Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-02-25
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

Inc Power Of mpeaehnent-Ju5ge Wat
rcus.-By the Constitution Of the United
States the high Fowe- Of Impeachment, is vest.
cd IN Congress, under certain regulations. BY
ITS exercise. the execution OF law and the
channels Of justice are to be kept pure and
indebted, and the uronss and expressions of
power are to be held in check, or arrested.
Without the power Of impeachment, lodged
somesheIe, and without the restraints which
it imposes, life-senure Judiciary-indeed,
We night cay any Judiciary whatever
would be but another means Of iucressir: the
opportunities Of wrong, ard Of rendering in
tolerabie what wo1ld become the expressions
Of even Courts OF Justice themselves. Tits
honorable 10 TIE integrity Ct the Bench that
there have been so few occasions Of calling
into Iequisition the pover of Impeachment;
but the existence Ct tie power is itself an
auxiliary and substantive cause.
There can be no fear of any abuse perpetr,-
ted urder color Ct such right. The party
interested IN the prosecution will have before
bis eyes al he difficulties, delays, expenses,
hareSsmeIt s and uncertainties which excer:.
exec las shown to attend upon bringing the
strong to justice at the instance Of the weak,
and he will understand how high the court,
and how almost irresistible will be the kind Of
evidence necessary TO conviction, and how
much opProbIium will rest upon him in the
event CT a want Of success. The accused will
have the benefit Of his experience and knowl.
edge Ct the law may confront Witness with
witness, and will have the opportunity at last,
u nrocen', # triuuphantIy vindcat:ng him.
self,
when an Impeachment is asked for, the
theory Of cur Consultation is fer the House Of
Representative 10 constitute itself a grand
inquest, IN ths nature Of grand Jury, TO in.
9uire if any and what oTsnce has been com
mitied, and If the fence be of sufficient MAJ
nitude TO present the offender in an efi,isI
manner 10 be tried by the Senate. Il is not
tho duty Of the Hluse to iry the offender any
more than II is the duty Of tie grand iurv:
nor has the accused the right to appesr before
the House, or before committee of the House.
th,Gsh such favor might, if asked, be readily
g.asied
1t ought to be sufficient that strong pyiuo
(seie evidence Of guilt is introduced lr ,ay,.
and that the Hcuse, acting for the interests q,
jusllcs ard Of the accused, as well "a of The
accuser, las tie opportunity, and actually
uses 1t, through a committee CT otbervise ~
sh'ins out the testimony, Of requiring doc.
Hmsnts ard vouchers, and Of cros,-exaui,.
ing the parties 10 the fullest extent. To 70.
9aIe u.re than this would be 20 cbanoo ,b.
e TEE remedy, or, perhaps, to defe:
t''eI' III Ire ii u:e, from this nome En-,
oecome n lt'e.f The prosecutor, then wealth,
PNer' sna II fuence will lie the indi,ns,,.
0I' Pc ecu SITES to impeachment be the
cause Gu al u great; and this yrea, eo,st;tp.
tioDa' oulWa'k Of Liberty will deve, s,.,. 49,,
face he asg II. we'd and Cutra,sa o;,;-.~
or cit zens dem al ding pUEi.l nett u,on oa-
flP' ludge ere Eot Iikeyo be in a condition o.
make Up a. itsUe before a CT mn ittee os o.,
gress BY bringing on witnesses to confront x,,.
nesses, to fee attorney, and 10 print document.
and papers, az in a court at law If sp.b
we're required froin them, the powerful cuIt ri,
would 60 zLwkip', land wrong aud orpres
sion IrOv TO be irreu ediable.
Let 'ne tuipf4S DC district Judge Of The
United states, for example, with circuit cour,
powers, high chancellor With powers Of up.
pointmen; # matters in ctancery, clerks, re.
eeivers, commissioner, snd a. chancellor as
.ame BY bic decree to :djudicate disputed
t'ie 10 nillioIs # scres OF mcst valuable
ishds' and wall net sch man be surrounded
WIZ powerful II fuences calculated to baf1s
the Efforts Of oppressed individuals. maid, A
me power and sanction Of the State,
mere have been il cur history three i'm
Peaenmehs Of Federal judges, and no. two
a. We stated IN time age. To wit: Picks,.
ng' Chass AID Peck; tie frst Of whom wa.
uund guilty. (:se AnI as of Congress 1902,
Inc case OF Wa.rcus, now before Cops,...
WIZ % the fourth. In none Of thss, s....