Year: 1875

"to show these id scoundrels what
fate was in store for them" His request
was complied with, and few days later
New York paper solemnly warned the
Senators of the fate of the Regicides.


HOW SALISBURY WAS soBERED.


Mr.. Willard Salisbury was a Demo
cratic Senator from Delaware, with good
intentions, but very decided weakness
for toddy. He would stay sober for
months sometimes, but the mere smell
of liquor would start him on spree that
might last for weeks. He had been
quite steady for long time, and prom
ised to abstain entirely from liquor
while the impeachment trial lasted.
One evening q young man called at his
room and desired an interview, which
was granted. He represented himself
as the agent of wine and liquor i'm
porting house in New York, who had
come to Washington to have the tariff
amended with respect to these articles,
and he would like to interest the Senator
in his cause. He concluded his remarks
by saying that he had brought some
samples of wine and brandy with him,
and asking the Senator's permission to
send few bottles to his room. Sauls-
bury Immediately saw in this proposition
q plot to get him drunk, so that he might
be either absent from the Senate when
the vote on impeachment was taken, or
that, going to the Senate in a state of
intoxication, he might be expelled, rs
had often been threatened in his case.


Indeed, resolution for his expulsion
had once been offered and was then on
the calendar of the Senate. 1t looked
then, on close calculation, as if one
vote subtracted from the Democratic
side would secure Johnson's conviction.
Salisbury ordered the bogus wine-mer-
chant out of his room in short order, and
Immediately acquainted several of his
friends with the details of the plot.
1t reached Johnson's ears very
soon. "They can't beat me any
other way" said the President,
"and they are trying to get the jury
drunk" 1t was Immediately resolved
by Johnson's friends to keep close
watch ON Saul lIbury, and this precaution
was soon rendered necessary. Sauls-
bury, whether as the result of conspir-
acy, or in obedience to his own sweet
will, got furiously drunk on the day
rendered memorable in the history Of
the trial by the anti-impeachment
speeches of Fessenden, Trumbull, and
other Republicans. 1t was a secret
session of the Senate, but it soon got
noised about that Salisbury was trying
to get the floor to make drunken
speech. Half an hour latter he would
probably have been expelled. But he
was persuaded to leave the Senate, and
he was accompanied to his room, where
he was put to bed. The vote was ex-
pected the next day, and, as it was i'm
portant to have Salisbury present, a
consultation was held as to the best and
quickest means, of SOLDERING him off.
Somebody suggested big fright as
good thing for him under the circum-
stances. There was Babcock fire ex-
tinguisher in the hall, which was i'm
mediately transferred to the bedside of
the tipsy Senator. Salisbury rose on
his launches to know what the Internal
thing was for, and the agonizing manner
in which he begged for mercy when told
that it was stomach pump, and that it
would be applied to him if he were not
duly sober by 5 in the morning, will not
soon be forgotten by the few who wit
messed it. From that day forward until
the vote was taken Salisbury was sent to
the Senate every day in hack, and his
movements were carefully watched SO
that he was present to vote against i'm
peachment when the final vote was taken.