Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-03-17
THE VICE PRESIDENT.

We find in the Pittsburgh Gazette the following
editorial onthe late disgraceful exhibition made
by the Vice President at the inauguration. We
fully approve its sentiments =
eve have hitherto refrained from commenting
upon the fact that the Vice President disgraced
himself and the nation by appearing in a state of
intoxication at the time of his induction into Office
and infhcting upon his hearers amaudlin, drunken
speech, not because we hoped thereby to hide the
unpleasant fact from our readers or shrink from
condemning the grievous fault committed, but
because we hoped that little delay would bring
US some mitigation of the report, and render the
transaction less dsgraeefu than was at first stated
We have waited, however, in vain; and now that
the facts are beyond dispute, we join with the Re
publican press of the country in telling the Vice
President that having utterly disgraeed himself,
subjected his party to the keenest mortifc alton,
aud made his country laughing stock in the eyes
of the world, the least reparation he can make is
10 resign. After this exhibition of himself, he
cannot occupy that place any longer with honor or
credit. His good name is lost, and he cannot re-
gain it by holding on to place he has disgraced.
If he attempts to hold on to it he win thereby
all the more untitled for that high position
But what if he does not resign Then let him
be impeached, or reached in some other way by
the action of the Senate In selecting It's Stand
ing Committees the other day, the Senate exelu-
ded therefrom Messrs. Salisbury and McDougall,
because of their notorious drunkenness; and if it
can thus punish its own members for that vice. it
can say emphaticaily to the Vice President that it
will not have drunkard to preside over it.
The Democratic papers are welcome to make
out of this affair all the capital they can The
Republican papers of the country have all con-
demned the Vice President most heartily, and the
party, having washed its hands Of this crimnality
cannot be held responsible for it. On this aspect
of the subject we coincide fully with the following
from the New York Tribune
Certain opposition journals seek to make party
capital out Of the alleged fall let us see how itly
Throughout the late session of Congress- two
Senators, and two only, have been conspicuousy
and persistently Incorporate. Both of them are Of
the Opposition. One of them has frequently inter
rupted and disturbed the proceedings Of the Senate
by his drunken ebullitions. Neither of them has
ever been publicly rebuked by any journal of his
party. On the contrary, one has just been re-eec-
ted for full term otsiA years by the whole strength
of that party in his State, without whs of Dem
ocratic dissent from any quarter. And now the
very journal that most noisily assaiing the friends
of the Administration because of Mr. Johnson's
lapse is simultaneously denouncing as proseriptiye
and outrageous the omission by the majority of the
Senate of the names of those two drunken Seua-
tors from each and all of the Standing Committees
From the New York Evening Post, we make
the following extract on this subject
We have not alluded to the subject firstly because
the report had not come to us IN any authentic
shape secondly, because we are never in haste to
parade matters of this before our readers anc
thirdly, because supposing the reports in such cases
to be true we always hope that the offenses are ac
edenta and transient, and that the poignant humil
iation of the offenders viii teach them repentance
and selfrespect for the future Several of our mos
eslmabe public men, unfortunately have been vic
TINS to depraved appetites, and have disgraced thei
functions and themselves by open exhibition of theii
vice. But we have seldom known much good to bt
done by deRouncing their afirmities In the public
prints. Private counsel and affection or the Official
care of an asylum, are the best remedies in mos
cases.
,f It be true, however, as so respectable an an
thority as the Independent alleges, that the Vice
President lost himself in the presence of the domes
TIC and foreign digEtaries, the women, children anc
people gathered by the ceremonies of the inangura-
ton, we entirely agree with that print, that Tit il
the plain duty of Mr.. Johnson either to apologiz,
for his conduct, to resign his Office or, he vii
add, in the event of his declining the alternative.
viii become the duty of the Senate to act in the
premises