The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1867-12-12
The mpeaehmcnt question was take'

- i't Hi }Cts@,ti tilEi.t ilutStiUu N11 % G'
up in th3 uotl. Of Representatives oa
the 9Th inst, when Mr. Boutwell, proceed
ed to discuss the four clauses in the con
stitution relating to impeachment deciar
ing that they were not intended merely
to punish criminal, but remove tram OF
tice persons unfit for Office or trust, or
persons charged with an act stained with
crilnilaiity The object oi impeachment
be said, is not TO punish, but to secure
the country against the presence OF the
odienier in any place Of trust OF power.
in the future. If the Judgment OF the
Senate were punishment, then the SeV-
enth paragraph, section third, article iifst
Of the constitution, which provides that
the person convicted shall nevertheless
be liable and subject to Indictment, trial
Judgment and punishment according to
law, would be wholly inconsistent with
the nature OF our institutions. This
phrase Of the constitution has been drawn
aside or rather torn from Its iegluinate
connection and Office for the purpose OF
furnishing PROOF OF tic Guotunc that
those acts that are inaictable, and these
alone, are impeachabie offences. The
tr',o and different meaning of the phrase
is easily UNDERSTOOD Its office is to
change the common law practice o. i-us-
land BY that law, a person convicted by
the House OF Lords upon a proceeding
by impeachment, could plead that con
viction and sentence, IN case Of inulct-
ment IL It criminal court for the same OF
fence. The speaker proceeded TO compare
very fully the method of proceeding for
impeachment under our laws with those
OF Great Britain, claiming that under
the provisions Of our constitution, there
are offences inpeachable, which are not
indictabIe Treason, he said, Is one OF
the impcac.i;tyie offences, which Is defined
by the Constitution, and Congress has no
power to enlarge. limit or in any degree
to qualify the jurisdiction Of the Senate
when sitting for tfi;l, Of the President
While Congsess does not declare what
constitutes crimes and misdemeanors, 1t
limits the definition Of the crime Of trea-
son to a single one OF these forms 1t Is
i'm possible for Congress to make certain
offences crimes and mIsdemeanors every
where in tie United States the same.
At the present moment no law exists
which declares it shall be high crime or
niisdemeanor IN the President TO decline
to recognize Congress, and yet, should he
decline to recognize its lawful ard constI-
tutional existence and authority, and
thus virtually dissolve the government
would Congress be impotent and unable
TO proceed, by process Of impeachment
to >lcure his removal from otiice?
After further remarks, Nir. boutwell,
said; Il rest firmly in the opinion that
the phrase bribery and other high crimes
and misdeneanors, is used in the CON
stitption in accordance with and subject
to the principle or rule Of reason which
lies at the foundation Of English common
law Tn crimes the rule is that no person
can lawfully do an act contrary to good
morals. The speakerquoted largely from
the great iurists, English and American
as to laws bearing upon cases simI!ar to
the one under discussion, and the whole
argument was to prove that the law sus-
tained the position assumed by the major
| ity Of the committee, aud rendered then
case clear enc.
Mr. boutwell, proceeded to consider tll>
facts III the case. anaiyzirg the charges
against the President, his acts, his cabinet
advisers his speeches and messages, hi.
Interference to prevent the adoption Of
/ the constitutional amendment, his Surren-
! der Of abandoned lands, and his removal
Of Stanton, Sheridan, and Slckies, ana
closed as follows
Believing that Andrew johnson i:
guilty Of high crimes and inisdemeanors,
| / have a.,sem5eti to and by direction OF the
majority of the Committee on the judi
ciarv, reported resolution for his I'M
parchment. In contempt of the Law
and upon the facts, | believe him SC
guilty, and thereon | ask Judgment OF
! the House.
Mr.. Boutwell, yielded to motion tc
adjourn with the understanding that he
shoaid have the foor Tomorrow Immedi-
ateiy after the reading Of the journal.