Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-10-17
| Ben. Butler After Andy johnson.
From the Cincinnati Commercial of Oct II
Gen. Butler Advocates the I'M
parchment of the President.

parchment of the President.
Mozart Hall was crowded to overflow
ing last evening by an audience assembled
to hear speeches from Ex Governor Den
nison and Gen. Butler.
General Butler proposed, he said, to
discuss a question of moment to the
American people which had not been
discussed much in this campaign. He
was impelled to this, he said, because he
believed the issues upon which this cam
paign started were already decided
Nothing more than the formalIty of cast
ing ballots was necessary to complete this
work. If we could stop there our task
would be done but, we have been threat
ened from high quarters. We have been
told by one high in the Presidents con-
fdence-by Mr.. Montgomery Blair, that
if we elect Congress not in accordance
with the will of the President-if we in
sist upon the constitutional amendment
then we shall have civil war.
President johnson in his recent tour
/ through the Western States, has more
than once limited at the same thing; and
speaking of the contest between the
President and Congress, his Secretary of
State has, you remember, asked In all so
| db L Dbildull, III
(Which will you have. Andrew John
son for President or King?" What
means that? Again, we hear that the
Southern States are renewing their or
ganization of armed bands, such as were
disbanded upon the surrender of the
Confederate forces. We learn from New
Orleans, by the offcialreport of the Mill
tary Commission appointed to investigate
the massacre at New Orleans, that Hays's
brigade was in full organization there,
and that that brigade took part in that
most cruel, foul and cowardly massacre.
More than that, we know that in the ar
mories and arsenals of the United States
at Baton Rouge, there are, or there were
a few days ago, two hundred thousand
stand of arms, and that the commandant
of that arsenal is pledged openly to the
policy of Andrew johnson. We know,
further, that in Galveston there are al
most half million of small arms, and a
sufficient quantity of field artillery to
supply an army of half million of men.
We know, also, that it is openly said that,
in case President johnson can elect a
sufficient number, say twenty or thirty
men in the North in the places of our
loyal Representatives, that he proposes
to recognize them, with their Southern
allies, as the rightful Congress of the
United States. No man can know what
may be done, even if that sufficient mum.
Der is not elected, and, therefore, l pro
} pose to discuss, for few moments, the
dangers of the Republic and the remedy
for those dangers. [Applause.
Our foreign enemies, headed by the
London Times, predicted that this civil wal
would not end without the overthrow oi
our institutions. . -ae-l.-
That danger has passed away. Again,
it was predicted that as all great civil
commotions of so great an extent as the
one through which we have just passed
had been, at all times, followed by some
men seizing the Government; as the peo-
pie, tired of war and commotion, tired of
excitement and contention, had been
ready to accept any man who should
promise them peace and quiet and the
enjoyment of life, liberty and property,
that the American people would accept
some man at the head of the Government
and lay down their liberties at his feet, if
in return. they should receive quiet and
enjoyment of peace and happiness un-
molested.
Our fathers foresaw, however, that there
could be case even in the short period
of four years in which the Executive or
his ministers might seek to perpetuate
their power; and thereupon they put, as
one great safeguard of the Constitution,
one of the palladiums of therights of the
people, one of the great remedial meas
ures of the Constitution, one of the great
checks in the balance of government
the power of impeachment, to deal with
bad President. Applause.
The question has not unfrequently been
put to me in private Has President
johnson really done anything worthy of
impeachment? If so, what constitution
al provision has he violated? l will ans
wer: We, the people of the United
States, impeach Andrew johnson be-
cause he has sought to overthrow the Gov
ernment of the United States, as estab-
lished by the Constitution. For the pur-
pose of bringing coordinate branch of
the Government-the Congress of the
United States-into ridicule and con-
tempt, he, the Executive of the United
States, has, both drunk and sober, laugh
ter, proclaimed that the Congress of the
United States-the Senate of the United
States, and the House of Representatives
of the United States in Congress assem-
bled-were central directory faction
"a traitorous body-an unconstitutional
body-a fragment of Congress of
Congress- body hanging upon the
verge of the Government, Congress that
had no right to pass laws, or submit
constitutional amendment to the whole
country. Now then either this is so or it
is not 80. Ifit were so, one branch of the
Government has no constitutional right
to bring into ridicule and contempt an
other branch of the Government; but if
it is not so-and that we will consider in
moment, then certainly such denunci-
alton in public, for the purpose of STIR
ring up the people to insurrection against
Congress, to the overthrow of constitu-
tional congressional authority-that dec
laration, say, is high crime and mis-
demeanor within the meaning of the
Constitution. Applause. say to ar
que the constitutionality of such a Con-
gress to loyal people is work of supe-
rerogation. Applause. To these same
men in Congress assembled, passing legis-
latiVe bills which could become acts and
laws only by President Johnson's recog-
milton of them as legislative body,-to
bills passed by these men, Mr.. johnson
has over and again affixed his signature.
So that, whatever other opinion there
may be, whatever might be the plea of
any other man of Mr.. Davis or Mr.Alex.
ander II. Stephens-whatever any rebel
might plead, Andrew johnson, in the
language of the law, is estopped todeny
that this is legal and constitutional
Congress. To it he owes his existance as
an officer of the United States. Under
it he has administered the Office. With
out It, he could not have taken the oath
of Office even with what little of under
standing he did take it. Applause; To
it he addressed his messages. From 1t he
gets the authority to draw the salary due
his high Office, but not to the individual.
LApplause.
Now let us see with what intent these
attacks are made upon Congress. The
! intent is obvious, because we lind these
attacks were not made until Mr.. johnson
chosa 70 saDarata himself from the great