Delaware State journal and statesman., 1867-09-24
[From the New York independently
THE PUBLIC SITUATION.

A thoughtful friend of ours, whose present
stand point for observing public affairs is
the green slope and tranquil air of country
hillside writes 10 US. 81 beg of you my
dear sir, to use your pen briskly at the pre-
sent critical juncture, for the purpose OF
making the nation ready for an inevitable
coming event--and that is the impeachment
Of the President"
We beg to inform our friend that the ma
tion was long ago, and is now, abundantly
ready for the impeachment of the President.
The people are waiting for 1t anxiously-
nay, with an almost impatient anxiety. In
the Republican party, not only the Radical
wing, but large part of the Conservative,
are at last united in demanding the removal
of the only remaining bindrance of recon-
struction; and that is, the President. A few
far-sighted public men--such, for instance,
as Wendell Phillips, Charles Sumner, Thad-
deus Stevens and Gen Butler-have been,
for many months past, urging impeachment.
Such men are the coulter of the plowi they
break ground just a little ahead of the gene
raj furrow. Find where these men stand to-
day, and you will find where the rest oil Inc
party will stand tomorrow. And, as these
men long ago demanded impeachment,
shrewd observers might have then predicted
that, about the present time, the rest OF the
party would, with general voice, be ready
to re.echo the demand, Accordingly, even
the host of less prophetic statesmen are
now reading the signs of the times. inc
Springfield Republican "a journal which
speaks as accurately IS any other OF the
conservative, as distinguished from the radl-
cal, purpose Of the Republican party
says: "If Congress were now in session
there can be little doubt that the House
would find articles of impeachment againsl
the President" Senator Wilson--who i
always as well acquainted with fresh politt
cal facts as any other Republican politician
has Just publicly said; ''lhe great mass o
the Republican party believe that the Fresl
dent will be impeached, and that he deserve
impeachment. The New York Tribune
which, until lately, lent its powerful intluenc
decidedly against Impeachment, is nov
among its strongest advocates.
Stern duties are the tests of heroic mel
One OF the sternest duties ever laid upo
American statesmen has been, and still j
the impeachment of Andrew johnson. Blu
Notwithstanding the patent fact that Il
publice welfare has imperatively demandC
this measure, many eminent fepublieai
have hitherto opposed and defeated 1t, b
cause they. have seen In ii some risk TO u
fortunes of some favorite presidential cane
date. But in all such paltry reasons again
impeachment, we can see, not a pardonab
f, expediency, but an objectionable cowardic
If Mr.. johnson deserves impeachment,
deserves it irrespective of the question as
which of a dozen or twenty Republcl
candidates is to be the fortunate winner
the next presidency. If any political eve
In the future may be regarded as sure, it
that the Republican party is to carry
l. next presidential election. The impea'
,s ment or non.impeachment of Mr.. Johns
vii, NOT alter this inevitable fact. Is it II
therefore, mockery of statesmanship to
low so grave a question as the impeachm'
- of the President to turn on the minor a
almost private question of the political p
X motion of some one member of the Repu
by can party over another of equal fitness
raj opportunitiesH
in II It could be now thoroughly underst'
an (as it ought to be) that the Republican pa
"a means TO omit from the list of presiden
O candidates next summer all its senal
governors, and generals who are now
posing the impeachment oil the tfesic
rs rs all such opposition would instantly ee
Gth and the President would be speedily put
, u,
m OF the way.
A Meanwhile, we have heard sugges
iSa Rs = made that the Radical governors shoule
:, semble Gas once during the war) for a