Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-04-11

imne diately exhibited, NAV be postponed
to very distant period.
tie is stu more strongly impressed with
the necessity Of demanding, as a sacred
right, this immediate exhibition of articles,
leu he reflects on he manner in which
the impeachment was voted. Ii in vain
that he has locked, in this vote and in the
report OF the com nittee on whichitis found
ed, for even hint Of the offences with
which he stands charged. He is impcach.
ed OF high crimes and misdemeanors :"
but in what these high crimes and INSIDE
meanors consist, when, how and where
they were committed, is no where decIar-
ed The testimony collected by the COM
m'ttee, does indeed state a variety OF facts,
which they constitute the grounds of ac-
cus2ucn. The principles of Justice and
law y the uniform course ur practice, united
IN requiring that each Of these facls, or
each that is intended to rely on, should be
put by the committee into the form of Il
specific charge, and made the subject of
distinct resolution. The sense of the
house would then nave been expressed on
every charge separately, and each would
have been supported or rejected, accord
ing to the opinion entertained by the ma
Jority respecting its truth and its sufici-
ency. Your memorialist would then have
known even without articles, what it is, of
which he stands accused, aud to what
points todIrect his preparations 10. defence.
tIls family, MS friends, MS country, and
the world would have XIX Wn what il is
That has been called " high crimes and
mlsdemeanors; :" and would have been a.
bic to Judge how far the accusation is
Supported By facts, and the facts by the
prof
There is another point of view in which
your memorialist deeNs II his sacred do-
ty, duty tC his country more than to MINI
self, duty which no consideration shall
prevent nm from performing to enter his
most solema protest against this palt of
The proceeding. HIS protest may not NOW
b. heard. The passions and the prsju-
does " the moment may drown his Voice.
Bul 20 viii one day be heard and serious
iy listened TO. The american people will
hear it, posterity will hear it---and the TOW
ers OF liberty in every age and country,
Will unite in asserting the Justice of he
complaint.
lie complains that by the method pur-
sued ~ voting this impeachment, maio-
rity has been Obtained in favor Of the se-
nera. vote, while 1t is possible and even
probable, that there is not a majority IN
favor of any one Of the separate charges
oil which the vote is founded The &C
cusa:ioDs against him so far as can be COL
lected from the testimony and from the
speeches of members, are very various.
Let il be supposed that four charges are
chiefly relied on, viz. the trial of Fries.
the trial of Calender, the proceedings at
New Castle, and the charge to the grand
jury in Baltimore. 1t IS perfectly mani
fest that these charges are wholly distiRta,
and cannot support or strengthen each o.
Their. Each is a misdemeanor in il self, or
1t IS not. Therefore there ought to BE- a
majority in favor of each separately, be-
fore it can b. made the ground of impcach.
ment.
Let 1t then be supposed, which is not
only possible but highly probable. that
thirty members and no more, considered
the conduct of your memorialst in the
tr'ai OF FRIES, as d proper ground Of I'M
pS"NhihCii'' Az lltl case lt is manifest
that your nsrnoriali,t ought not 10 be i'm
Deacbed on that charge, there not being a
majority in favor Of It. In like manner
there may have been but thirty menhers
in favor Of impeaching him, on account Of
Callender's trial and so of the other two
charges.
Thus although there might be but thir-
~ members in favor Of iunpeachiug, on a.
ny one Of the tour charges, in which case
II is manifest that there ought to be no
impeachment, yet when Ill the char.. 5
are blended into one general question c.
very membs' who considers any CHARGE
as proper Ground of impeachment, and
al the Others as notprog-r grounds, must
vote IN tJe a8irmatIvc and thus there will
appear a great majority Ia "a or OF a mea-
Sure w'ch Is actually d,sarDroved By a
great majority. TINS IS au innovation 50
s'r>lug, 20 alarming, 50 rcpugnant 20 all
former ideas Of justice and law, that il
may be safely pronounced 20 furnish, es-
p-c.lilY when combined with the prnci-
pie of indefinite enquiry without previous
specific allegations, aad Of * parte tesli-
mon., the most Formidable. the most ir.