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President Johnson's Guilt

President Johnson's Guilt image
Parent Issue
Day
4
Month
November
Year
1885
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The statement recently made by Hon. Chauncy M. Depew, of New Vork, in cference to the late President Jolinson's lot to re iiiitnte the rebel leaders in lovvcr, hascreatcd wide spread discussion n the papers, and appcara lo be quite enerallgr nutalned by tliose whoouglit o know. The New York City correstondant of the Chicago ínter Ocean, writing onder date of Nov. lst, gives the ollowing interview with ex-Gor. Ashley, f this city, which adds still more to the assertions of Mr. Depew : " Ex-Congressman James M. Ashley, of Otilo, mover of the resolutlon of lmpeachn.iit HKiilnat Preeldent Johnaon In theThlry-nimli ( 'oiigress, was asked by your correslondent to-nlghtcouceinlng thefacts related y Chauncy M. Depew na havlng been told to 11 mi by General Qrant In a dl mier tnble talk of a plot by Johnson to relnstate the rebel eaderx In power. He sald the allegallona vrere subsUntlally correct. BeliiK asked why, If the fact of the plot was known to the nnuagers of the Impeachraent trial, they dld lol DM llagalnst the I'resldent, MK Aühley aid The Judlclary ('omltieeof the House, to whom was referred tlie resolutlon of Impeachnent for lnveNligatlon, were ajgalnst lmleai-liment, and had dinereucesumong them elves. Speaker Colfiuc liad iippoluted men on the commitlee who were weak-kneed In he matter. I told Mr. OoUu on day that ie W'S standing so thal he could le near ¦in mtili the front to rush In lf we won aud ïearenough to the rear to gel safely out if we lost. The peoplestood In awe of the Presdent and were ufrald to pr ceed to extreme masiires in the luce of lilsreat power. He ïad the whole secret service on hls slde. The newspaper In Washington whlcli aoted as hls organ, ilirvatened war lf the Impeachneni prooewlogl W6TQ contlnued. On tl e loor of the House I BOÖoaed Jobnton of belng .he leader of a negative rebel llon, and of atamptlog to resuscitate the lost cause " " S:is ihera anytlilng 1 ii the tewtlinony beire the Judlclary C'oni niltt.ee connectluK the 'resident w th any plot to put the control of the govi ruim Mt luto the hands of the rebel eaiiers ? ' " I was aiot a member of the Judlclary Committee, and nl'hough I made myself bclaslnted wlth the flrsi portions of thetestlnony givt-M befuro ttieui, 1 found myself at dds wlth the membera of the committee nul ulistMited mvself from thelr proceedlnK. They utterly refnsed to examine many Important wltiicss.-s broogbt forward by me. if President JolniMiti emild have secured the support of the General t the Anny liis plan was to InMall Suuthein men In the halls of OongreM dorlng tlie olgtit and keep out by force the Northern inembers who had arrayed themselves gainsl liim. I belleved then und tald sn lu Congress and I belleve now ttiat Johnson had known ueforehand of the Intended assnssinatlon of President Ltncoln. When I made that statement on the Hoor of ( tongreu, Speaker ('olfaxcalled me to order, but after the sesion' canie upon the Hoor and siild lie ws sorry he had done so." " Wliy were these matters not brought forward In the lmpeachmeut trial ? " ¦' The evldence dld not show that the President had actually commltted any act in conneetloo wltli the plot on which specltlc cliarges oould be made. Theeleventh artlcle of Impeaohment, whlcli was the only one voted upon by the Señale, was diawn up wlth a view to what might be showu by the testimony concernlng thls matter. ThmJ Stevens who sat just behind me In Congress for many yetirs, prepared llie artlcle aud J assisied hlm. íleíore the nual vote in the Senate on the lmpeachment. Rosa, of Kansa.s. had promised lo vote for impeaebment, but he went back on hls word and we losl our case by one vote."

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Subjects
Ann Arbor Courier
Old News