The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-01-16
Cur Washington Letter.
pno1An CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DAILY NEWS. ]
IMPEACHMENT.


4 WASHINGTON January 12.-The Impeachment
has taken definite shape since my last letter on
that subject to The News, and the nquisition may
now be considered duly nauguratcd undor auspi-
ces duly Radical. Tho first act Of the committee
was to hayo sort OF informal talk over tho whole
matter, to which ASHLEY, tho mover of the inn
peachmcnt resolution now before them, was in
yited Mr.. ROGERS, the sole Democrat on the COM
mttee received no intimation that there was TO be
conference of this character and therefore, failed
to put in On appearance. This initial discussion Of
the question Of prosecuting the Executive eicitcd
q fact that every old congressional observer had
| already surmised viz: that ASHLEY was without
| proof or reason to buck up the charges he had
| submitted. This was in nowise o surprise to his
partisan friends or the committee, who have
known, throughout, of his entire rresponslbllity,
and want Of even mental capacity in the conduct Of
legislation The talk that ensued finally resulted
| in q determination to make pretence of appoint
ing three of the committee-BoutweD, Of Afassachu-
setts Wilson, of Iowa, and Williams, of Pennsylva-
nia-to act as subcommittee for the exclusive
management Of the investigation against ndlew
Johnson. This is simply 1use, whereby 1t Is pro-
posed to keep Mr.. Rogers, the Democratic mem
ber, in ignorance Of the movements and events IN
committee. The remaining members will be aW-
fully posted and allied with the progress of the in
| vestigaton, as though they belonged to the trio
nominaly set up as the grand and exclusive inqu!-
time the Judiciary Committee have held daily meet
ings but without taking any testimony In the pre-
misses. 1t has been proposed to call Jno. W. For.
ney the publisher Of the Chronicle at some one OF
ing natural facility for getting up evidence to suit
any emergency, as demonstrated q few years since
during the progress Of the famous Forrest divorce
case doubtless actuated the committee In agreeing
to o summons.
It is but foir 20 say that the majority Of Radicals
IN Of the Gonit01 Snnuf fha lden OF
peachment with the utmost derision-not from
lack Of malignity towards the Administration, but
from ready understanding that in the institution
OF such course OF procedure aes tne co eel5an a
yoh.son, + do not think he loses any of his night
ly repose because of the inception Of this farce;
and so far as his own course WAS to apply 20 s4ch
an exigency, that has beon Determined months y.
tago when The atmosphere was Joss rife with Ratl-
cal denunciation tina now. have known, almost
from the first, what that determination has been,
and apprehend that in the actual Visitation or
the crisis there can be no harm in dirulging the
! foundation upon which it rests. Once summoned
to answer charges Of impeachment, Mr; johnson
will return o message in writing, addressed TO
Conpr ss, in which he will proclaim, first, to the
House: 81 deny the validity Of your Indictment,
for it was found by Grand Jury incomplete and
insufficient for its prefermont." A. to the Sen
ate: II refuse your panel; it is lacking in the
presence Of twenty-five members, whose absence
depriyes your body of the semblance Of right TO
constitute jury for the impeachment Of The hum
blest -ervant Of the GoverDlaent." Ii this Con-
eress cannot try the President, it cannot impeach
hin; and from those that understand the Presi-
dents will, in action conforming to previously e5,
pressed conviction, it is easy to see that nc Will
submit to no forced abdication Of the Presidency,
and that if such policy is meditated and attempt
ed, it would precipitate bloody collision in the
very streets Of the Capital, and mayhap at the
portals Of the White Eouse. Are the Rads ready
for this think not.