Ripley County democrat., 1911-12-29
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Hale In the Sky That Saved An.
drew Johnson.
George eoutwell's Unhappy MetapE OF
Turned the Tide In the Senate
and Prevented the lnpcach-
ment Of the President.
BY e. J. EDWARDS.


In the late winter of 1877 met
General Benjamin F. Butler of Massa.
chusetts, at the rooms he retained per.
manently, 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 was in a communicative mood
that afternoon, and | made bold to
bring up several famous incidents in
his career At last we came to the
part he played in the impeachment
proceedings brought against President
Johnson. The generals face took on
a wry look.
II am as certain as that am sitting
here that 1t was the hole In the sky
which saved President johnson from
being ousted from Office" he said.
"A what?" l exclaimed.
"The hole in the sky" the general
realfirmed, solemnly- "the hole Of
George S. BoutweH's own making-the
same Boutwell, who was secretary OF
the treasury under Grant, then sena-
tor from my own state, and now is en-
gagged In preparing a codifcatlon of
tie statutes-at-large.
Boutwell,, John A. Bingham, a very
polished orator, and myself, with four
others. were named by the house of
representatives as its managers OF the
Impeachment of President Johnson.
believe that all of US felt that the pro
Ceedings would take rank In historic
interest with the trial Of Warren
Hastings-at least Boutwell,, Bingham
and | felt that way about It; and
Boutwell, was so firmly convinced that
tl.is would be the case that he de.
liberately set out TO make an argu-
ment which would be compared with
the speeches Of Fox, Burke, Sheridan.
and others who supported the charges
against Hastings.
We'll. the time came for George
Boutwell, to deliver his effort. over
which he had labored so asslduously
before the senate, sitting as judges
with 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 confidently count on
two-thirds vote In our favor. That
was necessery II the charges were to
he sustained and President Johnson
thereby rent from his high Office in
disgrace. II was with this doubt
clearly before him that Boutwell, rose
to raEe his speech, and 1t was with
the hone tNat what he had to say
would clear away this doubt that we
srw him gain permission to address
the judges.
ut was an ambitious effort-a great
effort In the main-no doubt OF that.
But Just when was beginning to feel
that the tide was turning our way, un-
der tie influence of Boutwells logic
and oratory, was suddenly startled
to hear him declare that It is given TO
some men to look through a hole In
the sky. like astronomers. as It we're.
and thus obtain a view OF the great
beyond. b, this metaphor he meant
to suggest that the house of represen-
tatiyes, In bringing about the i'm
peachment Of the president, was look.
ing through tie narrow vista OF the
present into the future Of the United
States. whose welfare was conse equent
upon the disciplining of the president,
charged with violating his oath Of OF.
fee.
Instantly. realized the unhappi-
ness Of the metaphor and the advan-
tage that might be taken of 1t by the
opposition, and instlnctively, almost, |
glanced quickly at William NJ. Eyarts,
Johnson's leading counsel That was
enough. ! perceived that he had ia.
ken quick heed of the unfortunate and
peculiar metaphor and would undoubt-
edly deal with It in his speech.
"He did, all right. With the most
solemn Of faces and funereal OF voices
he poked all manner OF fun at that
hole in the sky; doubt II ever
heard more wonderfully keen satire.
Yes, that hole In the sky Evarts tore
right open. 60 that II seemed as
though we all could see through Il.
Why, even Chief Justice Chase had to
smile at some of Evsrts' satire, and
the hole In the sky became the by
word. the humor of the day. under
Evart's direction.
Poor Boutwell, felt sorry for him.
He had made a very able speech, but
there was that hole In it--and some.
how. during the rest OF the proceed.
ings. I could not help feeling that that
hole would lose US our case When
the vote was taken, We did lose BY
Just one vote. as you know-and I
have always felt convinced that one
Republican senator whom we had
elassed as doubtful. but who voted
not to sustain our charges, was per.
atsa dad "a vota aa ha dtd hv 4h. h,it