Freeman's champion., 1858-04-01
From the Leavenworth Times.l
Impeachment of the President.

impeachment OF the president.
1t is matter Of no light import b
impeach the President of the United
States, nor is it a triAing consider
alton to hear the propriety of such
proposition openly discussed and ad
vocated. But the treachery and de
gradation of our late Presidents have
become so marked and noted, theil
recreancy to every honorable obiga'
| ton SO forcibly demonstrated, anc
their guilty participation in the en-
actment of high-handed and outra'
geous measures so palpable, that il
would seem as if the time had come
when an impeachment was rendered
necessary to. preserve the honor of the
nation and the integrity of our insti-
tutions. Letting the past go for what
it is worth, and coming, at once and
directly, to the case Of James Buchan'
an, we find in his administration am
pie room for impeachment. The pow
er Of a President is but little under
stood. In the army Of appointments,
and the vast amount of federal pat
ronage he controls, q federal ex-
ecutive wields an influence in this
Republic scarcely second to that Of
any European monarch. James Bu-
chanan has exerted, and is now ex-
erting the whole force and influence
of his office to secure the passage of
an evil and iniquitous measure which
threatens the peace aad l-being of
the Union. Reckless in his subserv-
iency to bosterous oligarchy, and
Wild in his bigoted and narrow con-
ceptions Of duty, he 'wields a relent-
less scimitar. No matter how honest
or capable any official may be, his
decapitation is matter of course, if
he fails to cooperate with the Presi-
dent in an evil and threatening poll
cy. An honest press is sought to be
stihed, and federal threats, and federal
patronage, stalk boldly into Legis-
lative councils to cow the timid, and
seduce the dishonest.
1t is difficult to say where the end
will be if there is not a stop put to
such an abuse of power and patron
age, If the President is to establish
an Infamous test as a necessary quail
ifcation Of of1ice--if a press must
stiae an honest expression of opinion
before the publication Of laws and
Congressional enactments can be Sc
cured-and if bribery and corruption
are to tread, unmaskcd, in our legiS-
lative halls, we are truly come to a
sad and evil pass, and our country al
ready begun not only to falter in its
high mission, but to take a'down-
ward and degrading course. Buchan-
an is determined on forcing a min or
ity puleupon the people of KanzaS.
Not satisfied with endeavoring to pur-
chase Congressional votes by open
bribes, the executive influence is used
throughout the entire country to out
rage public sentiment and force upon
the people obnoxious Officials, or to
Stiae the indignant protest Of North
ern journals against the outrage and
the wrong, A motion was recently
madein the House Of Representatives,
by Mr.. Hoard, to appoint commit
tee to investigate these charges, and
the Administration party tacitly ac-
knowledged their truth by voting az
mine facto against the proposal. But
Mr.. Hoard's resolutions are not yet
lost. The facts against Mr., Buchan-
an, and evidences Of his guilt are fast
accumulating and the opinion is dai-
ly gaining and strengthening that the
President has laid himselfopen to i'm
peachnent. We may expect mo-
tiohto this effect at any day, and
though such a motion may not pre-
val, it will open the eyes of a nation,
and awaken the people to sense OF
their duty. Whether impeached or
not, however, as an exchange well
says, there is something mortiiy-
ing, not tolsay alarming in the mere
fact that Q President, in the first quar-
ter Of his administration, should SO
indiscreetly--we will not say corrupt
ly-exert the influence Of his'office as
to compel his political opponentsto
look to an impeachment as the only
available means OF preventing our
governments degeneration into an
oligarchical despotism."' '" 81"
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