The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-01-12
THE IMPEACHMENT

We observed yesterday that Mr.. Bolts farce
was ended, but the subject is still worthy o
some remark. We think the whole proceeding
entirely unbecoming, Unprecedented and dis
creditable. Ii the information Of the lntellisen
Ger is to be trusted, ..of those OF both parties
who voted in favor Of The inquiry, II IS known
that part did SO on the grouad that II was Que
10 the mover and his motion, If not matter ol
course, that as charges were made and inquiry
into them challenged, the inquiry ought 10 be
granted"
The power ofimpeachment is one of the great
est, and most responsible, of all that belong TO the
House Of Representatives, and we are sorry to
see il brought into contempt and ridicule, by the
acauiescence of decent and sensible men, III the
exlravagant follies of such persons as Mr.,
Bolts. There is neither precedent nor reason
10 justify the votes given upon Mr.. Botls's reso-
luton. The case of Judge Chase was quite
another thing. In that case, MIR. Randolph, a
highly respectable member of the House, not
known to have any personal quarrel with the
object Of his motion, introduced resolution,
that committee be appointed to inquire whe-
ther Samuel Chase, one of the Justices OF
the Supreme Court, had SO acted in his
judicial capacity as TO require the interposition
Of the Constitutional power of the House.
He introduced his resolution by no specifca-
tions, but rested il on his own responsibility !;
and. so far as particulars were gone into in the
debates which followed, these particulars shop-
ed improbable matter.
Mr. Bolts string Of charges, on the contrary,
contains no Improbable matter. On its very
face, therefore, the whole proceeding was
groundless as well as frivolous, and in the
highest degree unjust. These charges
loose and idle generates, strong in nothing but
the violence of their language and as void Of
all substance, as they are of all justice, deco
rum and dignity.
We subjoin two specimens, as fair examples
of all, being the 9th and 7h charges.
II charge him." says the Burke of the House
of Representatives
"With an arbitrary despo,c, and corrupt abuse
Of the Veto power to crafty his personal and polit
cal resentmens against the Senate of the United
States for constitutional exercise of their preroga-
tive IN the REJECTION oil ms nominees 10 olce, with
such evident marks of inconsistency and duplcy as
leave to doubt his disregard of the interests
of the people and his duty TO the country"
81 charge him with gross official misconduct, in hay
ing been guilty of shameless duplicty, equivoca-
ton, and falsehood with his late Cabinet and Con-
49,, -Li-L i~a IDLE legislation and useless
public expense, and ty which he has brought such
dishonor himself as to disqualfy him from admi-
nistering the Government with advantage, honor, or
virtue, and for which alone be would deserve to be
removed from office"
Eighty-three members Of the House of Re-
representatives. were OF opinion that il was their
duty to appoint committee "diligently to in
quire into the truth" Of these charges
We are very much mistaken if i, shall not be
found that this occurrence has shocked the So
ber and discreet men Of all parties; that il has
given them great pain TO witness a proceeding
marked by so much Of violence, and of frivol-
ity, under the name of executing one of the
highest functions of the representatives of the
People.