Year: 1868

UNITED STATES SENATE CHAMBER, I


WAsHINGToN, April %, 1868


The Senate reassembed at eleven O'Clock, ana the
court opened In the usual form.


Senator GRIMES submitted the foowing:-


Ordered, That hereafter the hour for the meeting Of
The Senate sitting for the trial OF the impeachment
OF Andrew Johnson, President Of the United States,
shall be twelve O'Clock meridian Of each day, except
Sundays.


Senator SUMNER and others objected, and the order
was laid over.


At twenty minutes past eleven O'Clock Mr.. Bout
well resumed his address.


When Mr. Boutwell, had concluded, at five minutes
past one O'Clock p. NJ motion OF Senator JOHNSON
the court took recess for fifteen minutes


Mr. Nelson's Address I'm Behalf Of the Dc.


fence.


At twenty minutes before two O'Clock Mr.. Nelson
took the floor in behalf OF the PresidenG. His OPEN
ing words rather indstinct, but he spoke SUBJ
stantially as folows:-


Mr.. CHIEF JUSTICE AND SENATOR'S have been
engaged in the practice OF my profession a lawyer
for the last twenty years, ana have In the OF
my somewhat diversified professional life argued
involving life, liberty, property and character
Ihave prosecuted and defended every species of crime
known to law, from murder in the first degree down
to simple assault; but in rising to address you to-
day feel that all tie cases in which was
cened sink into comparative insignacance when
a
magnitude of the case in which l am now engaged
and of my inability to meet and to defend it as it
should he defended oppress me as rise 10 address
you. But would humbly invoke the Great Disposer
OF Events TO give me mind TO conceive, heart to
feel and q tongue to express those words which
should be proper and fitting this great OCCASION
Iwoud humby invoke the assistance which comes
from on high, for when 7 look at the results which
may follow from this great trial; when ! endeavor
TO contemplate in Imagination how IL will affect our
country and the world, I stand back feeling
that am utterly incapable OF comprehcndinr its
result, ana that cannot hook into the future and
forete IL. I feel, Senator'S that 10 VIII be neces-
sary upon this occasion for me TO notice many
things which, as ] suppose have but little bearing
upon the spccinc articles OF impeachment which
have been presented, and in doing to follow the
language OF william Writ upon the trial OF Judge
Chase. If follow the argument OF the honorable
Manager more closely than would seem necessary
to some OF the court II will be remembered that IL
would seem preeumptuous TO slight any topic which
the learned and honorable Managers have deemed n
proper TO press upon the consideration OF the court.
mas heen charged that the President was triflng
with the senate. Scarcely had he entered upon this
trial before charges we're made against him of seek
ing improperly To gain time to effect an unworthy
and improper procrastlnati0n. shall dwell but
moment upon that. We supposed that there was
nothing improper IN our asking at the hands OF tho
defence, when the subject OF impeachment had been
before the House of Representatives in some form
for more than twelvcmonth, and when the honor.
able Manacers armed az al points ana ready 70
contest the case on the one hand, and we upon the
other were suddenly summoned from our pr1fee-
sioBsl pursuits; we, VINO are not politicians
but lawyers engaged in the practice OF
profession measure arms with gentlemen who
skilled in political affairs and who are well posted
upon oil the subjects that may be involved IN this
discussion. But IL Is not merely the complaint "a 90
delay ing and tining with the Senate TINT t will be-
come my duty 10 notice. great many things have
been said and among the rest an attempt mas been
made TO stigmatze the President as traitor 10 his
party es dsgracng the position held by some OF the
most iliustrions I'm the land as q dangerous person.
a'crnlinal but not an ordinary one, and as encour
aging murder assassination and robbery all over
ire southern States and, finally, by wav
oil proving that there Is but one step
between the sublime and the ridiculous
rs bandyng rlbald epithets with iecliug mob. NV
excuse Tor noticing these charges, which have been
made mere IN the progress OF this investigation, Is
that nothing has been said in vndicaton of the
President rom them. II will be my duty senators
to pay some attention to-day. We have borne II lone
enough, and ! propose before I enter upon the m
vesigati0n OF the articles OF lmpoachment TO pav
some aticnton TO these accusations which have been
heaped nron us almost every day from the com.
mencoment Of the trial and which have been PASSED
unanswered and unnoticed ON the part OF the preqi
dent OF the United states. II N ~ true as ia alleged
that the President s guilty OF all these hinpsif he
DC guilty Of 1.-THE OF the offences which have hern
Imputed 10 him in the oocning Argument ana which
have been ferated aud reiterated In The argument OF