The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-02-01
Bolts IMPEACHMENT OF TUE PREsI-
DENT.

We shall now proceed, very briefly, 20 con
slider the remaining charges brought against the
President by John M. Bolts
The second charge is as follows,
"2d charge him with wicked and corrupt abuse
Of the pawer of appointment TO and removal from OIL
flee First, in displacng those who competent
aud faithful in the discharge Of their public duties
only because they supposed TO entertain poll
teal preference for another and, secondly, IN be-
slowing them creatures OF his own will, alike re-
gardiess of the public welfare aud his duty TO the
country
IL will be recoecled that on the question Of
considering the articles of Impeachment in the
House of Representatives, Francis Gran
ger, former Postmaster General, requested 10
be excused from voting, as he might be consi-
dered as voting against himself he having
been the organ and means OF the removal OF
some fifteen hundred Postmasters while he was
10 office. Now, we will ask Mr.. Bolts, whelh-
er he does not think that Mr.. Granger deserves
to be impeached for this same cause as much as
Mr.. Tyler does 2 If the objection of Mr.. Bolts
is TO The removal of bitter and abusive partisans
from Office, and appointing friends of the Admit
nislratlon 10 their stead, well and good. This
| may not please Mr. Bolts, but there is nothing
| impeachabe in such course. If we recollec
| right, this same Mr.. Bolts offered resolution,
on the 10th July, lS4l, inquiring of the Secre-
taries, "Why they have not removed tallhless
and incompetent officers with greater despatch
than Mey hare dOae2'' Now, We would ask
Mr. Bolts, pho is to be judge of the iathless-
ness and incompetency of public oificers-the
President and his Secretaries, or Mr.. Bolts
| That some officers have been removed for poll
| lica purposes alone, without either having been
faithIess or incompetent, is true Of every admi-
| nistralion since the elder Adams. We would
very respectfully ask Mr. Bolts, if, since Gen.
| Harrison came into office, he has never request
ed the removal Of political opponent and the
| appointment of political friend
"3d. charge him with the high crime and INSIDE
| meanor Of aiding to excite dsorganizing and reyo-
utonary spirit in the country, by placing on the re-
cords of the State Department his objections to q
law carrying constitutional obligation with It
whereby the several States of this Union were invi
ted to disregard and dsObey law Of Congress which
he himself had sanctioned and sworn TO see faithfully
executed; from which nothing but disorder, confu-
| sion, and anarchy can follow"
| This is too absurd for comment. Mr.. Bolts,
or any other member of Congress, may assign
his reasons for his course; but the President,
lorsooth, must not explain 10 his constituents,
the People, the grounds of his conduct. AS 10
the States being inrited TO dsobey law, by the
paper filed by the President in the State Depart
ment, it only requires to look at the paper in or
der TO be satisfied 10 the contrary. IL expressly
advises the States 10 district themselves.
Charge the oath. charge him with being guilty Of
q high misdemeanor in retaining in office for
months after they have been rejected by the Senate
as unworthy, incompetent and unfaithful, with an
utter defiance of the public WILL and total indiffe-
renee to the public interests"
| No man has been retained in office one day
over what the Constitution allows. Has Mr..
| Bolts ever read the Constitution If he has.
he C rainly found in it that one appointed to
| Office, during the recess of Congress, may hold
his Office 10 the close of the next session of
| Congress.
Charge the "5th charge him with the high crime
and misdemeanor Of withholding his ass mt to laws
Indispensable to the just operations of Government
which involved no constitutional difficulty on his part
OF deriving the Government Of all legal mean. Of
revenue, and Of assuming 10 hisehe tuhoe po,cer Of
TAXATION and of collecting duties of the people with
out the authority or sanction of law"
/ The first part of this charge is absurd Until
Vetoes become unconstitutional the President
| has right to use them; whether he has used
| The power rightly, the People are TO determine,
and they have determined against Mr. Botts.-
As TO the latterpart Of the charge, ''of assuming
| 10 himself the power of taxation, and of collect
ing duties without the authority of law" the
Federal Court at Richmond has decided that he
has not collected money without the sa ,ction
of law What fdres has the President levied 2
If Mr.. Bolts would study law and common sense
more, and humbugs less, he might be of much
greater use 10 the country and his constituents
Charge the 18th charge him with an arbitrary
despoc, and corrupt abuse Of the power 10 graz
y his personal and political resentments against the
Senate Of the United States for constitutional exer
else OF their prerogative in the rejection of his nom
nees to office, with such evident marks Of inconsistent
cy and duphcity as leave to doubt his disre-
gard of the interests of the people and his duty to the
country
This is denied in toto. The Veto power over
the Bank bill was exercised before single re-
lection Of any friend of the President had taken
place.
Charge the 9th. charge him with gross official
misconduct in having been guilty Of shameless du-
plicty equyocaton and falsehood with his late Ca
binct and Congress, which led TO idle legislation and
useless puhiic erpens, and by which he has brought
such dlshonor on himself as to disquafy him from
administering the Government with advantage, hon
or or virtue, and for which alone he would deserve
to be removed from Office"
This charge, as an article for an impeacb-
ment of The President, is too ridiculous TO be
noticed, but will apply with great force 10 Con-
GREss. idle legislation and useless public ex-
pense." Ay, lots of it and the compeer, of
Mr.. Bolts have been tried by jury of the Peo-
pie, convicted, and three-quarrers of them al
In1r ed 10 sfau al hnrnc Tnr ihn nnxt 1....