The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-11-26
Hen Butler ON the Rampage-The Threas-
ened Impeachment,


Hon butler the Rampage-The Threat.
encd Impeachment.
Ben Butler, member elect Of the next Con-
gress, delivered himself in Brooklyn on last
Saturday evening Of his bill Of indictment
against Andrew Johnson and laid down his
| programme for the impeachment OF the Prcsi-
dent. He was listened to by large audience,
| who received his buncombe oratory with good
[ humored indulgence, often laughing. OCCASION
ally bestowing upon him ironical applause, and
always in vein which showed that the efforts
of stupid copperhead organ to dignity the
occasion by a riot were even more contempti-
BILE in their estimation than the blusterings of
this modern Bombastes Fnrioso. We con-
graduate the citizens Of Brooklyn upon this
evidence Of their good sense and good temper,
and we hope they will be as attentive to their
next lecturer, the negro Douglass, as they were
on Saturday evening to the staggering, melo-
dramatic hero OF the Dutch Cap canal.
Now that Butler has been safely delivered Of
this impeachment speech without the inter
rupton Of so much rotten apple, we trust
it will set at rest the fears Of the old fogy Or
gans at Washington and elsewhere, and of all
the elderly ladies throughout the Union who
have been preaching the danger Of
collision between the President and Con-
gress. The principal charge made by
the New Orleans metal broker against
Andrew Johnson, is drunkenness in Office"
and this, il true, is an offence which the present
United States Senate would scarcely be dis
posed to press to the point Of conviction. The
truth is that the Jacobins Of Congress, if really
disposed to attempt the impeachment Of the
President, would not be able to secure fifty
votes in the House of Representatives in favor
Of the exercise Of that power. Tbs verdict of
the recent elections has been too emphatic an
endorsement Of the mode of settlement pro-
posed by Congress to render 1t likely that the
representa- ives of the people will allow either
copperhead or Jacobia plotters to bring new
issues before the country and to involve us
in fresh complications. When it becomes GER
tain that the proposed constitutional amend
ment cennot be adopted by the requisite num-
Der of States it will be the duty of Congress
to enforce the settlement Of the country by
some more determined and definite policy,
rather than to frltter away its strength in
squabbie with the Executive for the federal
patronage. But if 1t were possible for the
Jacobins 10 carry their point in the House of
Representatives, and 70 pass resolutions Of i'm
parchment, their pretence that the President
would have mo further official functions" after
the action OF the House is In direct conflict
with the constitution, which says that the
President shall be removed from Office on i'm
parchment for and conviction Of treason, &c."
aud it would be difficult for o lawyer with
more brains than Butler possesses to prove
that the President can be deprived Of "all
official functions" until he ia removed from
ofice.u
II is very likely that Ben Bntler and his
fellow Jacobins would be glad to drive Con-
gress into some course Of action calculated to
disturb the peace Of the country. Out Of the
national turmoil they have already contrived
to gather a golden harvest, as some men
manage to plumber during a confagration.
But the people have had enough Of revolution
airy agitators, and Congress will show its ap-
probation Of the popular verdict rendered in
the recent elections by frowning down all
attempts to change the issue before the people.
The settled purpose Of the North is that the
peace won by our armies shail not again be
disturbed, either by the radical Jacobins Of
Congress or by the combined forces Of seces-
sion and copperheadism. They have offered
to the South the constitutional amendment as
basis OF restoration and final settlement.
When that is rejected, they will expect their
representatives at Washington to take the
matter into their own hands and to crush out
the unsrmed rebellion against the Union by
action az decisive and as promp. as that by
which Grant and Sheridan swept away the
armed power OF the Confederacy.
lHE PoPE's PRorE CroRs--His Holiness the
Pope Of Rome is in very bad way. He has
deluded hmeelf with antiquated notions so
long that be is totally out of place in this pro-
gressiye century. Instead Of securing the re-
spect of the world by relnauishipy All preten-