken OF as certain, when,
, one Sunday, while Mr.. Wendell was
sitting 10 one OF the public rooms at
Browns Hotel-since changed to the
Metropolitan-he was accosted by an
acquaintance, who asked: Wendell,
do you want to bet a hundred thousand
dollars that johnson will be convicted ?
because, il you do, l will take the bet"
Mr.. Wendell said he at once COM
pretended what the proposition meant,
and after little further conversation
requested little time in which to make
up his mind, and appointed a later hour
in the same day for another meeting
with the party who had made it
81 flew around" continued Mr.. Wen.
dell, "aud after seeing several persons,
found that l could raise sixty thousand
dollar SO when this man came back
again, I said to him, l will bet you
= Xty thousand dollars"
81 don't want to bet sixty thousand
dollars" was the Instantaneous reply;
Il offered to bet you one hundred thou.
sauu dollars; it you do not wish to
take that We will let the matter drop.
| will bet that or nothing-uo smaller
sum"
Wendell now perceived that the man
was unqueetionabIy in earnest, and that
| if he took the bet the result would be
one OF two tbings-Johnson would be
ACQUITTED or he would win a hundred
| thousand dollars. He requested iur-
ther time, which was accorded. with
the understanding, however, that at the
next interview the money WAS to be put
~ or the negotiation WIS to be st sn
end
Mr. Wenlel knew where and to
whom to 60 TO raise money for such
purpose no man in the country knew
better; ard although such sudden de-
maud tor 20 large sum taxed his ener-
g,es severely, he succeeded in getting
the amount together within the time
limited. TIE terms Of the bet were
'ully c-mp!icd with, and the money
was put up.
/ President johnson, as we all know to
be historical act, was acquitted but
very few persons in the country have
hitherto understood how 1t wss done.
Mr.. Wendell said that come Of the
money went to quarters which would
have been among the last to be suspect
ed whereas certain Senators against
whom suapiciou was most rife never
touched dollar OF the money. Mr..
WeudelI also said tina; they had several
more votes secured 20 be given in favor
OF aCQulttal in case they should be re-
ouired to accomplish that result; but if
not needed to acQuit, then to be cast for
conviction.
One OF the most curious things about
the whole transaction was the manner
ia which the money was paid over after
the acQuitial hsd taken place. 1t was
cot handed directly over, from one OF
! ,Gs PARTIES to the bet TO the other, but
was lost BY one {, the other in play at
cards !
Some of oar readers will probably
recolleCt a very strange account which
cot INTO print at the tire, OF a well
known FEDERAL office-holder losing q
very large sum OF money in an inexpli-
cabIe manner at Browns Hotel. He
did not execute his part OF the pro-
cramme with the degree OF skill which
was expected OF him, and his per!or-
nance in the final act assumed q most
! lui crous aspect
Our distinguished townsman, Mr..
! Evarts, came home big with the glory
! of hia achievement. A sort of ovation
a publGc dinrer-was given him soon
st;erward at the Astor House, and al
though some of those who were con-
spicuOus in paying him the compliment
took pains TO state that it bad no con-
nection with bis defence OF the Presl-
dent vet he insisted iu his speech at
the dinner in taking different view.
and in treating it az attributable to his
triumph in the impeachment trial. We
presume that from that day to this q
suspicion of now little his argument
had to do with the result OF that trial
has never entered his head. The men
who made and paid the decisive bet
did not consult him on that subject.
We have never entertained any doubt
that the acquittal OF President johnson
would have been right on the merits OF
the case; but we believe the truth OF
history is that justice was bought in
! that instance.
what is LlOJds.
The question, What is Lloyds 2 the