The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1885-10-30
OTHER TESTIMONY.

OTHER TESTIMONY
! Ex-Secretary Boutwell, who was one of the
| managers of the impeachment, declines to say
anything about the story, and says he can re-
| member nothing OF Grants testimony before the
| committee
Gen Butler, another OF the managers, says,
that Grants story of the conspiracy was not
introduced in the impeachment trial, because it
was not 'ccmpetent evidence, and the commu-
| nicAtiOns of the president as commander in
chief to general were confidential orprivileg
| ed communications. Then Butler goes on TO
tell of "another project" of Johnson'S Ito revJ-
! lutionize the government, the details Of which
| were partly known at the time, but which could
| not be proven, and had not taken the form of
| action and which were not brought into the i'm
| parchment proceedings. / myself had some
very strong moral evidence upon two questions
which l did not care to make known to the pub
| lie in the impeachment proceedings, but one of
| which investigated secretly as chairman o.
| the committee for that purpose, and while there
| was disclosed to me some very damaging facts,
| under the circumstances they were not so con.
| elusive that deemed it proper to exhibit an ar
| ticle Of impeachment These facts and that ev-
| idence are my property and propose to keep
| them to myself until advise myself when they
| shall see light. Perhaps after have ceased to
| see light"
| Gen Fltz John Porter recalls that these
| charges are only rehash of similar ones
| 'smade at the time-at least they were the SUBJ
| ject of gossip in high military circles"
Col Frank Burr, the author of "Life OF
Grant," gets an opportunity out OF the dispute
| to advertise his book by publishing extracts
| from the chapter which treats of Grants aud
| Johnsons differences. AS this was written sew
| eral months ago it shows that there is nothing
| new in Depew's yarn, but that it is rehash OF
the political gossip long circulating. II quotes
| testimony from Admiral Ammen, Gen Sher-
man and Gen Horace Porter, none OF which
| except possibly Porter's has any material rcla-
| ton to the case. Gen Sherman says tina. john
| son told him the idea of sending Grant to Mex
| leo was that he had great reputation and 1t
! would live the mission weight and influence,
but that he had very great regard for Gen Grant
| and would rot like to do any thing that was dis
| tasteful to him. Sherman volunteers this as to
| the motive: my opinion is, they desired to
get RID of him and keep him from being can
| didate for the presidency" Gen Porter says:
"Grant's differences with Andrew Johnson
| were continuous without an open conflict dur
| ing all of his term as president" johnson was
| gin a frenzy" to have Lee and the other rebel
| leaders hung, and Grant nnfinchingly resisted
him and prevented it. Gen Porter also tells a
story O. military organizations that were form
ing on both sides for revolutionary purposes /;
one of them extended through Maryland aud
was designed to support johnson in case OF q
high rank in the army still living.
GIANT knew all about IT. anayeE that reason
pigeon hoed the demand of Gov Swan for the
states proportion of arms and ammunition,
and was good mind to expose the scheme,
but finally concluded to let it die out quietly.
The other was an organization of 5000 veteran
soldiers in Washington, under the command of
distinguished major general OF volunteers,
ready to take the side OF congress IN case OF an
explosion. Edwin NJ Stanton was its master
spirit. So each side had its little hostile force
prepared for the clash, and Gen Grant, fully
aware of this state of things stood between the
two like an impossible barrier, warning both
sides to keep the peace. johnson once asked
Grant, General, am very anxious to know,
in case there should be an open rupture between
myself aud congress, with which side you will
be found" "That will depend" said the gan
eral, with some earnestness, "upon which is the
revolutionary party"
Chas A Dana, editor OF the New York Sun,
advances the explanation of all these troubles
that President johnson was an excessive opium
eater. w w Marden, Johnsons assistant pri-
vate secretary, declares that this is false. 81
saw a great deal Of Mr. johnson be says, par
ticulary at night, and was entirely familiar
with his habits, both by day and night. am
positive that he never used opium IN any form.
Had be used it stealthily, be could not have
concealed the fact from me, for l had had
enough experience with the drug, having been
a druggist at one time, to detect its effects with
out any difficulty. Mr. johnson was not
drinking man, although be took his drink as
most men did in those days. His tavorite bev-
erage was good rum. He never used opium;
OF that am positive"
Hugh McColoch, secretary of the treasury
under Johnson, and + w Seward, son of the
great VIM II Seward, and assistant secretary of
the state, both agree In pr0nonncing Depews
story ridculous.-Mr Seward says:
president johnson, found, in four
years of official aud personal intercourse, to be
a loyal, patriotic, very determined and resolute
man. 1t was the fashion in those times of heat
ed political feeling, for those who advocated the
congressional plan OF reconstruction to de-
nounce President Johnson for lack of PARROT
ism because he adhered with equal tenacity to
his plan OF reconstruction l never doubted
that both parties were sincerely desirous to re-
store the states to their original and harmo-
NOUS relations in the speedest way, but 1t took
years Of debate and controversy to find out
what that way was and to accomplish it, Mr.
johnson firmly believed that he was carrying
out Mr. Lincoln's policy and that be was bat.
ting with those who opposed it, He took Mr.
Lincoln's cabinet just as it stood and kept it in
during bis own term of Office"
Gen Henderson Of Missouri, who presided
over the last national Republican convention,
Gov Z G Ross OF New Mexico, and Lyman
Trumbul, three OF the Republican senator's
who voted against impeachment. all agree in
DellcNlug LUG StuIy lOuuuJuou, Us uOts
Vice President Hendricks, who was a oistin
guished Democratic senator az that time. Mr.
Hendricks states the whole OF it when he says
"Johi son believed In restoring and not recou-
struc,ing the states. aud that the federal gov
eminent had no right to change or abrogate
their constitutions. l think Mr. Lincoln had
this view also"
Judge David Golding whe was marshal of
the district of Columbia under Johnson gives
the clearest and most comprehensive statement
OF all regarding Johnson's policy. 1t was, as |
he learned from constant and most conf iential |
intercourse, ''tha. no state had been out of the
Union; that all were in the Union, aud as |
states had equal rights ulder the constitution |
none could be punished by the general govern |
meut for treas ~; but the individuals could and |
had committed treason, and could be punished |
as traitors; that as fast as loyal men were |
elected to congress they should be admitted to
seats, and that the South should be encouraged /
TO Ell, ct loyal men to congress by their inme-
diate admission to seats and participation in
legislation; that each house Of congress was
the Judge of the election and Qualification of its
own members, and that unrepentant and un-
pardoned rebels should not be admitted TO seats
In congress- not because their states were out OF
the Union, nor because they we're not entitled
to representation in congress, but because of
the unpardoned treason OF the member elect;
that no state or district should Be uen repre-
sentatiou II the member elect wa loyal TO the
government"
A few fellows Ike Gems Horace Porter and d