The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-27
THE IMPEACHMENT QUESTION.
CONTINENTAL HOTEL, PHILADELPHIA,
November n, 1866.

CONTINENTAL HOTEL, PHILADELPHIA,
November n, 1866.
20 CongreSs:-
Avoid the impeachment question-more dan
gerous to the republic than the firing upon Fort
Sunderland your now sustained position will
be supported blythe entire pc pie. Impeach
the President, and your power will depart like
shadow through the just, active hostility OF
the President s friends, and the majority OF
your own party opposed to an impeach nent.
1 was opposed to the policy of radical states
men for the freedom of The slave through the
policy pursued during the war of sword hostiG.
ties, believing it only just, if the war must con-
tinue 10 confne it TO vlndication of the Union
under the Constitution, and when conquerors
to free the slave through universal amnesty,
gradual emancipation, remuneration policy.
The victory over the South the failure of the
President to secure peace when in his power,
with an unwise call of the 14th of August
politician Convention, caused my opposition
to him, WHILE in connection, the clear vindi-
cation of the favor OF the people to your
policy, led to my late advocacy, here and in
Europe, of your policy, as the only legitimate
power in America. | vas actuated in this course
by patriotic desire to do what l could to sus-
tain the Government of our fathers, founded
upon the will OF the people. The people elected
President johnson to his position. l have no
idea, therefore, as an American citizen, to
calmly look on preparations for an impeach-
ment Of that President, for as indispensable vio-
lations of the Constitution as was necessary by
your body, now ratified by the people.
The Union exlsts-the Constitution exists
the Republic exists. The people elected you,
elected the President, for the purpose of protec-
tion and making peace-that, then, is your duty,
not to declare States territories but to make a
peace in the States; not to mpeach the Presi-
dent but to correct him, thereby, in the one
case, destroy the Union, destroy the power of the
Constitutions and in the other case, secure a
renewal of the war, for while you will, and
have the right to maintain your power, so has
the President the will and right to maintain his,
as he believes.
May you have wisdom to act in leg timate
concert with the people, remembering that they
govern through you. Let it be admitted that
the people, in confirming your power, con-
demned the Presidents policy-but that is all
they did do. They did not declare him an un-
constitutional President, nor constitutional
usurper. The people then demand of you mode
ration-to secure peace and to avoid bloody
conflict. The President, under your power, is
pOwerless-yet more powerful than even you,
with the shield of the Constitution as his pro-
tector.
The people are not forced to protect the policy
of any President; but they must, to save the
Constitution and the republic, protect the Pre-
sident if necessary, at the point OF the sword.
While therefore, the President should be op.
posed in his policy, through the now declared
will of the people, yet he should be, and must
be, protected as President.
AS for myself, hereby declare my purpose,
that if the President be impeached, from that
moment will be one ready to join that por-
ton OF the people VINO will rise up to sustain
the President during his term of office, or
until the subject be referred to the people.
VIM. CORNELL JEwETT