The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-31
The Approaching Session of Congress
impeachment of the President.
he

The Thirty-ninth Congress Second SESSION.
will reassemble In the National Capitol on the
first Monday in December next and its cousti-
tutional term of existence will end on the 4th of
March ensuing. 1t will be what is generally
known as the short session, during which very
little business can be expected beyond the appro.
prIation bills, and some tinkering of the tariff
the national bank and currency systems and
Internal Revenue laws. 1t is morally certain
however, that soon after, if not before, the re-
ception OF the Presidents annual message the
extreme radicals in the House will make a
movement for the impeachment of President
johnson. The upshot of this experiment, there
lore, becomes very important question.
Notices OF impeachment proceedings have
been proclaimed from the stump by General
Banks, General Ben. Butler Hon. Mr.. Bingham
and Hon. Mr.. Shellabarger, ,.of Ohio, and by the
Hon. Mr.. Kelley, of Pennsylyanla, and other
radical leaders. In one OF his late electoneer-
ing speeches. MIR. Bingham SAID, $50 help me
God, win neither give sleep to my eyes nor
slumber to my eyelids until shall have drawn
bills OF impeachment against Andrew Johnson
General Butler, however, in one of his late
stump orations out West, has gone so far as TO
frame his Indictment and his charges against
the offending President, and they are as fol.
loWs:-
l. An attempt to bring Congress into public
hatred, ndicue; and contempt.
z Wrongfully using the power of appoint
ment, and dsregarding the prerogatives OF the
United States Senate in the appointment of men
whom that lody, in pursuance of constitutional
authority. had tried and rejected.
3. + or declaring peace in the insurIectionary
States without the consent of Congress.
4. For coIruptly using the pardonlng power.
8. For failing TO enforce the Civil Rights bill
9. For completely IN the New Orleans riot.
General Butler next answers the question
How can the President be impeached?n sub
stantially as follows:-Tnat the House of Repre-
sentatlves, acting, according to the Constitution
as the grand inquest, or grand Jury of the nation
prepares and presents the bill of i'm Jeachment
to the Senate OF the United States, which then,
with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court as
its presiding judge, becomes high court of i'm
peachment, and so sends out Its sergeant.at-
arms 10 bring in the criminal, be he high or
low. This done, the Senate may send him to
prison for safe keeping during the intervals
between the sittings of the Court, or they may
order him to lind bail; and in either case the
emotions OF his high office must be discharged
by t6e the trial by some other person-that is,
simmer r'ssident of the Senate, Mr.. Foster, Mr.
nosiiion st n Made, or any one else holding the
| Eenate as its "me, through an election by the
oSerandi then. Of oft6iidsilnag officer. The niodus
IS simple enough, and as assssauenea impeachment
majority OF two-thirds in eatS Horsa ~. i
sition by Congress of PresdenS Use, Tue uepo'
good case could be made out annsson' II
would be very apt to follow without mSSS hIlInt Iat
of time. loss
The power of the two Houses in the premis.s
is clear. The President and any other ciyil
officer Of the United States may be removed by
the process indicated, ION Impeachment for
and conviction OF treason, bribery, or other
high crimes and misdemeanors.p But what is
the case made out against President johnson
by General Ben. Butler? First, that Andre W
johnson has been guilty of the ''attempt To
bring Congress into public hatred ridicule,
ana contempt We presume this has reference
to some of the unfortunate speeches Delivered
1 by MIR. johnson in his late unlucky pilerimaoe
10 the shrine OF Senator Douglas at Chicago;