North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-10-24
Impeaching thePresident.

Z
and important duty devolvitg uponsCon
gress, the Senate, and the Chief Justice, in
to such a commonplace affair that many
people seem to think the business can be
hastrned over with the same facility as a
law suit in a country court or discussion
in country debating society. They forget
that the Constitution carefully points out
the routine to he followed when man elect
ed by the people of the United States to
represent them and the power and dignity
of the nation at home and abroad, is to be
tried for will aba rdonm mt of his dutv.-
They overlook the fact that all the details
of such a trial are presented with a minnie
ness and accuracy that forbi Is those engag-
ed IN it from slraying from the Legal and
constitutional path. The bill of indictment
must be drawn hya certain specified form.
The trial iEuSt take place before differ
ent body. The Chief Justice of the Uni
ted States must preside, and the Senators
must he sworn as Jurors to act on the mo-
meutouS occasion, not. as politicians, not as
men eager fer an cxcuse to Oppose Presi.
dent by means Of the "block and the AK"
in order to hrld the reius of political power
and thus be enabled to fiji the different
situations with their friends and tools, but
as honest men, as patriots, with an eye SIM
gle to the welfare of the whole people, the
unity OF the States, and the prosperity u
the nation. ,-
The same care taken by the trainers of
the Constitution in hedging trial of the
Chief Magistrate of the nation with due
forms and satC guards, extends to the sprci
ficatOn of the bodies which are to partici-
pate in the solemn business. The HouNe
of Representatives is 10 prefer the charges.
The 81 section, article of the ConStItu-
ton thus sets forth The manner in which
this Grand Jury TO tiud bill of impeach-
mcnt against the President is to be drawn
from the cation:
The House of Representaiv shall be composed of
mcmbers chosen every second year by the people of
the SererdI States and the electors in each State
shall have the qualification requisite fer electors of
of the most numerous branch Vi the State Legisla-
tue,
1t will be observed that by the provisions
Of the Constitution Hoe ,e of Representa-
tiveS to prefer charges against the Presi
dent. "shall be" cumpO>el of members cho-
Sc every secon year ly the people Of the
"several States Nov, will it be conten
dpd that a Congress in which ten States
of the Union are unrcprcsented, not from
choice, but from compnlsion, in sIch Con-
gress as the Constitution contemplated to
bring charges against the President, and
send ,hem to the Senate? If the ten States
mentioned neglected to send delegates to
Congress if they voluntarily refused to
partc pate in the legislative affairs Of the
natio: if they surrendered their rights by
free wiIl choice, the case woud be differ
ent. But they are nOw asking to have their
members of Congress- admitted. That re-
quest las been refuse !, aud a sectional ma
iority has deprived Congress OF the power,
under Il c Constitution, TO prefer charges
against the President, because that body is
not composed Of members chosen by the
people comprising the "seVera. States of
the Federal Union. . ..--.
But if the charges con!l be preferred, is
the Senate of the United States such Il body
as ca, be constituted court to try and sen
tcnce he President? Article i, SECTION 3
ofthe Constitution thus declares what shall
constitute a legal Senate:
The e-afe of the United Stees shall be composed
Of two Senators from each STATE. chosen by the Leg
isl.tue thereof, for six years and each Senator
shall have one vote.
Senators are now absent from ten States
of the Union. They have been elected and
have presented their crcdcntiaf and claims
for admission under the Constitution. Bat
sectional majority has refused their appli-
cation. Under such State OF facts viii
anv reasonable. fair man contend that the
Senate iS compospA Of two Senators f ON
" each St"te?" fit i not, then il cannot
try the President; for thr Constitution not
ONLY declares that the trial shall take place
before the Senate. but al-o specifies how
the Senate shall I've constituted. The jury
mus, consist Of two members from "each
State" of the Union. A kss number. un-
less absent from neglect on the part Of the
people of the several States, is fatal to the
validity and legality Of the proceedings It
would no, be contpndcd for a moment that
if majority the Senators from the North
ern States we're to cay hat Maine, New
York and Ohio should not Oe represented
in the Senate. than the remainder of the
Senators ceuld proceed il the matter of
the imneachmrnt Of thePresident. And
vet this is parallel case with that of re-
fnsine Srpators from the Southern States,
so far as tlfe constitutional right ola see
tional Senate to proceed in an .impeach-
mcnt case is concerned. $50
twill thus BE- seen that it is not so easy
matter to impeseh the President as the
Radical leaders would make portion of
The people believe. The Chief Magistrate
has riohts which the Constitution guards,
as well as the people. The Radicals, how
ever. in order 10 destroy those rights and
to obtsi- possession ofthe office from the
moment when the summons for the Presi-
dent to appear has been issued, assume
the pnSiti n that the law deprivps the Chief