The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-04
The Probabilities and Prospects of the
Impeachment Movement.

impeachment Movement
From the Herald
North and South the public journals of all
parties have entered into the discussion OF the
probabilities and prospects of the movement
initiated in Congress looking to the impeaCh-
ment and removal of President johnson. In
some quarters it is urged as a good and neces
sary thing; in some it is considered a mere
game of bluff; here it is thought to be very uu-
certain as to the ISSUE and there it is set down
as fzzling out Some weakened alarmlsts
denounce 1t as nothing better than Pandora's
box, full of all sorts of evils and disasters, in
cluding financial convulsion and another civil
war and others think Mr.. johnson will not be
pushed to the wall. But all these speculatiOns
are mere guess. work, from the simple fact that
the judiciary Committee OF the House. charged
with the preliminary inquiry into this business,
are properly pursuing their labOrs with closed
doors. We presume that this committee will
not be prepared to report till near the end of
this session, some four weeks hence; but when
they do report we expect an indictment of i'm
peachment and that the House will adopt it,
and demand OF the Senate trial ot Andrew
johnson for high crimes and misdemeanors,n
requiring his removal from office.
This impeachment must be made to the Senate
before the 4th Of March or before the hntl ad-
journment OF the present Congress on that day:
for otherwise the whole business with the new
Congress will have to be commenced again at
the beginning. The present House absolutely
expires on the 4th OF March; but the Senate
(one-third of its members only being elected
with every new CongTess) is a continuous body.
This House, then, before the Atm OF March must
act upon the subject or its labors will fall to the
ground; but the present Senate, having received
the Indictment from this House, may pass it
over TO the Senate of the new Congress This
we conclude, will be the plan OF operations
Next, in regard to the charges against Andrew
Johnson the principal, ana very serious one,
xytl no fha oh y,Fg
his part Of some Of those high powers which
belong exclusively to Congress. Another charge
will very likely be that OF nddehty to his oath
of Office, in failing to see the laws OF Congress
faithfully executed.
The specifications upon the charge of usurpa.
tion may be applied TO his policy orreconstruc-
ton, without authority in law, and in defiance
of the will of Congress, in each OF the ten ay-
cluded States. Upon this charge the testimonv
of his Provisional Governors, etc. before the
high court OF the Senate will be conclusive
The Secretary of State, in this connection, if
necessary would also no doubt be impeached /:
but as he will be disposed OF with the fsn OF his
master it will suffice to use him in the Senate
rs States evidence touching the promulgation,
under the Presidents authority, OF certain pro-
Clamations letters and dispatches to said
Southern Provisional Governors, Legislatures.
etc, on reconstruction, including certain ofhcia
papers, recognizing the Rebel States, in defiance
OF Congress, as duly reinstated IN the general
Government.
Upon these charges and specifications of usur
patton and inddelity the issue will be as con
elusive against Mr.. johnson as were the accuse
tons against Charles the First and Louis tn
Sixteenth But while these two unfOrtunat
kings lost their heads, Mr.. johnson, like Jane
the Second, expelled for similar offenses Q
usurpation Of the powers OF Parliament, vii
only lose his place. In one respect he win b
more fortunate even than James; for while b
was compelled to end his days as an exile, ca
ing the bread OF charity in foreign land, Nj
Johnson will be restored to his old home anon
MI inc n haut H., pnl
There, in the cultivation OF cabbages and ph
losophy, he may, like Buchanan, wnte the hi
tory of his decline and fall; or, like John Tyle
devote his leisure to the improvement of peach,
and sweet potatoes. His only condemnauo
will be that of Othello to Uassio-'I love the
Cassie. but never more be officer of minen
All this. expressly ordained In the COnstit
tion, win be perfectly fair, Just, and proper al
tbe country will so accept 1t, There will be
manic. no CIVIL war, and no fuss about It, exec