Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-12-14
THE DEBATE IN CONGRESS ON THE
IMPEACHMENT QUESTION.


Massachusetts,, delivered a most powerful
argument in favor of the resolution. In the
course of his speech he asserted that even in
February, 1865, while on his way to WASH
ington to assume the Office of Vice President,
his accidency boasted that there was no way
of saving the Union except through the old
(slaveholding) Democratic party We quote
from his remarks, as follows
Mr. Boutwell, referred to the testimony of
Judge Matthews, of Ohio, to the effect that
Mr.. johnson said to him in February, 1860,
at the Burnett House, in Cincinnati, when
| he was ON his way to assume the VICE Pfesl-
dency, that there was no way oil saving tne
Union except through the old Democratic
party. Commenting upon this, lie The
speaker said he had then received the sui
irages of free aud generous people. they
! took him from Tennessee, where he would
have had no abiding place except for the
armies Of the Republic. lie was then enter
! ing on the second great office in the gif: of
the people. He had been chosen by that
great party of power and progress which
had saved the Union in its days of peril.
No act had been done by it which could
possibly have alieDated him from them.
jefferson Davis was still at Richmond, the
army of Lee menaced the Capitol of the
country. Mr.. johnson was approaching that
Capitol for the purpose of taking the oath
of office, and it was merely fortified gar
| rison, and yet he says the country canno: be
saved except by the restoration of the Demo-
cratic party. What was the old Democratic
party 1t was the party Of the South. 1t
was made up of those men of the South who
entered into the rebellion. ! believe that
that casual expression is the key that un.
locks the whole of his mysterious counsel
from that day to this.
The fall Of the Speakers hammer an.
bounced the expiration Of the two hours al
lowed to Mr. Boutwell,. There was general!
expression of the desire of the House that he
should be allowed to continue his remarks
indefinitely, and on motion another hour
was allowed him
Mr.. Boutwell,, in continuation Of his sum
mary of the evidence, referred at some length
to the Presidents restoration of the property
of Southern railroad companies, and intma-
ted that the President had direct pecuni-
AIRY interest in it, as he owned stock in n
! Tennessee railroad. Mr. Boutwell, also com.
mcntcd on the appointment of provisional
governors without authority of law, and to
the payment of their salaries. In reference
to the testimony he said 1t is not possible
by any specific charge to arraign him fcI
any great crime, but is he therefore to escapef
H. from the body of the testimony, you are
satisfied as TO what his purpose was, and il
you arc satisfied that those particular tribu.
tary Offences were for the purpose of cna.
bling him to accomplish this great crime
will you hesitate to try him and convict him
on the charges of which he is manifestly
guilty We have not yet seen the end OF
this contest, and am not disposed to enter
into the region Of prophecy, but | believe
we can understand the Logic Of propositions
and | say that the propositions Which the
President has laid down in his last message
and elsewhere lead to certain conclusions, if
they are acted upon. Whether they will be
actca upon cannot say. The hrst PROPOSE
tioh Is that, under some circumstances, a
measure may be IN his Judgment SO uncon.
Su'utioha tl"t lie VIII Violate the law.
say that IS the assumption o! the President
nc constitution authorizes Congress to pass
pi'!S When 'hey nave been passed by or pre-
senteu To the President FOR his approval OF
at;tntiomo, ;o ~ ou orJool9 10 'ie pllls Ior con
tLn IJonsn ,,horn - ,"as, ar;@;, ne iesuins ~ u
hanete his ,,n,ror ~ r. "r.u' an'' ~ tr". ca
honsoo oft,r,rar,t, ,'n :, ,:t o"''
,,rt";t p. "io' P"os ~ ~ t"o'I.iius
, cd /,
h-' ". ann me- y I'y supreme Court
,Tr a' Hut, Du' Uno Hu'3! NuI t''aE Is 70 VoeS H.
j'n; i''I,"'!' ,h 'Gie'Ieu !" h'' johnson
Uptn Up,n'"r 'n"' ;,,; o'",N men nave no rlSht "a
,,sed q, ""i s'%' S"'ltrs "ouAu oC
80. u. W. toi,i". III t'' Houln 10 pFe'en'
.ho nav, 'o''Ts nay wy were l0n0"ce
i;s 60. L''I e'Iet''n "oui" DC. u
NOV anG .Io',t ; :ti'.>' .iio !'ot 'ors VI CIV
dent ,roud talo ,I"ad ,Ia u,ati1n iI ~, VI nliesi
cNnnor u. q "uiiu VIC ol"~G G.
oct Lo soid 49,, " tne 'en!ie'oi once
Stnntiour ;nn,t",.tin' H',''i tn"t IaM ~ was suo
thnt ,I' ~ e"l'lI' .aHeS; aC
charaod ~'I''"' p'0''S'oH' Vi IL u'sn' o'
III cohciusl"h he SAID, ! am prepared tC
@ccePl ,he Judgment OF tins House; patri
ot!c judgment, lshall Wait for the teaching
OF events do not despair OF great peo
PIE lhey can endure great trials they cal
overcome obstacles. II we err, they, ever
throuSh the suiierlngs caused, will asscr
hnally the authority Of the justice and til,
maJesIlc6 Oh the law.
Let nothing be done under the ipAuenc,
of passion, prejudice, or political excitement
but the vindication of the laws il q dntv
and it often falls to the lot of party +,
perform It. NV own convictions are cIaar
sec my country lust emerging from civi
war, distracted torn, and bleeding her peo
pie heavily taxed and the uublic revanro