The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-02-02

From Tie Ala Lsnua sh
Action Of the House OIL I'M
parchment.

We stated yesterday that the Impeachment Of
President johnson APPEARED u he q deferred
question: rather for tie next than the present
Congress u consider. The news received by tele-
graph at . very late hour. and just before the
ifG u Yesterday vent q press. announces that
the House Of Representatives has already taken
the initial step towards impeachment. By the
last claus IN Section >. Article I. u the Consti-
tuition, the House has the sole power OF impaach-
menJ. and BY q clause IN Section 8 OF the same
article. the >enate has the sole power - trv al
imPe4chmeuts Wien the President Of the
United States J. tried. the Chief Justice shall
preside. and no person shall be convicted without
tie Concurrence u twJ-th!rls Uf the members
present.. 10 the Present Senate there i more
than . twO-tLird- majority Of UniJuists. the
whole being composed yf hity-fOur Senators. IN
GLIDING Fowler and Patterson e Tennessee. who.
BIZ the action Of the last Congress. are admitted
- SEATS. OF these ftJy-four. f~Jrty-one were
elected a. Misunderstanding the Tennessee
S=nators. fOrty-tdTee- But - seven 0f these are
known supporters Of the Presidential p1iicy, viz
Dixon, Norton, N5smi;h. COwan, DOIlittle.
Fowler and Patterson, and -. on the question Of
impeachment, they would be almost sure - vote
with the opposition, II has been thought that the
responsibility Of the trial (f 1t comes 70 that
would Be assumed by this Senate. At best they
en- count upon only the necessary thir y-six
yOte= for conviction. \ hasty trial would there
fore not only be undignifed, but endauger the
cause at which the party in favor Of Impeachment
aim.
The next Senate Will show q considerable change
against the President and his policy. FROM Cal
l!OrnIa Cole Will take the place IF McDOGgall
from Oregon COrbItt viii tlke the place Of Ne
smith from Pennsylvania Thad. Stevens will
take the place vi COwan Congress gains a Seua-
tor IN place Of lane, in Kansas. These four
gains are all Radicals. unless the Oregon Senator
i doubtful. II viii give the Congressional party
a clear majority Of four more than two-thirds,
and insare tie conviction Of the President in Gaze
-ha cFU-ya ?. -. Ill - -.,a..l--ar- I'LL l..
sustained by evidence. Whatever has been done.
then. by this Congress in the premises. we appre-
bend. l. with a view u final action by the For
tieth Congress. The resolution introduced by
Nh Loan, Of the Seventh Cor -. Joseph) Mis-
sDuri District. ~cUntemplates action without DELAY
-fr,t. on Impeachment second, % provide a
substitute for the President. in case he should be
removed third. u provide for Immediate recon
structiOn. and fourth, by Federal authority 10
give the franchise 70 the blacks Of the South.
This resolution we are told createu intense ex-
citement, and q motion to table il was negltived
by l03 to 40. Mr.. Ian i an old member of
the Ihirty-eighth Congress. Of the most Radical
politics, whose principles represent the twenty
and odd thousand majority in the State of Mis-
souri,, and perhaps a. fully as any other member,
the sense OF the House and the Republican party
OF the nation Hence the alarm Of the Demo
Gratis. They had about concluded that the ques-
ton Of impeachment was not only deferred, out
dead, and this resolution with the vote upon it
took them by surprise. Yet we do not think the
=. action without DELAY" as the resolution Is
wordei, indicates a trial or impeachment before
the fourth Of March. By the resolution OF Mr..
Ashley, Of Ohio, and the vote Of the House upon
it. which directly followed that Of Mr.. Loan. the
whole matter has been for the present turned
over to the Judiciary Committee, with instruc-
tions to investigate and report upon the official
conduct IF the President. and whether or not he has
been guilty OF tie high crimes and misdemeanOrs
charged. The Judiciary Committee is composeto of
nine members 1T least four Of whom rank among
the able>t men in Congress. and six or seven
among the most radical opponents Of the Presi-
dents policy. The Chairman of the Committee
i Mr.. Wilson. Of Iowa. The three ajlesi Of his
associates are Boutwell, Of Massachusetts, Thorn
a., Of Maryland and Williams. Of Pennsylvania
Under the management of these distinguished
representatives. nothing Is likely u be done in
haste. but nothing will be left undOne which
II be done.
The impeachment and trial of Il President has
no precedent in the history Of our Government.
Ii Is Of the utmost importance, therefore. that
this business be conducted with great circum-
s~TectiOn. The event. like the Impeachment Of
Charles |. in England. may change the spirit Of .
our institutions. Indeed ii can hardly d. less;
for If the attempt fails the triumph OF the Pres
ltent will enlarge the powers OF the Executive.
both at the expense Of Congress and the States: {
If It succeeds. the Congress Of the United
States. like the Parliament Of Great Britain.
Will almost certainly establish itself a. the !
supreme power of the land. limited only by the ,
Wisdom and justice. not passion. :
should rule the hour. To some extent we are !
boxing out into darkness and yaguenesS. and 10
the careful student Of English and French his;o- q
y the situation Is such - 10 suggest that even q
prudence may err in too great haste, and that /
II : possible u gain on the one hand BY {
iepO>Ing an obstinate or vicious Executive. NAV [
be lost or greatly weakened by the sacrifice Of q
Constitutional authority and traditional policy. d.
" c should not like - Sc any PreSiiept 7
Dccause he OPPOSES his CJnsti--~SII- - 9
I.- ...- Tnr .utIJual authority -
-gainst the policy Of regulating suffrage hy Con- v
il and for the States because. while the !,
constitution does not, expressly or by fair inter y
erence, warrant such action. the traditions and 1
practice in all the States has been {
% the contrary. We would not like to see him $
npeached for arbitrary removals and appoint /
aents, Notwithstanding high opinions may justify q
Z, because the offence l. one that NAV be cor d
ected by law without impeachment, aud for the
urther reason that the practice has been the 6
ule rather than the exception ever since the IL
're>Idency OF Andrew jackson. But If. a. Mr.. Z
Ashley charges, the President - has corruptly =
i-pOsed of the property of the United States il
Orrupt.y i~uterfered in elections - if he has T.
by a clear usurpaJion of authority. to "
q himself and his Office above the law to de- q
rade the people and their representatives, and to
make his Office Imperial, we trust that Congress
nay Impeach. try. convict and dep0Se him. but
every form of dignity and justice, without ?
aste and without passion. Ii
nFrrrn trrr rI.Hn urHsrn - j.