The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-09-26
Impeachment.

1t has been said truthfully, that one dis
tinguishable trait of our national character,
il forbearance This national virtue, if
such it may be called, has been manifest in
our past history. We need not go further
back, than the commencement OF the late
war with the rebellion; all onr early move
ments to suppress the insurrectionary spirit
at the South, were tempered with modera
ton and forbearance. Indeed, 30 slow was
the government to meet out merited pun
ishment to treason, that the people were
FESTIVE under the seeming hesitancy to strike
the deserved blow. There was an apparent
leniency exercised towards traitors in arms,
in the vain hope that they would gee their
wicked folly, and return to loyalty. During
the first part of the war, many of our Cen
erals, made it one of the duties of the sol
diers under their command, to return run
away negroes to their rebel masters. One
of our chief military Commanders, with an
immense army, provided with all the mum
tions of war, employed the vast resources Of
men and means at his command in digging
useless trenches on the Potomac In later
periods of the war, when bolder and more
decisive measures were employed, there was
a sort of wailing cry, among our northern
rebel sympathisers of cruelty to our south
ern BRETHREN"
And when at last the war was declared
ended and the rebellion crushed, forbear-
ance was still surprisingly manifested to-
ward the wrong doors, in the vain expecta.
ton that they would cease opposition to the
rightful authority, and submit to the deci
sions Of war. Still later, when Andrew
johnson was inaugurated Vice President Of
+he United States; when in state of beastly
in.oxiCaiion ne STOOD before assembled thou
Sands d he american people, and before
f.eigu y Journalists, the voice Of pity and
fo1bearaaYe ;uterposod in his behalf Soon
after, Jr aaa Of the most terrible and Attic
ti7o events ia Lietory, no became by acct
den Che President Of the Republic. His
first pubic declarations on taking the Pres
identical chair, alarmed the most radical
minds IN she country. discrimination or
destruction to all who had borne arms in
tbs rebellion, wax his avQwed purpose
Soon after he swung round the circle, took
the rebels to his bosom and commenced an
iadiscriminate warfare upon loyal mem
turning officials out of Office, who had been
appointed under President Lincoln, and ex-
hibiting his hatred to all who had stood by
the government, during the perils of the war.
He began bis Presidential career by declar
ing his intention to act with the Republican
Congress in the work of restoring the I'm
ion. Suddenly he assumed the position of a
Dictator, determined to defeat the will of
the people, as reflected by their representa-
tives in Congress His acts since the adj
journment of Congress, have been acts of
usurpation. He deliberately sets himself
against the enforcement of law; he makes
himself the interpreter of The Constitution,
and the judge of the validity of Congress
sional enactments. He has attempted by
proclamation of Amnesty, to confer rights
Of citizenship on rebels, who have been dis
franchised by Congress.
A crisis is now upon US; shall we have a
government of law, or the government of
Dictator, irrespective Of law The question
presented to the American people u.s. wheth-
er attempts to subvert the government by
reckless political adventurer, shall be al
lowed to go unrestrained? Nothing but
the impeachment of Andrew johnson, at
the earliest practical period, can save the
country from its perils.