The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-09

8 Following the stormy scene in the SEN
ate, when his vote decided the presi-
! dents fate, he returned to Kansas, but
his vote had made him so unpopular
that he did not remain. He was burned in
effigy in Topeka. The feeling remained
so strong against him that he did not
return.
From 1866 to 1871 Mr.. Ross was in the
senate. In 1882 he went to New Mexico,
where he worked as a printer. In 1885
President Cleveland appointed him gov
ernor of New Mexico. This office he
held until Harrison became president in
1889. Since then he has held no office
of note. He owned land near Albu-
querque which he homesteaded- He had
worked as a printer some since he was
governor of New Mexico.
Senator Ross Explanation.
A statement by ex-senator Ross
some years ago explaining his johnson
vote follows in part:
1.-The scheme for impeaching Presi-
dent Johnson was a gigantic conspir-
acy, Matched and carried into opera
ton by Ben Wade and lack Chandler.
1t was done for the purpose of getting
control Of all the political offices. The
clamor by the Republican leaders was
that Mr.. Johnson was giving all the
fat jobs to the Democrats and ignor-
ing the Republicans. A senator said
to me one day on the senate floor:
"'Mr. Ross, old Johnson ought to
and must be inpeached. That's all
there is about it,.
why should he be impeached?
What has he done?' I asked.
why the old fool is giving all the
offices to the Democrats and we can't
get place for one of our own party.
Isn't that reason enough?'
NOW, I was a Republican myself
and repre- scented a radical Republican
state and didn't like the way President
Johnson was giving all the good things
to the Democrats. But I did not see
in this purely partisan act any ground
on which to impeach him.
"I was naturally predisposed toward
conviction and leaned that way till the
day of the vote. Yet. when I walked
into the session that day 1 did not
know how 1 was going to vote, hence
nobody else did. My views were per-
haps Influenced by the damnable eff
parchment leaders to connect Mr..
Johnson and General Grant with a
conspiracy to make and hold possess
sion of a military government I did
not before deem it possible for par
tisanism to descend to such depths.
Being radical Republican, and rep
resenting a radical Republican state,
1 believed then and believe now that
had it been supposed I would have
voted for the acquittal of President
Johnson I would have been assassina-
ted. I was informed by a colleague
that the police had been instructed to
keep Close WdbCn Oh HE LOT rear OF
violence. In my own mind was the
question that in the existing condition
of affairs had I the courage to vote
for acquittal if I should deem that the
proper course? 1 resolved to vote for
acquittal. 1 did so and have never re-
GREETED it.
ITO show the vindictiveness of the
party leaders of those and following
years 1t is only necessary to see what
became of the seven Republican sena-
tors whom / have mentioned who voted
for acquittal. Not one of them ever
held a political office under the Repub-
lican administration, after they left the
senate. They We're bounded to their
political graves. My only office since
that time was given to me by a Dem
ocratic president.
II knew President Johnson, though
I was not on intimate terms with him
My official position necessitated my
calling on him frequently. During
those calls we talked very little and
then only on some phase of the bills
he was signing