The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-12-21
The War Against the President

The War Against the President.
The Cincinnati Commercial 6 (Re-
publican) has the following from
Washington:
Ordinary capacity to Judge of men
and measures, and to reason from
what appears on the surface what
there is underneath, is quite enough
to lead to the conclusion that the
proceedings of the caucus on Wednes-
day night, are intended as the initial
steps in the impeachment of the Pre-
sident. They are so understood sub
rosa by few who Initiated them, if
not by the vast majority who ratified
them. A committee to investigate
the New Orleans riot seems like a
very simple matter on its face; but
taken III connection with the asser-
tlons of those who moved it, it means
something more than an effort to give
official publicity to the facts of that
dlsgraceful ebullition of Southern
cbivalry.
So, too, of other investigating com
m1ttees appointed and to be appoint
ed. They all point in one direction
q determination to get hold of some
thing that will justify the arraign-
ment of the President for some crime
or mlsdemeanor. The only part of
the radical programme to which ex-
ceptions can be taken, (for the right
to investigate the conduct of Mr..
johnson can certainly not be called
into question even, if, all things con
sldered, its propriety be doubted, is
the proposition which it is commonly
understood will be offered before
long, to enact a law making the
arra1Snment Of the President the sig
nal for his removal from office.
This must and will be looked upon
as a revolutionary proceeding, and
cannot meet the endorsement of any
man not prevented by party passions
and preJudices from seeing that it is
possible to carry the persecution
even of such man as johnson too
far: tits unjust in what it proposes,
and dangerous in the example it sets
for future imitation by political ma
loritics. 1t contemplates punishment
before trial or conviction, and es-
tablishes a precedent under which
the President of the United States
may, at any time, be removed, when
a mere majority in the House of Rep
resentatives shall be dissatisfied with
his conduct. 1t requires only q
majority OF the House to pass articles
OF impeachment; but the trainers of
the Government, anticipating just
such state of things as Stevens and
Kelley and their associates now wish
to bring about, provided that it
should require two-thirds of the Sc
nate sitting as high court of i'm
peachment to convict.
A Washington correspondent writes
as follows to the Cincinnati Gazette:
The Congressional trumpet rings
clear. There is no mistaking its
notes. They call to conflict which
will be made final, to victory which
will cause the loyal to rejoice. There
seems to be a general disposition to
pay little attention to Andrew John
son personally, to waste no words
upon him, but to proceed quietly to
thorough investigation of his acts.
Beyond question, he will be stripped
of all power to injure his country,
and left as helpless to harm as q ser
pent without fangs. While it seems
almost certain that the investigations
already ordered, viii bring to light
acts which will demand impeachment,
at the same time legislation is already
planned to set him aside almost as
effectually as if placed on trial and
convicted. The change in the time
OF the meeting of Congress, the re-
vision of the modes of appointment,
and the proposal to limit the dura-
ton of Presidential terms to four
years, all look in that direction.
Gil Loa