North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1864-01-20
Congress and the Threatened Impeachment
Of the President.

to repeal all laws of Congress for the rendi.
tion of fugitive slaves. Congress haA passed
two such laws. The fret in 1873, which was
signed by Washington. The second in 1850,
signed by President Fillmore. Mr.. Wilson's
bill is to repeal both Of these acts. But, to
accomplish bis object he must also bring in
bill to repeal portion Of the Fourth Article
of the Constitution, which declares thot such
fugitives shall be delivered up on claim" to
| their masters. While this article of the Con-
stitution stands it will be the duty of all
parties having fugitive slaves about them to
surrender the same to their masters claim"
notwithstanding the acts of Congress should
be repealed. The duty to surrender will be
just as binding after these acts are repealed as
before. It is matter over which Congress
has no control. 1t can no more rescind the
article providing for the surrender of fugitive
slaves, than it can the one providing for the
election OF President, or for vestlng the legis-
lative powers Of the Federal Government in
the Congress. This duty, to give up fugitive
slaves to their owners, is part of the organic
law of the land. Mr.. Lncoln's proclamations
have no more effect upon il, in legal point
of view, than proclamation from him against
the laws OF marriage would have. ANY man
who obeys one of these illegal proclamations
is, in the eyes Of the law, none the less fell
on than if be had committed these crimes of
his own motion. The moment Mr., Lincoln
is left to be dealt with according to law, every
man whose slaves be las turned loose by
special order, may arrest and punish him
for his lawless deeds, This is the law and
should the President fail in his designs to
revolutionize and destroy the Constitutional
Government of the United States, no hand
but that of death can snatch him from the
penalties of the broken laws. The Constitu-
tion which made him President limits his
powers to the administration of the laws, by
Constitutional means. If the revolutionists
in Congress repeal every law enacted since
the establishment Of the Government, there
stands the Constitution which Congress can
not repeal. That is the master of Congress,
as it is of the President, and has power to
hang the President and every member of
Congress, if they attempt to subvert or de-
stroy it. The idea that the attempted Sc
cesson of the South gives Mr. Lincoln the
right to violate and destroy the Constitution
of his country, will be seriously entertrinsd
by none but fools. Before he can take his
seat as President, he must take a solemn
oath to support the constitution. That oath
, has no exceptions. II is just as binding in
war as in peace. 1t provides for war as well
as peace. The President has no more right
to break it in times Of peace. He just as
E much deserves impeachment for violating the
Constitution in war, as he would for violating
, it in peace. This is plain enough to all who
have not lost their wits by fanaticism, or
some other wickedness and folly. 1t would
undoubtedly subserve the cause Of our coun-
try, of Constitutional liberty, if some brave
and patriotic member Of the present Con.
gress would file articles of impeachment
against Mr.. Lincoln, and put the revolution.
lists of the stripe of Senator Wilson to their
wits ends to defend him, or fore, tn EN- to
mortfying retreat behind gag resolution
to shut off all debate upon the matter
This would be forcing from their own
mouths a confession of the truth of the
charges brought in the articles Of impeach
ment. For no President would shrink from
the full and free investigation of such grave
charges, if he were conscious that he had the
law and right on his side. To shrink under
such circumstances, would be confession o
guilt. Any attempt to persecu.e the member
who should bring the matter to the attention
of Congress, wod e regarded, by the pub
lie opinion of thWworld, as a confession O
} judgment by the party accused. 1t is ru.
mored that one of the ables, legal minds il
the United States, man whose patriotism
: will be questioned by no one who is no
, himselfa traitor, is already engaged on arti
cles of impeachment. 1t is not of course, su,
} pose that anything but partzan verdict can
be obtained from the present G ,ngress, bu
! the trial would bring out the dark catalogu
of usurpations and crimes to the notice an,
knowle ige of the people, in shape easil
comprehended, and would aid very much il
fixing and deepening the public conviction
that the President has no Constitutional :righ
TO employ an army, even against recrean
State, for any other purpose tha to aid tn
civil authorities in enforcing the laws of tn
!, Union. ANY other result would not be a re
toration Of the Union. To conquer, to sub
, ljugate, to wipe out one third of the State.
, 90 far from saving the Union, would be pre-
cise'y to destroy the Union. And it woul
Be q destruction q thousand tine wors
than seces sion, because it would not onl
destroy one third Of the States, it would de
stroy the Federal Government itself, and sub