Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-09-06
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IMPEACHMENT.

The feeling in favor of the Impeachment
of the President since the adjournment oi
the extra session of Congress in July, has
grown apace The impeachment move
mcnt in the winter had utterly failed.
When Andrew johnson let the impression
go abroad that he would faithfully execute
the reconstruction laws if passed over his
veto, the people, though they had been de-
ceived and betrayed time and again, once
more accepted the implied promise. and the
impeachment movement at once fell to the
ground. Congress had scarcely adjourned,
when, forgetful or regardless Of all promi-
ses, either express or implied, he set his
plant tool, Stanberry, to work to devise
some method of evading or misconstruing
tho law.
That no excuse might be left for even
designed and wilful misconstructiOn, Con
gress met in extra session on the 4th Of
July, and so amended the law that ignor-
ance could find no excuse and design no
refuge for further miscohstruction, This
brought the President to an issue with the
country on the reconstruction question. No
longer able to plead obscurity in the law
as an excuse for obstructing and delaying
the work of reconstruction, he new boldly
accepts the issue, and instead of pretending
a desire 10 execute the law in good faith,
and pleading that he is hindered by its OBJ
scurity, he deliberately sets himself to work
to prevent its execution. For the first
time in our country history we have the
melancholy and humiliating spectacle OF our
Chief Executive, whose solemn and sworn
duty it is to execute the laws, deliberately
violating his solemn oath Of office, and IN
the spirit of rebellion and revolution using
all his power to prevent their execution
The disgraeeful imbecility of Buchanan $
administration is made respectable beside
the wanton and deliberate wickedness Of
Andrew Johnson's. 1t were strange indeed
if such circumstances did not once more
bring the question Of his impeachment
prominently before the country. The pop
ular voice to-day is plainly, loudly, une-
quiyocally for impeachment Every news
paper that was with the country during the
rebellion, and every loyal man, from the
highest to the lowest, declares in favor Of
impeachment. The recreant President has
already heard the warning voice, and In
dread alarm turns to his companions in
crime for advice. Verify, whom the Gods
would destroy they first make mad Ru-
NOR, with strong probabilities to support
it, has it, that the practicability of using
the regular army to forcibly prevent the
meeting of the next Congress, or in case of
its meeting to prevent impeachment, has
been seriously discussed already 1t is with
horror we contemplate the possibility that
the man, whom the nation delighted to honor
with the second office in its gift, and whom
the assassin's bloody hand raised to the first,
should himself attempt to subvcrt the gov
ernment. Yet the fact seems to be that he
has deliberately discussed the propriety of
such an attempt in council with his wicked
advisers And the worst fact remains that
the worst construction that could possibly,
with any show Of reason or probability, be
put upon Andrew Johnsou's acts, since bis
apostacy, has always heretofore fallen far
short Of the reality. These are solemn.
stubborn facts, and they demand calm
cool and timely consideration. Impeacb-
ment on the meeting Of Congress is fore
gone conclusion indeed an absolute neces-
slty, if We are ever to have the work of re-
construction completed and the country
restored to peace and harmony. Andrew
johnson is bold bad man, with the worst
KIND Of political adventurers and dema-
gogues as confidential advisers. He will be
ready to attempt anything that offers the
least prospect of success to save himself
from being impeached and deposed from
Office. The fall elections viii be takon tbo
country over, as the exponent of public
opinion, not only on local but national IS
sues. If they are overwhelmingly union
even Andrew johnson with all his fool.
hardness will be deferred from attempting