history of the impeachment of andrew johnson-第37部分

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So　the　testimony　was　received；　and　the　witness　proceeded　to　detail　the　steps　he　had　taken　by　direction　of　the　President　to　procure　a　judicial　determination　of　General　Thomas'　right　to　the　office　of　Secretary　of　War　and　to　put　him　in　possession；　till　the　following　question　was　asked。

No。　19。

What　did　you　do　toward　getting　out　a　writ　of　habeas　corpus　under　the　employment　of　the　President。

Prosecution　objected；　and　the　yeas　and　nays　were　ordered：

YeasAnthony；　Bayard；　Buckalew；　Davis；　Dixon；　Doolittle；　Fessenden；　Fowler；　Frelinghuysen；　Grimes；　Hendricks；　Johnson；　McCreery；　Morrill　of　Maine；　Morgan；　Norton；　Patterson　of　New　Hampshire；　Patterson　of　Tennessee；　Ross；　Saulsbury；　Sherman；　Sprague；　Sumner；　Trumbull；　Van　Winkle；　Vickers；　Willey2715　Republicans　and　12　Democrats。

NaysCameron；　Cattell；　Chandler；　Conkling；　Conness；　Cragin；　Drake；　Edmunds；　Ferry；　Harlan；　Howard；　Howe；　Morgan；　Morrill　of　Vermont；　Nye；　Pomeroy；　Ramsay；　Stewart；　Thayer；　Tipton；　Williams；　Wilson；　Yates23all　Republicans。

The　Senate　having　decided　the　evidence　to　be　admissible；

Mr。　Cox　proceeded：

When　the　Chief　Justice　announced　that　he　would　proceed　as　an　examining　Judge　to　investigate　the　case　of　General　Thomas；　and　not　as　holding　Court；　our　first　application　to　him　was　to　adjourn　the　investigation　into　the　Criminal　Court　then　in　session；　in　order　to　have　the　action　of　that　Court。　After　some　little　discussion　this　request　was　refused。　Our　next　effort　was　to　have　General　Thomas　committed　to　prison；　in　order　that　we　might　apply　to　that　Court　for　a　habeas　corpus；　and　upon　his　being　remanded　by　that　Court；　if　that　should　be　done；　we　might　follow　up　the　application　by　one　to　the　Supreme　Court　of　the　United　States。　*　*　*　The　Chief　Justice　having　indicated　an　intention　to　postpone　the　examination；　we　directed　General　Thomas　to　decline　giving　any　bail　for　further　appearance；　and　to　surrender　himself　into　custody；　and　announce　to　the　Judge　that　he　was　in　custody；　and　then　present　to　the　Criminal　Court　an　application　for　a　writ　of　habeas　corpus。　The　Counsel　on　the　other　side　objected　that　General　Thomas　could　not　put　himself　into　custody；　and　they　did　not　desire　that　he　should　be　detained　in　custody。　The　Chief　Judge　also　declared　that　he　would　not　restrain　General　Thomas　of　his　liberty；　and　would　not　hold　him　or　allow　him　to　be　held　in　custody。　Supposing　that　he　must　be　either　committed　or　finally　discharged；　we　then　claimed　that　he　be　discharged；　not　supposing　that　the　Counsel　on　the　other　side　would　consent　to　it；　and　supposing　that　would　bring　about　his　commitment；　and　that　we　should　then　have　an　opportunity　of　getting　a　habeas　corpus。　They　made　no　objection；　however；　to　his　final　discharge；　and　accordingly　the　Chief　Justice　did　discharge　him。

No。　20。

The　witness；　Mr。　Cox；　was　asked　by　counsel　for　defense：

After　you　had　reported　to　the　President　the　result　of　your　efforts　to　obtain　a　writ　of　habeas　corpus；　did　you　do　any　other　act　in　pursuance　of　the　original　instructions　you　had　received　from　the　President　on　Saturday　to　test　the　right　of　Mr。　Stanton　to　continue　in　the　office；　and　if　so；　state　what　the　acts　were？

The　yeas　and　nays　were　ordered　on　the　demand　of　Mr。　Howard。

YeasAnthony；　Bayard；　Buckalew；　Davis；　Dixon；　Doolittle；　Fessenden；　Fowler；　Grimes；　Hendricks；　Howe；　Johnson；　McCreery；　Morrill　of　Maine；　Morton；　Norton；　Patterson　of　New　Hampshire；　Patterson　of　Tennessee；　Ross；　Saulsbery；　Sherman；　Sprague；　Sumner；　Trumbull；　Van　Winkle；　Vickers；　Willey2715　Republicans　and　12　Democrats。

