New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-01-08

! can legislator of Pennsylvania with sense OF
the duty which he owes to the people OF his
| State in helping to elect statesman and not
| q mere politician to the Senate. Dir. Stevens
will mind his work in Congress; and II the
Legislature appreciate that work. and if the
people are wise, they will make him Senator
THE DISPLACEMENT or THE PRESIDENT.
Mr. Ashley has offered his resolutions and
they have taken the course indicated IN the
caucrs on Saturday evening. The excitement
which the announcement of Mr.. Ashley's inten-
! tion created in Wall-St last week did not so
much indicate fear of the impeachment, or
even of the result of it, but that our finances
were so unhealthy, so feverish and uncertain,
that the least arrangement created panic.
The currency is just now in such morbid, ex-
citable condition that any unusual event
as the death of the Emperor Napoleon, a
war between Russia and Turkey, or an
instruction in England, would set our
markets in an uproar and drive ruin through
WaIl-st In addition to Mr.. Ashley's resolution,
Mr.. Loan of Missouri introduced an incoherent
and amusing resolution, which we are told ere
ated some excitement. Mr.. Loan is evidently a
|
into print or in some way attracting attentions;
and we shall probably hear no more OF his
manifesto Mr.. Ashley's resolution was re-
feITed to committee, and will be considered.
There can, of course, be no harm in this,refer-
ence. At the same time, now that the question
has been brought before the country, there are
some points which occur to us as worthy OF
careful thought.
l. There is nothing now TO be gained by I'm
parchment. President Johnson has been bad
President, but also foolish one. We have had
a Chief Magistrate doing all he could to destroy
the party which elected him, and ut the same
time all he could to destroy himself. If Presi-
dent Johnson has been an enemy of Republic
canism, he has also been an enemy of
himself. He did much against the party;
but the elections left nothing of him.
He was left politically dead-scarcely worth
burial He was looked upon as a
defeated and disappointed sChemer still, he had
a large party at bis back. In this country, the
shortest political road is that which leads from
a majority to a minority. Our party will take
this road when it rashly begins impeachment.
That can only revive President Johnsons
dying fortunes, and give him what he wants
| war.
III. Can he be impeached7 We do not doubt
the law-but how would the law work. The
charges would be numerous, intricate and
drawn with skill. There would be endless
yeaning on the part of the Republicans to
make speeches in favor of the prosecution, and
of course every effort on the part of the Presi
dents friends to prolong the trial. fighting it step
by step, and endeavoring at least to drag it end
lesslY. We will back Garrett Davis for three
months speech, and COwan until the end of
his term, with Salisbury and McDougall good
for intermediate volumes of talk. Warren
Hastings was eight years on trial, and in his
case there was every motive to hurry matters.
Here there would be every motive to delay the
trial by the Presidents friends
III. Could the President be removed? Gen.
Butler made an ingenious argument during the
election to show that, upon the mere presenta-
ton of articles of impeachment, the Senate
might depOse the President and place another
person in his Office during the trial Buffers
argument was Ingenious but we presume there
are twenty lawyers who can make an argument
as ingenious on the other side. There is no
definite law about it and President johnson is
not the man to surrender the benefit of q doubt.
Those who think he will quietly walk out of
the White House at the bidding of a majority
of the Senate, mistake the man and the despe-
rate character of the adventures who control
his fortunes. What would an impeachment
amount TO with the accused all the time in
pOwer2
! ". There would be much doubt as to the
result Of this trial. President johnson has
done many things which we consider cIimi-
nal; but would the Senate as judges think
sol Tampering with the revenues by re-
moving faithful officers because they attended
to their business and did not concern them
selves about politics, and appointing dishonest
men, Is serious matter. The interference
In the Fenian troubles last Summer, whereby the
honor Of America was sacrificed to please England
should be inquired into. The riots at New
Orleans, and the fact that no human being
has been punished for the blood there shed,
stain with indelible blackness the admins
tratiOn of President Johnson. We yearn for
some atonement for that crime and it is wise
that Congress should find out the authors of
the wrong-all who were accessory either before
or after the fact-and punish them. We believe
Committee has the matter now In charge.