The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1867-01-30
The business View of the lmpeac n
ment Question.

FROM the rhiiadelpha Agc.l
Tho commercial and business ceuters OF
the country are beginning TO feel the effects
of tho continued agitation on the question
OF impeachment Trade Is dropping,
manufacturers are fearful Of the future,
ships are lying at the wharves wanting
cargOes, and lnborcrs are seen In the streets
without work. There Is an abundance of
capital. hut a lack of confidence. Men fear
Congress. They look upon that body as
the solid men. the true friends OF France
did npon the Revolutionary Directory Of
that nation, rs capable of doing any rash
and suicidal deed. The New York Tribune,
In noticing the movement Of Mr.. Ashley
looking to an impeachment of the Prcsl-
dent says III a necessity shall be found
to exist for impeaching and eiecting
from office President Of the United
states. we are sure every cousiderate
American will regard Il as a deplorable
necessity, one to be avoided VI possible, and
~ long as possible. No patriot will wan
tonly or lightly shake the twin fabrics Of
public order aud public credit This is a
sensible view Of the case, and IL Il strength
ened by the remarks Of Mr.. Dodge, Of New
York. In the National House of Rcprescn-
tatives, who, in the course of a speech IN
opposition to the impeachment programme,
"deprecates 1t rs being unfortunate Ia a
political point Of view. but vastly more uu-
fortunate in paralyzing the industrial aud
business interests of the country. lie mem
toned the instance of charitable iustitu-
tion of New York which had voted 10 In
vest its surplus capital In United States se--
curities. but that vote had been recOnsid-
cred on accouAt of the impeachment prop
osition. aud the President of the society
was directed to deposit the amount In the
New York Life and Mutual Fund. So Il
was in all branches of business
These are plain, practical views of this
impeachment issue which the Radical lead
ers are determined 20 force upon the ma
tion. The deposition Of a President of the
United States, by Congress and Senate
representing only Il portion Of the states,
and at time when mems passions are at
fever heat is no triling matter The elec-
ton Of a successor by the votes Of only
twenty-siN States Is also calculated to add
fuel To the flame of popular discomfort. The
masses will not be satisfied with an arrange
ment which puts the majority at the mercy
of the minority, and their discomfort may
be expressed in such manner rs to alarm
the timid and make thoughtful the resO-
lutte. The whole country will feel this Yio |
lence done to the very foundation of the
government, and trade and business. pub !
lie confidence and national credit, will suf- !
fer TO a degree little dreamed of at tile |
present time.
An impeachment of the President under |
such circumstances as those attending the |
movement against Andrew Johnson, will |
''shake the twin fabrics of public order and |
public credit foreign countries will look |
with distrust upon a nation which thus al |
lows unprinciplcd and scheming politicians |
to squander its rich inheritance of liberty |
order and constitutional law; and foreign |
will begin to call in the moneys |
they have invested in United States secu-
rites. The possibility of Impeachment |
opening up questions of more in1amma- |
BILE character of dividing the North and |
its business prospects, will have |
an effect on the bankers and money kings |
Of Europe. They are keen observers OF the |
state of political feeling in this country |
and know from home experience what a
sudden and ruinous fall there is in the Sc
curities of nation where the laws rest up
on the changing aspect of partisan feeling,
and not upon sound basis Unconstitutional
The deposition of the Presi- |
dent upon mere political grounds will be
viewed in all European nations as a revo-
luton, and treated as such in all business
The question, therefore,
is, will business men permit few
politicians like Sumner, and Ste
vens, and Boutwell,, and Ashley, to
bring on such commercial. financial and
business revulsion rs will attend the de-
position of the President for daring to diff
fer with minority Congress. and uphold
the Constitution and laws of the land ?
The price to be paid for sustaining such
movement is to be ascortained. It is un-
dermining, if not totally destroying, the
twin fabrics of public order and public
credit" and in this light the business men.
capitalists, and laborers of the nation must
look at it in order to measure and under
stand the responsibility resting upon them
at this time.