NaysCameron；　Cattell；　Chandler；　Conkling；　Conness；　Cragin；　Drake；　Edmunds；　Ferry；　Frelinghuysen；　Harlan；　Howard；　Morgan；　Morrill　of　Vermont；　Nye；　Pomeroy；　Ramsay；　Stewart；　Thayer；　Tipton；　Williams；　Wilson；　Yates23all　Republicans。

So　the　evidence　was　admitted；　and　Mr。　Cox　continued。

On　the　same　day　or　the　next；　I　prepared　an　information　in　the　nature　of　a　quo　warranto。　I　think　a　delay　of　one　day　occurred　in　the　effort　to　procure　certified　copies　of　Gen。　Thomas'　commission　as　Secretary　of　War　ad　interim；　and　of　the　order　to　Mr。　Stanton。　I　then　applied　to　the　District　Attorney　to　sign　the　information　in　the　nature　of　a　quo　warranto；　and　he　declined　to　do　so　without　instructions　or　a　request　from　the　President　or　the　Attorney　General。　This　fact　was　communicated　to　the　Attorney　General　and　the　papers　were　sent　to　him。　Nothing　was　done　after　this　time　by　me。

No。　21。

The　defense　offered　to　prove：

That　the　President　then　stated　that　he　had　issued　an　order　for　the　removal　of　Mr。　Stanton　and　the　employment　of　Mr。　Thomas　to　perform　the　duties　ad　interim；　that　thereupon　Mr。　Perrin　said；　〃Supposing　Mr。　Stanton　should　oppose　the　order。〃　The　President　replied：　〃There　is　no　danger　of　that；　for　General　Thomas　is　already　in　the　office。〃　He　then　added：　〃It　is　only　a　temporary　arrangement；　I　shall　send　in　to　the　Senate　at　once　a　good　name　for　the　office。

Mr。　Butler；　for　prosecution；　objected；　and　the　vote　was：

YeasBayard；　Buckalew；　Davis；　Dixon；　Doolittle；　Hendricks；　McCreery；　Patterson　of　Tennessee；　and　Vickers9all　Democrats。

NaysCameron；　Cattell；　Chandler；　Conkling；　Conness；　Corbett；　Cragin；　Drake；　Ferry；　Fessenden；　Fowler；　Frelinghuysen；　Grimes；　Harlan；　Howard；　Howe；　Johnson；　Morgan；　Morrill　of　Maine；　Morrill　of　Vermont；　　Morton；　Nye；　Patterson　of　New　Hampshire；　Pomeroy；　Ramsay；　Ross；　Sherman；　Sprague；　Stewart；　Thayer；　Tipton；　Trumbull；　Van　Winkle；　Willey；　Williams；　Wilson；　and　Yates…3736　Republicans　and　1　Democrat。

So　this　testimony　was　rejected。

No。　22。

Friday；　April　17。　The　defense　offered　to　prove：

That　on　this　occasion　（a　Cabinet　meeting　previously　mentioned）；　the　President　communicated　to　Mr。　Welles；　and　the　other　members　of　his　Cabinet；　before　the　meeting　broke　up；　that　he　had　removed　Mr。　Stanton　and　appointed　General　Thomas　Secretary　of　War　ad　interim；　and　that；　upon　the　inquiry　by　Mr。　Welles　whether　General　Thomas　was　in　possession　of　the　office；　the　President　replied　that　he　was；　and　on　further　question　of　Welles；　whether　Mr。　Stanton　acquiesced；　the　President　replied　that　he　did；　all　that　he　required　was　time　to　remove　his　papers。

Mr。　Butler　objected　and　the　yeas　and　nays　were　ordered。

YeasAnthony；　Bayard；　Buckalew；　Cole；　Conkling；　Corbett；　Davis；　Dixon；　Doolittle；　Fessenden；　Fowler；　Grimes；　Hendricks；　Johnson；　McCreery；　Morton；　Patterson　of　Tennessee；　Ross；　Saulsbery；　Sherman；　Sprague；　Sumner；　Trumbull；　Van　Winkle；　Vickers；　Willey2615　Republicans　and　11　Democrats。

NaysCameron；　Cattell；　Conness；　Cragin；　Drake；　Edmunds；　Ferry；　Frelinghuysen；　Harlan；　Howard；　Howe；　Morgan；　Morrill　of　Maine；　Morrill　of　Vermont；　Patterson　of　New　Hampshire；　Pomeroy；　Ramsay；　Stewart；　Thayer；　Tipton；　Williams；　Wilson；　Yates2…3…all　Republicans。

