Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-03-08
President johnson and his Enemies

The y alO7lCU IteIlIenCeT declares that even
among N of high official station, there exists a
project tor putting the President out OF way by
impeachment Section T. Article ?, of the Consti-
tuition, provides that the president Vice-Presi-
dent and all civil officers of the United States
shall be removed from office impeachment for
and conviction of treason, bribery, other high
crimes and misdemcanors.' Section 5, Article |,
declares that the House of Representatives shall
have sole power of Impeachment, and section g.
of same article, that 'tlc Senate shall have the
sole power to try all inpeachments. When sit
ting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or
at1i1 nation. When the President of the United
States is tried, the Chief Justice shall prese and
no person shall be convicted without the concur
renee OF twO-thirls Of the members present. -
Section {, declares that Judgment i'll case of i'm
parchment shall not extend farther than to re-
moyal from office, md disqualification to hold any
office under the United States Section g. of Article
2 provides that III of the removal of the Presi
dent from Office, of his death, resignation, or
inability to discharge the duties of his Office, the
same shall devolNe on the Vice-President and
that Congress may by law provide for the case of
removal, death, &c, both of the President and
President, declaring what officer shall then
act President and said officer shall act accor-
dinghy, until the disability shall be removed or q
President shall be elected.
II the House Of Representatives has the nerve
it has unquestionably the power to impeach the
President. 1t must be, however, for treason, bri-
berry, OF other high crimes and mlsdemeanors
Which of these has Andrew Johnson committed?
We could scarcely believe, except upon the grave
authority of the National LateNigesce7 that single
member of the House of Representatives could be
found mad enough to aege against the President
of the United States any of the crimes which the
Constitution specifies furnishing grounds for
impeachment. Unless it is treason high crime
and misdemeanor, to veto All act of Congress, and
sustain that veto with arguments that which Radi-
calls of that body are unable to answer, we cannot
conceive how the enemies OF Andrew Johnson can
SO much initiate a constitutional process for his
trial Still less is it possible to understand how
they anticipate the of an Impeachment,
when twO-thirds of the Senate cannot be brought
even to overthrow his veto.
The President, in his ed of February speech,
intimates that even the desperate and Internal
means Of assassination has been contemplated by
some of his enemies to remove him out of the
way. The brutal ferocity of temper exhibited by
some of his assailants i'll the newspaper press,
would warrant the conclusion that passions are
excited which might lead to such terrible catas-
trophe. What fearful emphasis does such state
of facts impart to the words of Washingtons Fare
well Address, when he said LET warn you,
in the most solemn manner, against the baneful
effects of the spirit Of party generally. This
spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from ma
trre, having its roots in the strongest passions of
the human mind. 1t exists under different shapes
in all governments, but in those of the popular
form it is i'll the greatest rankness, and Is
truly their worst enemy. The alternate DONNA
ton Of ono faction over another, sharpened by
the spirit Of revenge, naturally to party dissen-
sions, which, i'll different ages and countries, has
perpetrated the most horrid enornties, is itself
frightful despotism. But this leads at length, to
more formal and permanent despotism.
There is, indeed, an 'earthquake heav1ng, not
only under the Capitol, but under the whole tenn
pie of Republican Government if party passion
shall not be checked and restrained RichDload
DiSp7ch,