, 1866-11-16
The Impeachment.


President. Indeed, at the elections just
held, this was one of the issues presented
by the radical voters and presses, and it will
be conteuded that the election of radical
representatives to Congress is an endorsement
by the people of this extreme measure. The
leader of this crusade against Andrew John
son, is General Butler, of gold spoon noto'
rety, who seems to have made himself the
representative man Of the radicals. Other
speakers of more character and less energy
have avowed the intention to arraign the
President before the grand inquest of the
nation, and hence we are warranted in says
ing that his impeachment is fofegoue con-
clusion. Butler having been selected as the
leader in this warfare against the consti!u-
tional chief of the nation, it becomes imporr
tant to know how he proposes to carry out
his purpose, A speech made BY the hero Of
Big Bethel, at Cincinnati, affords much light
upon this subject. In that speech he pre-
sented the following charges upon which he
claimed the President could be impeached:
l. Fer seeking to overthrow the Government
of the United States by destroying the Congress
of the nation.
2 %rongfully using the power disappointment,
and disregarding the prerogative Of the United
States Senate in the appointment of men whom
that body, in pursuance Unconstitutional author
lty had tried and rejected.
3. For declaring peace in the insurrectionary
States without the consent of Congress.
4. For corruptly using the Pardoning Power.
5. For failing to enforce the Civil Rights Bill.
G. For completely in the New Orleans riot.
Whatever may be thought of Butler as a
General, and certainly his military record is
anything but creditable, it is everywhere
conceded that be is an able lawyer, and posi-
sibly the most dangerous man that could
have been entrusted with the task of dragging
the President down from his high position.
Unscrupulous and a stranger to every princi,
pie Of honor, the country may expect that
with Buffers first appearance in Congress
he will set himself to the work of bounding
the President, and backed by predjudiced
and unreasoung majority, there is only too
much to fear that he will achieve success at
the peril of the nation. Of the process of
impeachment, and the manner in which the
Executive duties are to be discharged during
the time which must elapse from the prefer
ring of the charges at the bar of the Senate
until the case can be brought to trial, the
constitution, unfortunately, is silent. Wen
dell Phillips, another leader in this wild cru
sade, proposes that with the passage of the
resolution for impeachment, resolution ac-
company it declaring who shall tempora-
rily discharge the duties of the Executive
oRce. The mere impeachment of the Pres,
ident, without Immediately stripping him Of
power, is measure that would by no means
satisfy radical views of vengeance, and hence
we may expect that in advance of trial an
attempt will be made t. usurp the powers of
the Executive Office. 1t is her, rests the
danger of another civil war, and fortunate
indeed will it be if wise col1sols are yet en-
, abled to avert this fearful calamity. Let us
hope that the radical party Will pot surren,
der itself entirely to the keeping of unprin-
cipled advcntrrers Of the Butler school, but
recognizing the fearful perils that threaten
the country, will rise above the predjudices
and passions of the hour, and sink party in
patriotism.