“Mr. President: I appear, in obedience to a summons from this honorable Court, to answer articles of impeachment exhibited against me, by the honorable the House of Representatives of the United States.
“To these articles, a copy of which was delivered to me with the summons, I say that I have committed no crime or misdemeanor whatsoever, for which I am subject to impeachment according to the Constitution of the United States. I deny, with a few exceptions, the acts with which I am charged; I shall contend, that all acts admitted to have been done by me were legal; and I deny, in every instance, the improper intentions with which the acts charged are alleged to have been done, and in which their supposed criminality altogether consists.”
The President reminded Mr. Chase that this was the day appointed to receive any answer he might make to the articles of impeachment.
Mr. Chase said his purpose was to request the allowance of further time to put in his answer.
The President desired him to proceed.
Mr. Chase proceeded in his address; and having finished it, was desired by the President, if he had any motion to make, to reduce it to writing, and hand it to the Secretary.
Whereupon, Mr. Chase submitted the following motion:
“I solicit this honorable Court to allow me until the first day of the next session, to put in my answer, and to prepare for my trial.”
The President informed Mr. Chase, that, the Court would take time to consider his motion.[20]
The Senate withdrew to a private apartment, where debate arose on the question, whether it was not incumbent on the Senators to take the oath required by the constitution, before they took into consideration the motion of Mr. Chase, which issued in the adoption of the following resolution: