Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-01-10
A mnS&GriaI Askii1s ne hPoaehmsn,

"A memOrIoI ASKING the I'm peacmment
OF President JOhnsOn-OhRrges and
Specifications, &6e, &e. OF 2" flsRW
eb-sLFrom the Baltimore Gaastts, January ~ i9o7
IA memorial to Congress asking the inn
peachmentof President pohnson has been
quietly put in circulation throughout the
country. twas first drawn up, 1t is said,
iRNew England, and dcbpies have been 'sent
to Tennessee and elsewhere for signatures.
The memorial alleges that prior to the war
many persons were Of opinion gthat the
President was too great and too independ-
enti of the control of the people or their
representatives'ztha aduring the, war the
exercise of his power has led to the most
dangerous errors and cQrTupting abuses
and that ''sfnce the close OF the war IT, has
been,sO exercised by the present i1cnmbept
of the Presidential office as to make the
people and Congress appear altogether un-
important and Insignificant and dto]remind
the rejecting observer, rather of the. .insti-
tutions and power of an absolute monarchy
than democratic -repnblic." 1t Is but
short time since the very people who are
now signing this memorial were vocifer-
ousIy applalding every arbitrary act and
edict of the. President, They justified
every arrest Of a suspected man, 10 the
North-they approved of the despotism
which transformed Fort La Fayette into a
Government bastile-they commended the
suppression, of newspapers which ven
tured to oppose the, policy of the Admins
tratior. The Executive was then doing
the viii fthese same peoples they insist
ed that it was in all things acting in strict
conformity with the Constitution and the
laws. 1t was notmerely disloyal, but it
was highly reasonable at that time IN any
man to suggest that the Government was
more like an absolute monarchy than a
democratic republic. But now that the
President, believing the objects of the war
to have been accomplished, shows a dis
position to return, as far as may be, to the
system of government under which the |
country flourished for many years, the
ultra Radicals, who desire to push on the
work OF destruction, find out that the |
President has been, andis, doing very un-
constitutional things. They say that mo |
tree institutions" will regard it as at all |
compatible with our form of government |
"to permit the President to assume to him |
self the power of reconstructing govern |
ment in the late rebellious States, and of |
prescribing, according to his own mere will, |
the terms upon which they and their re-
beliOus people shall again be admitted in-
to the Union, and allowed to enjoy the |
protection of its laws; and the privilege of |
its government" In the eyes of these in
cendiary. revolutionists, the prerogatives of
the President for all the purposes of op-
preston and destruction are,inffnite; but for |
any work that may tend TO the peace and |
prosperity Of tho country his powers under /
the Constitution are very limited. Such /
are theshameless Inconsistencies to which |
they do not hesitate to resort for the ad- |
Vancement of their ends. f3g 2ctIGes |
The memorial further states that not only |
has the president adoptedsa reconstruction |
policy, "the manifest effect and object of |
whichis to exclude Congress from having |
any lot or part in the )settlernent,r but by |
dpursuing his own impracticable and ruin
GUS scheme, he has given the lie to all his /
former professions !; has Knocked at and in
suited justice and law, degraded the dignity /
of his great office, and Is, AS far as he can, /
restoring to ALI their former rights the un-
repentant, enemies of the republic, and
arfhing them anew with power, as If it were |
his purpose to reconstruct not the republic, |
but the rebeliop.I "The pardOning pow
er, 1--WE. are told, p has in his hands, become |
means to abolish justice for the public |
ruin" He is keeping the negro In condi-
ton Hmore oppressive even than slay- |
cry ITSELF" he is securing the interests |
of. "treacherous, landed arstocracy," |
while "the freedom-loving people of the |
North behold themselves cheated of all the !
legitimate fruits Of their enormous sacri- |
fees" The memorialists then say: To |
leave in Office three years longer man who |
thus abused his power by cheating condi-
tions that carry with them the germs of
another civil war, the undersigned consider
treason to the republic. They deem IL
necessary, therefore, that this'nian, on ac-
count of the violations of the Constitution
under which he holds his authority, on ac-
count of misg0vernment, and on account of
his contempt for the laws of Congress, shall
be impeacbed and removed from his Office"
The memorial concludes with the assertion
that the ''nation has right to know whether
its first servant Is appointed as an autOcrat,
or as a republican officer" w
Whether this memorial has been drafted
at the Instance OF influential politicians, or
is being sigred by them, we cannot say,
but ifsuch should be the case, it bodes
serious trouble Men who are willing to
put their names to9such manifesto will
stop at nothing. In drawing the sword
against Mr.. johnson they have thrown
away the seabbard,a and he can only meet
them in, the same way, tor, In such a politi-
cal struggle, the most resOlute OF the two
pagtiesis Is most likely to.be successful. The
more radical element in Congress and In |
the country Is bent upon attaining, HsposA |
sible, absolute power. How they would |
use iti6 paihfulfto tlllnlg1 But Mr. John |
son, having acted with them up to q certain |
point, sees the lniustice 6nd the TolIy Of
carFyingout their destructive policy in the
South. He. knows perfectly we'll that It
would result in the ultimate ruin Of both
sectionssW The revolutionary faction must
first then, get the President out OF the
way. If SC cannot do this it VIII aend6aTof
to induce CongressIto usurp, powers as, abr
solute as those exercised BY the National
Convention in the French Revolutions How
far it will succeed in. again throwing the
country into inextficabie confusion De-
pends altogether uponthe amDunNo of cours
age and. energy that may be displayed hy
the President. sDs''ss''
.Ral1road ColIision.
The Zahssviile StSAdsN 81 that on SaturA
day night, near the trestle over Big Walnut
Creek, the freight train going east EapEintg
the rear of another freight trains also east
ern bound, oyerturning two coal cars and
tAecaboose, severely injuring the Conduct
or, Mr. Josephs, who was taken back TO
Columbus. Itfs fearedhisspine is injured,
and may result fatally. sSl9sTwsssisi
BR1GHAM Yo0Ne is reported TO have 1856
wives Silas ROeder 120, Jeremiah Stern
hl,s Job .Billisen 80, Julius HOfmsB te2
Habacue Croatzy 81, and Gideon YRutin 81.
Brigham's oldest wife is not oyer forty-nine,
and his youngest not above fourteen, while
:, .,ro "a :, ~.