New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-11-26

I
any aet recognized by any statute law Of the au as
crime or misdemernor We can but regard the charges
PrefrIea as p9Healo or partisan demonstration, Tnu
among the people as an unjustlabe attempt TO exelte
Their snsP SPdrgere roees in rgHm agD Son
We utterly deny the lght OF the Committee or any neh
ger thereof as such to do this As citizens politicians
we may critic md fault with and condemn the entire
administration OK the Presidant but Committee OF
this House, considering the charge referred TO u as
members OF Congress acting officially, have no saen
right power or jurisdiction The Executive Is one OF he
conssdorae departments OF this Government invested
with certain Constitutional powers and peragets, over
! when the Legislature h no contryl, and WIN tne
constitutional exercise Of which the Legislative Depart
ment has right to interfere The original source Of all
The warrant andmeasure Of those powers the ssmethe
Constitution. In his Constitutional and Legislative
sphere III the exercise and conduct Of his Department.
the President is free act and as Independent the
Congress While acting within the bounds prescribed for
1t by the Constitution he is no more accountable or re-
spOnsibe TO Congress. than Congress TO him. Congress
has more authority to eensure and condemn him than
he has TO censure and condemn Congress Bs dscreon
exercised within the bounds Of the Constitution is no
more subject TO the or reproof OF congress
than the Constitutional and discretionary acts of Con-
gress 10 his Neer Congress the President has any
powers authority not derived from and found in the
Constitution The only question with reference TO which
the committee was authorized TO inquire was whether
the charges against the President were true, and constr
tute offence offences subectinR HIN to Impeachment
Certainly II this is not the only question referred to the
committee IL Is the only one which the committee as sueh
Investigate. The political purpose OF the acts OF the
President has not for moment engaged attention OF
the committee We most certainly having no other motive
or interest than 10 serve our country anu 40 ou uiy
The matter referred TO u.s. we have never once IN the
taking OF testimony the WITNESSES,
posed that any question other than the iPeachneh was
properly before us. The impeachment OF tho President
the Chief officer OF this great Republic, the pare
inquiry with view TO ascertain whether he had
committed any offence for which he ought,
or might be put upon trial before the most august tr
una Of the world impressed from the beginning with
most solemn We endeavOred in the investigations
TO exclude from our minds every question OF mere pol
ties, and as Tar as possible 70 pc uhhnheheed " party
bias We admOnshed that in some sense the Nation
the people IN the person OF Their Executive head We're on
trial before the world and that personal animosty and
party politics should be lniexlby and scrupuousy Tor
gotten and ignored For any cause TO have shrunk rom
full aud careful investigation OF tne great question Oh
impeachment cOwardly 10 have pursued u III the
spirit OF party TO have dragged II INTO mere hvesug
ton OF political policy win reference 20 success
would have been meaDness, and dsgraeed the nation
itself by scandazng the nations constitutional head
We repeat, therefore, that the investigation OF the Com
mtee was. far took part in II, with me sole
view to ascertain whether the President, under me
able oense. Not only so, but With the beef mat was
the only question we were authorized OF expected 70 IN
quire into. Not witness was called or examned Win
any view TO proving case, for merely censurng or con
demning the political acton oil me Fresdent' 40 sug
geston was made or animation gwen ps , tne
majority Of the Committee until The resolution
purpose Of considering, as Committee, any put the
question Of impeachment, nor was there then, as We I'M
deP9oG any dco Of dcon Ma tbp therefore,
that warranted in saying that although much es
tmony irrelevant, Illegal, and experimental was taxing
much that had no bearing upon the question OF lpec
ment, and much more that not testimony IN any
case for any purpose. that taken with any
view except the impeachment hence, we insist that II
the Committee had the right Of jurisdiction, which We
inquire INTO the political power VI
the President, with view TO his condemnatl0n that u
has any legtmat and proper manner investigated
pugn the personal motives OF any member OF the Coih
mttee who differs with Oar intercourse upon the
Committee has been pleasant, and the courtesy with
which We have been treated uniform and uninterrupted
We entertain but tho most kindly feelings toward
every member but crndor and sense OF dGy compel us
