Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-03-13
Vice President johnson to Apollo RIz
or Resign.


The New York Independent, we'll known
as an influential Republican and admins
tration journal, speaking of the inaugura.
ton ceremonies at Washington on the 4th
inst, says:
{" And now, concerning the Vice Presi-
dent and the humiliating spectacle which
on that day he furnished to the world, shall
we speak or keep silent2 Perhaps there
exists come good reason why the sad truth
should be suppressed, but no such reason
have we yet discerned. We cannot, there.
fore, join with cur three neighbors, the
Tribune, the Times, and the Evening Post,
in psrdOning with silence the great dis
grace which Andrew Johnson inflicted that
day upon his country. Had the tables
been turned, and similar otfense been
committed by George H. Pendleton, we
can hardly believe that these Journals
would have laid their fingers on their lips
in hush of criticism. AS for ourselves.
We trust we are habitually slow to speak
ill of public men, even of such as deserve
disPraise; and certainly, among the many
journals which have atoretime been hearty
in their kind words of Andrew johnson,
none have been heartier than this sheet
butif such an appearance as he presented
during his Inauguration is to pass without
public rebuke. in these and in other news
paper columns, then there no longer re-.
mains to the press any duty of impartial
criticism of men in official stations.
"Once or twice, we have felt it our duty
to speak against the excessive use of in-
toxicating liquors by some of our public
men. 1t may be asked-What is the duty
of public journal in such cases2 1t seems
to Os plain. We hold that if public man
is drunken in private company he is not
amenable to comment in the newspapers :;
but it he be drunken while acting his part
on public occasion, his offense is against
the public, end should never be shielded
from the just punishment of public censure.
In the Senate chamber, on the 4sh of March
IN presence of the Senate, of the House. of
the Cabinet, of the Supreme Court, of the
diplomatic corps, of the newspaper press
of gallary of ladies, and during part of
the time) of the President of the United
Ststes-and on an occasion to be forever
hlstoric-the Vice President elect presented
himself TO take his solemn oath of Officein q
state of intoxication. Not in anger but in
sorrow do we chronicle this fact, which we
have no just right to suppress. A few
weeks ago, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives was commanded by vote of
that body to administer public re primand
to member who had committed a similar
otfense with less conspicuous shame. ia
member of Congress is to be punished for
such an act, shall the President of the Sem
ate remain uDpunished2 OF course, the
Senate will choose its own method of reach.
log the case; method which, We trust.
will be kind, moderate and just. But
meanwhile, it is the plain duty of Mr.
Johnson either to apologize for his conduct
OF to resign his Office. In the name of an
people, we are compelled to de-
nand that so great an affront to the dignity
u the republic shall be made to bear a TT
penalty atonement and warning"