American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-12-04


for which the President is arraiqned and
yet the Ex-Seeretary is favorite and
popular martyr, and the whole country
is yexed with clamors for his restoration
70 power and place. The President has
used every means within his power to
bring Jefferson Davis to speedy trial,
and yet he has been denounced through.
out the land for procrastination aud pre-
venting the trial, while the Judges and
prosecuting officers having entire control
of the matter have been deemed worthy
Of the most honored plaudits. Were
ever eonsistencies more glaring and in-
explieable than these and can we possibly
be mistaken when we assert that, how
ever honest may be the majority of the
Committee. the verdict of the country
and of posterity will be that the crime
of the President consists not in violation
of, but refusals to violate, the laws: in
being unable to keep pace with the par
ty o. progress in their rapidly advancing
movements, or to step outside and above
the Constitution in the administration
of the Government: in preferring the
Constitution Of his country to the dicta>
ton of an unscrupulous partizan cabal !;
IN bravely daring to meet the maledic>
tions of those who arrived at the acccm
plishmcnt of a most wicked and danger
Gus revolution, rather than encounter
the reproach of his own conscience aud
the curses OF posterity through all time.
A great deal of the matter contained
in the volume Of testimony reported to
Much of it is mere hoarsay, opinions of
witnesses, and no little amount of it ut,
terly irrelevant to the case. Compare.
lively small amount of it could be used
on u trial of this case before the Senate.
All Of the testimony relating to the fail
ure to try and admission to bail of jeff
erson Davis, the assassination Of Presi-
dent Lincoln, the diary of J. Wilkes
Booth, his place of burial, the practice of
pardon brokerage, and the alleged cor>
respondence of the President with JEFF.
erson Davis, may be interesting to a
reader but is not of the slightest imporr
tance so far as a determination of this
case is concerned. Still, much of this
irrelevant matter has been interviewer
into the majority, and has served to
heighten its color and deepe1 its tone,
settle down upon the real evidence in the
case, that which will establish in view
of the attending circumstances, subs
stautal crime. By making plain the
elements which constitute it, the case in
many respects dwarls into political
contest, In approaching conclusion
we do not fail to recognize the stand
points from which this case can be re
viewed, the legal and tho political.
Viewing it from the latter, there is sue,
cess. The President has disappointed
the hopes and expectations of those who
plrced him in power; he has betrayed
their confidence and joined hands with
their enemies he has proved false to the
express and implicit condition which
underle his elevation to power, and, in
our view of the case, deserves the cen.
sure and condemnation of every well
disposed citizen of the Republic.
While we acquit him Of impeachable
crimes, we pronounce him guilty of many
wrongs. His contest with Congress has
delayed reconstruction, and inflicted vast
injury upon the people of the rebel States
He has been blind to the necessities Of
the times, and to the demands of pro-
gressive civilization onveloped in the
darkness Of the past, and seems not to
have detected the dawping brightness of
the future, Incapable of appreciating
the grand changes which the past six
years have wrought, he seeks to measure
the great events which surround him by
the narrow rules which adjusted public
affails before the rebellion and its legit.
innate consequences destroyed them aud
established others. Judge him, politi>
caly condemn him, but the day of polit-
ical impeachment would be a sad one for
the country.
Political unftness and incapacity must
be tried at the ballOt>bOx, not in the high
court OF impeachment. The contrary rule
might leave to Congress but little time for
other business than the trial Of impeach-
ment, but we are not now dealing with p0-
litiCal offenses. Crimes and misdemeanOrs
are now demanding our attention. Do these
within the nearing of the Constitution ap-
pear? Rest the case upon political offenscs
and we are prepared to pronounce against
the President, for such oGenses are numer-
Gus, and grave.
If Mexican experience is desired, we
need have no difficulty, for their almost ev-
cry electi ion is productive of a revolution.
II the people Of this Republic desire such a
result we have not yet been able TO discover
it, nor would we favor it if its presence
were manifest. While we condemn and
censure the political conduct of the Presi-
dent aud Judge him un wise in the use of lis
discretionary power, and appeal TO the peo.
pie of the Republic to sustain us we still
affirm that the conclusion at which we have
arrived is correct. We therefore declare
that the case before us, presented ly testi-
mony and measured by the law. does not
declare such high crimes and misdemeanors
within the meaning of the Constitution as
require the interposition of the constitution
al powers of this House, and recommend
the adoption of the following resolution.
Resoired That the Committee on the
Judiciary be discharged from the further
consideration Of the proposed impeachment
of the President of the United States, and
that the subject be laid upon the table.
Signed,
JAMES F. WILSON.
FREDERICK E. Wool BRIDGE.
ANOTHER MINORITY REPORT.