Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-10-14

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The lase elections have unquessiOnably
enboldened the Radicals. They are now
probably more thoroughly aggressive in
spirit and design than at any time hereto
fore. Gro. S. BOUTWELL,, of Massachusetts,
who distinguished himself during the late
session Of Congress by his INSCRIPTIONS ef-
forts to convict JEFFERSON DAVIS Of com
plicity in the LIECoLS assassination, and by
his virulent luminosity to the President, was
nominated by reclamation for reelection by
his constituents or Wednesday last at Con-
cord, Mass. Heappeared The same night at
a joIlifcation meeting over the late elections,
at FaneuiI Hall, Boston. He was called
upon for a speech, and complied, launching
into bitter invective against President
JOHNSON. After some senseless twaddle
about the duties Of the President, he CON
tinued as follows:
"And while rs one representative of the
country, / am in favor Of an investigation
into this mans conduct, who has allied him
self to rebels at the South and traitors in the
North [cheersl mot in any spirit of revenge,
but in the proper spirit; and if it shall be
found that this public officer is guilty Of any
violation of his constitutional duties, then
for one l should not hesitate to have him
srraigned, and if guilty, CONDEMNED. lCheer-
ing. For fifteen months or more the chief
of this rebellion, held by authority under
the power of the President, arrested under
a proclamation issued by the President, dur
ing these fifteen months this man guilty OF
treason, and suspected Of the most infamous
Of crimes, has not been subjected to trial ac-
cording to the laws Of the land. Why is it
that he has not been subjected to trial? Are
not the sacrifices Of four years, the expendi-
ture Of thousands Of precious lives and three
thousand millions Of treasure, and finally
the sacrifice by the hand of the assassin Of
the martyred President Of the country, sufh-
cient in themselves to demand that he be
tried according to the laws of the land? We
know also that through the South the laws
of Congress have not been enforced as
they should be. Congress will look
into this matter. The voice of four great
States demand that Congress look into all
these things. Justice must be done. The
people of the country cannot afford to let
suspicion remain upon the Chief Magistrate.
Posterity win hold US responsible If we
allow a man to disregard his Constitutional
authority. Nothing in this case shall be
done for party purposes. We have been
disgraced by this man. He has by speech
assailed the coordinate party of the Gov
eminent"
There can be but little doubt that New
England entire concurs in the desire for the
impeachment and removal Of the President
from Office. Whether the Radicals of the
Middle and Western States will support this
desire, and thus warrant the movement at
the approaching session of Congress remains
to be seen. That it will be taken into Sc
rious consideration and vehemently urged
among members privately, lift does not as
sumo the shape of measure lin the halls Of
Congress, is absolutely certain.
The duties and rights of the President
in such contingency, if the impeachment
should be actually made, viii throw upon
him responsibility Of the g.avest charae-
ter. The interrogatories which it was re-
ported he had addressed to the Attorney
General, a day or two since will then as
sumo shape to imperatively demand from
him decision. We cannot see how it is
possible for the President to submit to an
impeachment and trial by the fraction of a
Congress. He will be compelled to demand
an impeachment by a House of Rep
resentattves of all the States as pro-
vided by the Constitution and laws, and
a trial by Senate composed of two mem
bers from each of the States of the Union.
Anything short of this will be violative Of
both the organic and statutoary laws of the
land, both of which the President is sworn
to defend and execute. He cannot, there
fore, stand tamely by and see in his own
person and station, usurpation and reyolu-
ton proceed to the utter subversion of the
Government When the time comes for ac-
tion-when the strides of this overshadoW-
ing usurpation shall have reached that
point which will demand of the President
prompt and decisive action, the people of
the Union viii not be kept long in doubt.
So far as the protection and defense of the
Constitution and laws and the perpetuation
of the rights and liberties of the American
people lie in his power, they will never be
deserted.