Evening journal., 1910-10-13
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Hole In the Sky That
Saved Andrew Johnson
BY "HoIInnd."

In the la'e winter of 1877 / met
General Benjamin +. Butler of Mas
sachusetts. at the rooms he retained
permanently, year In and year out, at
the old Fifth Avenue Hotel, in New
York city. He was on his way to
Washington to take his seat as a
member OF Congress. He was going as
an Independent. He told me that he
expected to have plenty of fun in
that role.
He was in q communicative mood
that afternoon, and ! made bold 10
bring up several famous incidents in
his career. At last we came to the
part he played IN the impeachment
proceedings brought agains. President
Johnson. The Generals face took on
a weary lookd. He cooked his eye char
acteristically in my direction. Then
he chuckled heartily.
Il am as certain as that / am sit
ting here that it was the hole in the
sky which saved President Johnson
from being ousted from office" he
said.
"A what" ! exclaimed.
THE hole in the sky" the general
reafiirmed, solemnly-'the hole Of
George S. Boutwell's own making
the same Boutwell, who was Secretary
Of the Treasury under Grant, then
senator from my own state, and now
Is engaged In preparing a codification
Of the statutes-at-large.
Boutwell,. John A. Bingham a very
polished orator, and myself, with four
lcthers, were named by the House OF
Representatives as its managers OF
the impeachment OF President John
son. believe that all OF US felt that
the proceedings would take rank in
historic interest with the trial OF War
rem Hastings-at least Boutwell,.
Bingham and ] felt that way about
it; and Boutwell, was so firmly con-
vinced that this would be the case
that he delibera ely set out to mako
an argument which would be com
pared with the speeches of Fox.
Burke. Sheridan. and others who sun
ported the charges against Hastings.
We'll. the time came for George
Boutwell, TO deliver his effort. over
which he had labored so assiduously.
before the Senate, sitting as Judges.
wi the chief justice of the United
States Supreme Court. Salmon p.
Chase, in the chair. The issue then
was in doubt We House managers
knew that a majority of the Senate
would vote to sustain our charges.
but we could not confiden " counf on
a two-thirds vote in our favor. That
was necessary if the charges were TO
be sustained and President johnson
thereby sent from his high office IN
Disgrace Il was with this doubt
clearly before him that Boutwell, rose
10 make his speech. and it was with
the hope that what he had to saw
would clear away this doubt that we
saw him gain permission to address
the judges.
1t was an ambitious effort-a
great effort in the main-no doubt IF
hat But Just when was beginning
10 feel that the tide was turning our
way. under the influence of Boutwell's
/ logic ana oratory. I was suddenly
star led to hear him declare that Z
IS given u some nep 20 look through
q hole IN ho siy, like astronomers
as it were and thus obtain view o
the great beyond By this metaphor
he rrcant 10 suggest thar the Hons,
OF Representatives. in bringing ahou
The imreachment OF he President
was looking through the narrow Visit
OF ih~ present into the future Of N,
lui,cd@ States. whose welfare wa
consequent upon the d'sciplining .
lhe President charged wi p vl0laun,
his 0afn of Office
inetantiy 7 rralized the unhappi
ness OF the mctapApr ana the ad
vantage that might be taken o. e O.,
-rhe opposition and iustinc iveiy al
most. elanced Quickly at William VI
rea-is, Tohuson's leading counsel
That was enough I neSceived tha
lie had taken quick heed OF the un