Year: 1867




Resolution to Paas-Chi Justice Chase
on National Amairs-ThO Plotting Tor
the Next Presidency.


WAsHINGToE, Sept. 20, 1S67.-The facts fur
nished you in a letter recently, foreshadowing
the probable action OF Congress on the im-
peachment question, and the course that will
be pursued by President Johnson should Con-
gress attempt TO suspend or remove him, seem
to have attracted very widespread attention
and have given rise to oil sorts OF comments
and speculations. My information was derived
nom such a trustworthy source that the state
ments then made not only stand unoontra-
dicted, but have been extensively copied into
other journals, and authoritatively quoted by
shrewd and experienced political writer's OF
both parties as an index of approaching events,


II is worthy of note that neither the Presi-
dent nor any OF his organs or friends have taken
occasion to deny the truth of my statements-a
fact which proves that did not deal in mere
sensational stun, but that l represented cor
rectly the political situation II is interesting
to notice the effect of their publication. Both
conservatives and radicals have seized upon
the letter, and converted 1t Into political capl-
tai. Democrats and conservative Republicans
make IL a cause for rejoicing and congratula-
tion. In the Presidents determination to de-
fend the prerogatives of his high office, and to
boldly resist any further Congressional en-
croachments on the Executive, they profess to
see some guarantee that check Will at last be
put on the revolutionary plottingsto to subyert the
Governments some hope that the country will
be saved from another disastrous civil war by
the display of a little timely pluck and hrm'
ing the lessons of the late elections, and blind
to the unmistakable reaction in the public





President to set Congress at defiance, and raise
new howl for Impeachment, suspension, re-
doubtediy in earnest; but most Of them, and
particularly those looked up to as leaders, are
merely throwing hL dust IN the eyes Of the
my last letter that impeachment would
undoubtedly be attempted in November, L
more careful examination of the plans
and purposes of the radicals, that the object is
to keep up the excitement purely for party
purposes; and in doing this they little heed
how much they intiame the public mind, how
much partisan rancor and bitterness are inten-
sifed, how much business is disarranged. or
how much in fact, the safety of the country is
endangered: Party, with them, Is before coun-
Importance, In their estimation, to Kill Off
Grant and work up the Chase or Wade pro-
such secondary considerations as the pacifica-
ton OF the whole country or the restoration of
fraternal relations between the different Sec
tions.


There appears to be little doubt now that this
is the secret of the late revival OF the impeach-
ment excitement. IL all turns on the race for
the Presidential succession. The rival aspI-
rants on the Republican side grasp at every
straw in their desperate agony to hold on to
the last hope of the Presidential nomination.
impeachment Is regarded as a measure calcu-
iarity with the extreme wing OF the Repubii-
can party. The game is to Keep tanning this
November, then concoct some scheme OF try
ing Johnson on some solemn looking charges,
drag lis SLOW length along through some
weary months, and finally explode in smoke
when the radical Presidential programme
shall have been matured and be In a
safe Wey Of r. % Tt ind the qHsFy sSE sS
little game go along thus smoothly and plea
sanity without hurting anybody In particular
that the Joke may be carried too far-that pas
sion may be excited to such pitch that it will
just where the plotting politicians now de-
sign? Will the conservative element of the
ming TO speak In tones that already alarm the
radicals, tamely permit this trihing vita the
element stand idly by and suffer an opportunity
to escape Of gaining some political capital?
VIII Jonhson hiISeii det tntngs mg go even 30 lar
tions to which no reliable answer can be given
in the present confused state of affairs.


do not think the radicals intend to attempt
the suspension OF the President; but should
they do so, 1 am assured Mr.. Johnson will resist
in the way before indioa oated. In such an event
serious trouble must result. Even the intro
duction of a resolution OF suspension, and the
President 70 as ps's eass S Se It Il is said that the
President would not even allow such a resolu-
tion to pass. He would regard It's presentation
as q revolutionary act, and would Immediately
issue a proclamation, representing that an
attempt was about to be made to depose him
unlawfully He would adjourn the two Houses
and call upon the army and navy TO support
him. Would the army respond? 1t Is hard
e Sides Feeps Rs owa Counsel He says
| nothing, and yet each side claims him as an
ally; The conservatives proclaim he has always
/
the other hand, point to his course In relation to
| Sheridan, Sickles, and Stanton, and his CORE
| spondence with the President thereon, and
| infer that therefore he is with them. 1 am in
clined TO think that the reticence of the Gene
| ral-in-Chief is not owing altogether to a desire
to conceal his real sentiments, but simply to the
! fact that he intends to guide himself by cir
cumsJances. Should the President prorogue
Congress before the passage OF a resolution OF
suspension, Grant will then probably, as a sol-
dier, feel himself bound to obey the orders OF
! Mr.. Johnson. But should Congress succeed in
| passing a resolution of suspension and elect
! Wade President ad Interim, then Grant will
| look to Wade for directions, and become the


In the meantime both the President and
| Grant are the two coolest men in the country
| Though in the event of a conflict they will have
| the most diheult and perilous parts to play In
the great national drama, they seem perfectly
at ease, and show no sign of being unduly ex,
cited. The President receives his visitors at the
White House daily in his quiet, affable smiling
way, and takes hts regular afternoon drive witt
Colonel Moore, his private secretary, or with
his little grandchildren His smiling face may
road out Fourteenth street, which Is his regular
drive. Grant, too, Is to be seen on the same
road every afternoon, drowning state cares In
the excitement of horse


Though have thus given you my own views
on the Impeachment subject, u is proper L
state that the radicals profess TO be in earnest
and deny that the Presidential complication
are at all connected with their action, Chile
Justice Chase emphatically denied in a con
Versation with me, that he had written letters
TO or consulted the President as to the policy
OF the latter In dealing with Congress or the
military commanders With regard to the
effect or his decision in North Carolina upoI
the administration of General Sickles, ne say
that he neither intended to obstruct nor defea
tion laws. What he claimed was that Sickle
mad no right to obstruct the regular process o
the civil courts of the United States. Judgi
Chase did not deny the right OF SIckles TO In
| Jerlere with the a n