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The Impeachment
of Andrew Johnson |
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»Impeachment, Trial, and Acquittal |
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THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL
In our last issue we gave an account of the summoning of President
Johnson to attend his trial, and his plea before the Senate, which was made through his
counsel on March 13. At that time the trial was postponed for ten days in order to give
the President and his counsel time to prepare for his defense. During the intermission
little of interest occurred, and the Senate reassembling as a court on March 23 the trial
was at once begun. The next issue of the Weekly will contain full and elaborate
illustrations of every important scene of this great trial. The present Number contains on
this page scenes in the lobby of the White House, a fac-simile of the tickets of admission
to the Senate, and an illustration of the President and his counsel making their
preparations for the trial.The lobby of the White House is always a place of interest, as it
is seldom that some man of note or notoriety is not to be found dancing attendance there.
Of late these halls have been less frequently attended than formerly, and one of the
results of Mr. Johnsons attempted coup-detat has been to show him how
faithless his Southern and Democratic friends are. Most of those who are to be found
lounging in the lobby awaiting admission to his presence are either individuals who have
"axes to grind" or inquisitive people who wish to study the great mans
looks in time of trouble.
A ticket of admission to the Senate was
found absolutely necessary to the preservation of order during the trial. The Senate
galleries will seat only about 900 persons, and at least 5000 persons in Washington would
gladly attend daily. The rules for the trial authorized the use of the card, which we
illustrate.
The counsel of the President, so far as
has been decided upon, consists of Messrs. Henry Stanbery, Benjamin R. Curtis, J.L. Black,
William M. Evarts, and Thomas A.R. Nelson. Mr. Stanbery is most famous for the peculiar
arguments which he advance to sustain one or two of the Presidents vetoes, and to
justify his refusal to enforce the Reconstruction laws. Mr. Evarts is the only Republican
employed by the President. Judge Black is called by Republican politicians at Washington
the "brains of the Opposition," and his influence is recognized at the White
House and the Democratic side of the House of Representatives. Mr. Nelson is from Mr.
Johnsons home district.
Articles Related to the Impeachment, Trial, and
Acquittal:
To see a list of the related
articles go back to the intro
section. |
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