The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-12-24


Letter 1ss@Gs.. =. Pssss.
Hon. Hiram Price, wAo voted for the i'm
peachmens Of sAndrsv- johnson, writes the
following lettsr 10 To Davenport Gasette.
While We publish il as'the honest ard ssner-
GUS testimony ef Nj. P1ce, ~ do nos do il
because Mr.. Wilson seeds any vindicaiion for
his action In the matter Of impeachment. He
needs none. The Republicans Of this Dis>
trict and of the Htstss require no such vim
dcation Of Mr.. WiisoA. He is one ofthe
nations legislators he was Chairmaa Of o
Committee, charged with the momentous
matter Of deciding vhsthcr The Chief Execu-
tive Of the United States should be impeach-
ed He could only b. hnpeached according
TO law, for lawviolated. Mr.. Wilson gave
the matter thorough examination. He did
not come to his conclusion in careless haste.
Not ready to report during the preceding
session Of Congress, he joinedthe Committee,
in . resolution in March laAt to continue the
investigation. And rs the result Of his severe
examhnkk 4, y SaebSd the conclusion that
Mr.. JsAAilAsd1lll ~ u successfully inn
peached and removed according to law. So
convinced, he so reported. This was just
what he should have done. And if the pub
lished evidence be impartially examined
apart from partisan passion, We think nearly
every intelligent mind viii decide
that the impeachment Of Andrew johnson
should have been disposed of just as it was
disposed Of. Mr.. Wilson 10 Republican, ~
we'll as 8 Legislator. The impeachment Of
johnson, on the evidence, would have killed
the Republican party. We know, that ire
epective of this, it wonld have been the duty
Of Mr.. Wilson, as Legislator, if he thought
that Mr.. johnson should be impeached on
the evidence, to report in favor OF that inn
parchment, whatever might be its effect upon
his party. We know the 6rmness and hon
esty Of Mr. Wilson we'll enough to be con-
WINGED ,hathadhe SO thought he would SO have
reported. But there were not grounds
enough to base impeachment upon. Assured
Of this Mr.. Wilson reported agains! the meas
IRE. For this, which he did as o Legislator,
he deserves the thanks of every citizen, who
wishes to see wisdom, justice, and law, and
not passion and faction, control in National
rule. Aud subordinate to this he deserves
the thanks Of every sincere Republican, for
keeping clear Of breakers upon which our
perty would have wrecked and gone under.
Mr.. Price deems it necessary to give it as
his candid opinion that no man in Iowa
would be more rejoiced to see Andrew John-
son removed from office than Mr.. Wilson. !"
This must be addressed solely to the Gazette !;
it is ammunition TO fit small caliber. There
can be, there is certainly, 10 Republican in
Iowa, with brains above an ostrich or an i'd
iut, who needs any assurance on this score.
Everybody knows that Mr.. Wilson holds His
Accidency in utter detestation No man in
Congress has done more than Mr.. Wilson TO
maintain lis high loyal and radical grounds,
and TO thwart the evil policy Of Mr..
Johnson. And Andrew Johnson knows
this. Mr.. wilson, having the van
,age IN the fight so far, doesn't
propose to give Andrew the whip hand.
Could Andrew have been lawfully and sue
cessfully impeaehed, there would have been
none more reioiced than Mr. Wilson to see
His Accldency kicked out of Office. But
finding that he could no. be 30 lawfully aud
successfully impeached, Mr.. Wilson, as be.
came statesman and patriot, opposed i'm
parchment lie proposes to carry the mat
ser in issue between loyal Congress and q
recreant President to the arbitration of the
voters Of the nation and the loyal mass Of
these will be found along sids Of Mr.. Wilson,
in incorporating and steadfast hostility "
Andrew Johnson, aud the oa..ous, d.ase
and pro-rebel policy which he has y chi !,
establish in recor struction.
Mr. Price states pity and forc,b,v III
whole elst OF !, CHI spprec' alton Of this sub
Jeet. II - one on whic' good Republican
nae differed. iMr. rice was in favor G
impeachment. We hold Mr.. Price in hig
esteem. his grf abilities, his honesty
sincerity, and devotion to Republicans
are conceded by all. Thinking, as he did
that the,e were sufficient grounds for i'm
parchment le voted in favor oft. And we no
oTuis ootuieuCe W MS cOn'lCtlons. MT. L re
would not for himself, no one for him, wi
undertake to exat his Republicanism aboy
that OF Mr.. Wilson. Standing o
the same platform, devoted to III
same great principles, they seek the sam
ends. They differed as to impeachment, b,
Mr.. Wilson was the more directly charge
with minute examination of the whole cas-
He is an able LAWYER, as well as sound al
honest Republican. Having given his speci
and searching attention to all the details,
this Impeachment case, we submit that. the
being difference OF opinion on this score b
tween Mr.. Price and Mr.. Wilson, it is in
10 assume that the latter gentleman j. RICH
unless he beclearly shown to be wrong.
Here is Mr.. Price,s letter:
WASHINGTON CRY, i. C..
December 10th, Isl.
EpIroR GAZETTE: observe in yonr iss
of the 18th inst. an article containing sot
word. which seemed to reflect upon the motiv
of INV colleague, Hon. james i. Wilson. in !
action In reference to the impeachment Of I
acting President Of the United States.
Ireeret this very much, because, in my ind
ment il Is calculated TO do injustice TO We
good man and u sound Republican. An ntima
srauaiutance with Mr.. Wilson Tor n number
years, during which time have had good o
portuuity of watching his political course, cor
pels me to say that have the utmost conhden
in the motive. by which he is induced to act.
Upon this question differ with him entire
think the President ought TO be impeached a
removed from Office | think the good Of
country and the safety of the loyal people requ
it, but there are many good men who think diff
entity. Some men view tiiequestion from one sta
tknr opft, ia