So　the　testimony　was　received；　and　the　following　proceeding　was　had　Mr。　Evarts；　of　Counsel　for　the　President。　Mr。　Welles　on　the　stand：

Please　state；　Mr。　Welles；　what　communication　was　made　by　the　President　to　the　Cabinet　on　the　subject　of　the　removal　of　Mr。　Stanton　and　the　appointment　of　General　Thomas；　and　what　passed　at　the　time？

Mr。　Welles：　As　I　remarked；　after　the　Departmental　business　had　been　disposed　of；　the　President　remarked；　as　usual　when　he　had　anything　to　communicate　himself；　that　before　they　separated　it　would　be　proper　for　him　to　say　that　he　had　removed　Mr。　Stanton　and　appointed　the　Adjutant　General　Lorenzo　Thomas；　Secretary　ad　interim。　I　asked　whether　General　Thomas　was　in　possession。　The　President　said　he　was；　that　Mr。　Stanton　required　some　little　time　to　remove　his　writings；　his　papers；　I　said；　perhaps；　or　I　asked；　〃Mr。　Stanton；　then；　acquiesces？〃　He　said　he　did；　as　he　considered　it。　*　*　*

Question：　Now；　sir；　one　moment　to　a　matter　which　you　spoke　of　incidentally。　You　were　there　the　next　morning　about　noon？

Answer：　I　was。

　Question：　Did　you　then　see　the　appointment　of　Mr。　Ewing？

Answer：　I　did。

Question：　Was　it　made　out　before　you　came　there；　or　after；　or　while　you　were　there？

Answer：　While　I　was　there。

Question：　And　you　then　saw　it？

Answer：　I　saw　it。

Question　by　Mr。　Johnson　（of　the　Court）：　What　time　of　the　day　was　that？

Answer：　It　was　about　twelve。

*　*　*　Question　by　Mr。　Evarts：　Did　you　become　aware　of　the　Tenure…of…office　bill；　as　it　is　called；　at　or　about　the　time　that　it　passed　Congress？

Answer：　I　was　aware　of　it。

Question：　Were　you　present　at　any　Cabinet　meeting　at　which；　after　the　passage　of　that　Act；　it　became　the　subject　of　consideration？

Answer：　Yes；　on　two　occasions。　The　first　occasion　when　it　was　brought　before　the　Cabinet　was　on　the　26th　of　February；　1867。

Question：　Who　were　present？

Answer：　All　the　Cabinet　were　present。

Question：　Was　Mr。　Stanton　there？

Answer：　Mr。　Stanton　was　there；　I　think；　on　that　occasion。

Question：　This　civil　tenure　act　was　the　subject　of　consideration　there？

Answer：　It　was　submitted。

Question：　As　a　matter　of　consideration　in　the　Cabinet？

Answer：　For　consultation　for　the　advice　and　opinion　of　members。

Question：　How　did　he　submit　the　matter　to　your　consideration？

Mr。　Butler　objected　and　demanded　that　the　offer　be　put　in　writing。

No。　23。

That　the　President　at　a　meeting　of　the　Cabinet；　while　the　bill　was　before　the　President　for　his　approval；　laid　before　the　Cabinet　the　tenure…of…civil…office　bill　for　their　consideration　and　advice　to　the　President　respecting　his　approval　of　the　bill：　and　thereupon　the　members　of　the　Cabinet　then　present　gave　their　advice　to　the　President　that　the　bill　was　unconstitutional　and　should　be　returned　to　Congress　with　his　objections；　and　that　the　duty　of　preparing　a　message；　setting　forth　the　objections　to　the　constitutionality　of　the　bill；　was　devolved　on　Mr。　Seward　and　Mr。　Stanton；　to　be　followed　by　proof　as　to　what　was　done　by　the　President　and　Cabinet　up　to　the　time　of　sending　in　the　message。

After　argument　the　yeas　and　nays　were　taken：

YeasAnthony　Bayard；　Buckalew；　Davis；　Dixon；　Doolittle；　Fessenden；　Fowler；　Grimes；　Henderson；　Hendricks；　Johnson；　McCreery；　Patterson　of　Tennessee；　Ross；　Saulsbury；　Trumbull；　Van　Winkle；　Vickers；　and　Willey209　Republicans　and　11　Democrats。

NaysCameron；　Cattell；　Chandler；　Cole；　Conkling；　Conness；　Corbett；　Cragin；　Drake；　Edmunds；　Ferry；　Frelinghuysen；　Harlan；　Howard；　Howe；　Morgan；　Morrill　of　Maine；　Morrill　of