odecare that we can ma no warrant OF e1ous9 iy t
travelling outside beyond the subject with when the
Committee was charged to eensure aud condemn t te
President except In the prejudice ma IeaI oI
payim. The President needs and can ask no defense
these which spring from Official obligations and duty He
the President Of our choice ana was not elected
by votes Nor Is IL necessary that we should agree
with him, or Justify or approve an ne mas uohs' nei'he
do feel called upon 10 review All tle great hhSS OF
testimony taken by the Comnllee lo SNOW may NJ
sure and condemnation are ot Whr1hteu % ~ ,VIs
taken Il has been aud unchaenged as was IN tnt
rcFard we do not however believe the unbiased tho un-
pfeudced mind will be able IN the testimony to discover
any just reasonable cnusc for condemnng or or ny
puginng motions by which ho was nctuated indeed
differing with him IN opinion as we nave as 20 Tue pony
prOprcy OF many thing he has done and many more
that the proofs before us will not warrant a
charge that he was IA any instance controlled
his greatcst orenso apprehend viii be found TO be,
that he has not been able to follow those who elected
IL pcpnbc and that standing where most OF his party
proffssod 10 stand when they elevated hm to bis present
exalted position he has dared to dier win the majority
Of Congress upon great and vital questions lie mas be-
Ucyed I'M the continuing and binding obligations OF the
Constitution; the Constitution that the suppression OF
tho Rebellion against the Union was the preservation OF
e ulon and states comprising II, and that when the
Rebellion put down the states we're all and equally
entitled 10 representation IN the Congress OF the United
sta.es IlInting himself firmly md immovably upon
this position, be has incurred TIC herce ana inalS-
nan hatred and opposition OF all those VINO hc
territory and the suueaton of the people OF the lately
beious states the power and right TO dictate to them
the Constitution and laws they shall live under and the
liberties they shall be permitted 10 enjoy In TINS dner
ence between Congress and the President and the desire
each for adoption by the country OF their respect
i've views g. we suspect be found not only the cause
for movement TO impcach the President but OF his
Hon nl has RI
Filtered feelings and violent hatred OF the President by
his former friends. The majority OF Congress aud OF the
Committee have entertained ana been prepared 10 de
clare nj an times In Congress and ont Of It, even more
strongly tnan is expressed in their report this same cen
upon any testimony taken before the Committee upon
any facts elected by It's investigation IL was political
cal questions IL was the opinion with which the ma
jony OF the Committee entered upon the lnyesigauop
IL was that whEh inspired and stimulated al
lis inquiries and examinations But, nOtwlth-
standing these etxistl9s opinions ana pEe sye
heen compelled TO and after the fullest consideration
and great protracted deiberaton that the President had
committed no for which, under our laws, ne can
or ought 10 mpeaehed; and hence nome as We insist
subjectlng him TO the official Jurisdiction OF the Com
mittee of the House The censure and condemnation or
the President either by the majority OF minority Is Win
out Jurisdiction. not justified by the facts uhDecons
one department OF the Government toward he otchhu
calculated 20 bring reproach upon the COinhttee' tue
House. and tho Nation. We cannot Ignore me iact tlat
time has been spent and testimony taken by the com
mitee In e1deayOring 10 ascertain II the PRESIDENT III hs
official capacity has spoken consciously ana condenna
tory OF Congress. With view TO his impeachment
Therefore can IL be now becoming In committee OF this
House or in itself TO go beyond its 1urisdc
ton and ecnsure condemn the President than Tor
him TO censure and condemn Congress Is not the
improperly OF the apparent as the Otheri
II one is mpeachable, Is not the other wrongf what
would thought Of the Supreme Court IT, after having
been compelled in properly pending before H. TO
decide an of Congress constitutional IL should, De-
cause II did not agree 10 the prOprety policy OF tho
enactment declare It's and condemnation
OF the Congress for having passed it, who would hesitate
10 pronounce this uIjustiiable and unwarrant
able interference with the rights and duties Of Congress
hv calculated to disturb tile harmony
OF our governmental system and TO bring into unhappy
IN not fatal collision, the coordinate departments Like
this reprOye the President for acts
or wrongs amounting TO oenses subjecting him TO
the legal jurisdiction OF the House OF Representatives.
such an act would be sheer impudence; act the
part Of the Court justly meritng oboquy and reproach
sucn interference by one department OF the Government