Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1867-12-04


mittlng the crime of perjury, or otherwise
violating criminally the said act of July 2,
1867. enter upon the duties thereof.
In that, without authority of law and con-
trary to law, he used and applied property
taken from the enemy in time of war, for
the payment of the expenses and the support
OF the said illegal and unconstitutional gov
ernments SO set up in the said States recently
In rebellion and for like purpose and in
violation OF the Constitution and of his oath
OF office, he authorised and permitted levy
OF taxes upon the people Of SAID States, thus
usurplng and exercising power which, by
the Constitution, is vested exclusively In the
| Congress Of the United States. All of
which acts was usurpation of power con-
trary to the laws and Constitution of the
United States, and in violation Of his oath
as President of the United States
In that the said Andrew johnson, Presi-
dent of the United States, has, in messages
to Congress and otherwise, publicly denied,
substantially, the right of Congress to pro-
| vide for the paclfcation, government and
restoration of said States to the Union, and
| in like manner he has asserted his exclusive
| right to provide governments therefor, and
to accept and proclaim the restoration of
said States to the Union. All of which is
in derogation of the rightful authority of
Congress, and calculated to Subvert the Gov
ernment of the United States.
| In that in accordance with SAID decara-
ton, he has vetoed various bills passed by
Congress for the paciication and government
| of the States lately in rebellion and their
speedy restoration to the Union, and upon
the ground and for the reason that the Said
States had been restored to their places in
the Union by his aforesaid illegal aud un
constitutional proceedings, thus interposing
and using constitutional power of the Of
flee he held as to prevent the restoration OF
the Union upon constitutional basis.
In that he has exercised the power of re-
movals, and appointments to office tor the
purpose of maintaining effectually his afore-
said usurpation, and for the purpose of Sc
curing the recognition by Congress of the
State governments, so illegally and uconsti-
tutionaly set up in the States recently in
rebellion; such removals and appointments
having been attended aud followed with
great injury to the public service, and enor-
nous losses to the public revenue.
In that in the exercise of the pardoning
power he issued an order for the restoration
of | 93 meE, belonging to West Virginia, who,
upon the records OF the War Department were
marked as deserters from the army in time
OF war, and this upon the representation OF
private and interested persons, aud without
previous investigation by any officer of the
War Department, and for the sole purpose
of enabling such persons to vote in an cleo
tion then pending in said State and with the
expectation that they would SO vote as to
support him in hissaid unconstitutional pro-
ceedings, he then well knowing that the men
SO restored, and by virtue of such restora-
tlon, would be entitled to large sum OF mon
ey trom the Treasury of the United States.
In that by his message to the House of
Representatives, on the 22d of June, 1866,
and by other public and private means, he
has attempted to prevenr the ratification of
an amendment to the Constitution Of the
United States. proposed to the several States
by the two Houses of Congress, agreeably to
the Constitution of the United States, al
though such proposed amendment provided,
among other things. for the validity of the
public debt of the United States, and rem
dered the payment of any claim for slaves
emancipated, or any debt incurred in aid of
the Rebellion or insurrectien against the u
nited States, impossible either by the gov
ernment OF the United States, or by any of
the States recently in Rebellion, he well
knowing. that the provisions asserted under
and by his direction in the said Illegal Con
stitutions for said States were wholly mad
equate to protect the loyal people thereof,
or the people of the loyal States against the
payment of claims on the account of slaves
emancipated, and of debts incurred by such
States in aid of the rebellion, thus render
ing it practicable and easy. for those in au-
thority in the aforesaid illegal and unconsti.
tutional governments thus set up, to tax and
oppress the loyal people of such States for
the benefit of those who have been engaged
in the attempt to overthrow the Government
OF the United States. ,e,
In that he has made official and other pub
lie declarations and statements calculated
and designed to impair the credit OF the Uni
ted States; to encourage persons recently en-
gagged in Rebellion against Its authority; TO
0bstruct and resist the reorganization OF the
Rebel States, so called, upon republican
basis, and calculated and designed also to
deprive the Congress of the United States
of the confidence of the people, as well IN
its patriotism as IN It's constitutional right 10
exist and to act as the department ofthe
government which, under the Constitution,
possesses exclusive Legislative power; and all
of this with the intent of rendering Congress
incapable of resisting either his said usurpa- |
tions of power, or providing and enforcing
measures necessary for the paci6cation and
restoration of the Union; and that in all
this he has exercised the veto power, the
power of removal and appointment the par
idoning power, and other constitutional pow
ers of his Office, for the purpose of delaying,
hindering, obstructing and preventing the
restoration of the Onion by constitutional
means; and for the further purpose of alien
atiHg from the Government and laws OF the
United States those persons who had 6een
engaged in the Rebellion, and who. without
aid, comfort and encouragement thus oy yhiu
given to them. would have resumed In GOOD
faith their allegiance to the Constitution,
and all with the expectations of conciliatlng
them 70 h;mselfi personsllv. that he might