The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-11-29
Impeachment of the President.

The following are the minority reports OF the
JnSiciary Committee of the House OF Representa-
tives adverse to the recommendation for impeach-
ment of the President made by the majority
whose report was published in our first edition
yesterday;
Minority Report of Messrs. Wilson and
woodbridge.
REPRESENTATIVES James S. Wilson and Frede.rlcS
E. Woodbridge handed in a report, dissenting
from the conclusions arrived at by majority OF
the Committee. They say on the Sd day OF lne,
1867 it was declared by solemn vote In the Com
mittee that, from the testimony then before them,
il did not appear that the President of the United
States was guilty of such high crimes and misde-
meanors as called for exercise OF the lmpcach-
ing power of this House. The vote stood: Yeas
Ave, nays four. On the 21st instant, this action
of the Committee was reversed and vote OF hye
to four declared III favor OF recommending 10 the
House an impeachment of the President. Forty
eight hours have not yet elapsed since we were IN
formed of the character of the report which repre-
sents this changed attitude OF the committee;
The recentness of this event compels general
treatment of some features Of the case as 1t IS
presented by the majority, which otherwise would
have been treated of more in detail.
sVThe report of the majority resolves all pre-
sumptions against the President, closes the door
against all doubts, atirms facts as established by
the testimony, in support Of which there ls not
narticle of evidence before us which would be re-
ceived by any Court in the land. We dissent from
all of this, and from tho temper and spirit OF the
veport The cool and unbiased Judgment OF the
+, ture, when the excitements in the midst OF
IL; Va We live shall have passed away, will not fail
70 Uncover that the political bitterness OF the
rason+ times has, lii no nconslderable deSree
given tone TO the document which we dechne 10
approve. 90 wa do from the report of the
Connn;ttee both IS to tie law of the case and the
Conclusions drawn rom the facts developed 1y tne
testimony, due regard ioS tne poay WI, VII i,in IN
tsnt duty involved in an investigation OF the
charges preferred against the Presldent llnpels US
to present at length our Vows W nt in soi9,,,,
which has been committed 10 US Dy q lios' 5oie, ~
vote of the House OF Representatives. IN Sp-
nroachino this duty we feel that the sprlt OF lne
partisan should be laid aside, and that the isei
eats of the republic, they are measured Ny ~
Constitution and laws, alone should gmde us anu
we most deeply regret that IN tnIs REGARD We
not annrove the report OF our colleagues WHO COLI
stitute q majority of the Committee. Mn-Ie me
would not charge them with design 10 act tne
part of partisans in this grave proceeding, We
nevertheless feel panied by the tone temper a-u
shirt of their report But regrets Will not answer
the demands of the present grave and comnianu-
ing occasion, and we therefore, respon0 10 tnelii
hv nresenting to the House the results OF care
fnl. deliberate, and, as we hope, CONSCIENTIOUS
investigation of the case before u.s..
IN discuss ihe constitutional question IN regard 70
iInpeachment maintaining that an lmpeacnn1ment m
ca1uot be supported by any act whlch 1ats snoI
on al indictable crime or mlsdemeanor. GnSnsn
orecedeuts are referred to at length, ana coPious
sItracts are made from the testimony Oh the com
Tnittea in order to refute the reasoning and con
nInsion Of the majority. They conclude as toi
lows: ..os :, Tho VOL
,roe Of testimony reported to the House Is OF nc
gal1e whatever. Much of it is mere hearssy
-: mons cf witnesses: and no little amount OF II
Tste~lY Irrelevant 10 the case. Comparatively
80, amount OF it CT uld be used on a trial OF thls
nS he sore tbs senate. All OF the testimony re
80; d, the failure 70 try and admission to bail o.
T.fssrsor Davis rhe aJsasslnatlon o; PresluenI
2;ncoIT tas diary Of j. Wilkes Booth, his place o.
iaSoI 5he oYaGtics OF pardon brokerage, the al
ouo IS', ..e,o1lerce n the President with Jeffer
"Hsl - - n6ao bS interesting TO Q reader, but Is
. - ,ba siighessE Importance 20 far as deter
,,,a+,on nf this case Is concerhcd otul inucn u
- ;r-atsvarz matter has been interviewer lntc
1nis 1 hIel1 - -bs majority, and has served t.
tiie ,,to,, 20 ooInY and 10 deepen - tone Strike
|he STAGE effscG 9f thls frsisVah' t@'se, an' m
sbo prominence gveJi n tne isuplH, is W III III" a. =,
'he rat,n r:rr0s .eG n lcy, ~ the PLAY WI ds
'no h!ches So4tja down 7o<.a the resI evidence II
o tn.+ ,rl,,ch win establish. IN 7c" ~ t,i
.tonI;rg ci.nnn,stances, S7s'stahti&l c''".'I y
ol,;,y 0IoiY, the elements vhicn o"hS"'uVo ~ ~ ~
tbo ,ose IN r,anv respects d"frfS 700" P'''''S'
contest. ..,,,,.,,o,, "a ,l.. not fail =
I,,,,;1oe mo ,tordooints from F'"bb t"'S '.Ss
10 [e,ged tho oys and 5he p'iif+'- we"
cag ng : nom the lormer he case oeon me B 49,
,s ny tettno1y +. = mls Viewing it from ne ,s.s 40.
,e ,e caee IS success The Ptes@er' sas ssss ('s% %
ported ne hopes and % soss'Ts,os es ssrs5 q 3 s o@
gaSeo gsanoe H.In and onea hands With hei ers@ ,d =
asspog os DTovod fase to tho express md a 'o md
t;o15 aS which uuderis MS eevato 70 p"%r sS, ao
IN U o vow Of the case 'eso7Ysa s,aeeG ,ae ss eiaea
randenuatiou Of er7ry Fa1-l'si''s9''
he republic -. .:-. r. ;.,,.,oochsh,o cr;rn4e
,,,.a,,,nnco htrn guilt q many Eross. ~
s assa T 9j sg3n qRad BRd s9 a9 Re 2s'9S i
tebI S?Ss axes and nd to the demands Of pr9gfessl
assa yaatHS ot the past ad seems ao g have csosI astooS
nsss O1nin,. :. brightress Of the ruture nlcaPaDl