Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-15
WOLF GIVES VIEWS
Of JOHNSON'S TRIAL
Recalls Attempt to |mpeach
President and Calls Sup
porters ImmortaIs.
PAMPHLET GIVES MANY
INTERESTING MEMOIRS
Personal "reminiscences at Home and
Abroad Told by Former Consul
General in Egypt.

Simon Wolf. former consul general il
Egypt, has published for private circula-
ton a pamphlet giving some of his per
sonai "reminiscences at home and abroad
in which he writes. among other things. OF
The Seven ImmortaIs of American Politi
cal History" as he styles some of thu
senators who refused to vote to impeacf
Andrew johnson. Some of the papers
including "reminiscences of Egypt. are re
published from magazines.
The pamphlet contains a foreword by
Henry B. F. mcfarland, poem dedicat
ed to Mr. Wolf on his SEVENTEEN birth,
day, by Justice Wendell Phillips Stafford
and sketch of Mr. Wolf by Justice
Stanton j. Peelle, United States Court
of Claims. retired
Describing the attempt to imp each An
drew Johnson, Mr.. Wolf says. in part
Among the many exciting and inter
esting episodes of my residence in
Washington. there is not one that has
made more lasting and instructive
impression than the one which l am
about to describe.
Invented" U. S. Grant.
IT can see the representatives of
Congress filing into the Senate now.
There was Elihu b. Washburne of Hi
nois. one of the famous Washburn
brothers. who claimed to be the in
ventor" of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. hav-
ing recommended him specially to
President Lincoln. and who subsequent
ly for three days was Secretary OF
State under Gen. Grants first admins
tration, and then ambassador to France.
where he made a great reputation
during the Franco-German war as be
ing a protector OF the Germans IN
France.
Then came the ascetic. Thaddeus
Stevens of Pennsylvania. who was
looked upon as the great commoner ana
who exemplitied his characteristics by
his last will and testament. in which he
desired to be buried in the negro GENE.
terry at Lancaster. so as to be sure S1
being among friends when dead as ne
had been Stanch defender Oh tneii
rights when living.
Then came Gov. George S. Boutwell,
of Massachusetts,. who afterward be-
came a senator and later Secretary of
the Treasury. whose brain was all
aiame with that spirit of puritan In
domitable energy that has made the
New Highlander conspicuous figure IN
our history.
Was a Great Jurist.
Then came John A. Bingham of Ohio
great jurist. accomplished orator.
statesman and diplomat. finishing his
career as the representative of our gov
eminent in Japan years after and who
had the unhappy duty thrust upon him
Of being the judge advocate in the
historical trial of the conspirators OF
Abraham Lincolns assassination.
Then there came the swarthy war
rior. Maj. Gen John A. Logan of Illinois.
whose every impulse was TO night for
that which he conceived to be right,
and whose raven locks and swarthy
face gave indication of that spirit
of fairness and mercy which were the
pu1sating beats of his generous heart.
Then came the great Maj. Gen. Ben
jamin F. Butler of Massachusetts,. W HON
] had seen vote in the city of Charles
ton fifty times for Jefferson Davis
as President of the United States. at
the time of the democratic conven-
ton. preceding the civil war, and whom
had again met at Fort Monroe when he
commanded that fort during the war.
And there sat the mighty Olympus
of the Senate. Charles Sumner of Mas
sachusetts. whose frown was potential.
whose utterances were dominant. who
combined the classic oratory of Cicero
with the scholarship of Bacon.
THE trial dragged its weary length
from day to day. and excitement. bitter
political rancor. luminosity. elimination
and recrimination grew until at last the
fateful hour came for vote. John A.
Bingham of Ohio having made the closing
argument for the plaintiff. His per-
grafton still rings in my ears
Relied on Fessenden
Every eye centered on the senators as
their names We're pronounced, who were
to establish once and for all a precedent
for the perpetuity or the destruction of
the republic.
Names were called and a vote was
given aye by the republicans no
BY the democrats. The crucial moment
came when the name of William Pitt
Fessenden of Maine was pronounced. 1t
had been an open secret for days that
Mr.. Fessenden. with his wonderful grasp
OF craftsmanship and sound reasoning,
had come to the conclusion that Presi-
dent johnson was not guilty of the
crimes charged. and that he would vote
no In his 1.-THE and slim figure there
was not the slightest tremor of excite
ment, but calm as justice. impenetrable
as fate. he pronounced the magic
word no.
There was a throb throughout the vast
Senate chambe- and each and every
one felt that that was the beginning of
the end. Fowler of Tennessee came next
and voted no. Grimes of Iowa an
swered no Henderson of Missouri,
T'rumbull of Illinois. Ross Of Kansas and
Van Wrinkle of West Virginia followed
in close succession. and fearlessly voted
no. and as the last name was pro-
nounced. the true friends of the republic
breathed a sigh of relief while those who
claimed to be equally true to the best
interests of the republic were frantic in
their denunciations. charging conspiracy,
bribery and corruption. and Yet these
seven immortals will stand in the an
nails of our country the great apostles
of reason. of craftsmanship and OF the
true conception OF republic.
His Political Death.
TT was only the other day in this
city that the last of the seven was sum-
moned to eternal rest, John b. Hender-
son of Missouri And what was the po-
liticaI fate of all these seven men? Their
fate was the fate that Is melted out by
ungrateful people and republics. They
were bounded. denounced. pilloried and
looked upon as traitors, not only to their
party but to their country.
Time has INDICATED their judgment.
and placed them on that pinnacle where
they so justly and rightly belonged. Hen
derson was admonished by letters. tele-
grams and personal visits from his con-
stituents in Missouri. that he would be
q political dead duck if he voted against
impeachment, and Henderson made the
famous reply: Clay said he would rather
be right than to be President; ! would
rather do right than be senator and
with that declaration he signed his po-
Ntical death warrant