Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-06-19

NASHVILLE, June ,. 1867.
Tic senate Of Tennessee. nctng as a high
court Of Impeachment. to-day rendered it,
decision in the case of Judge Frazier of the
criminal court of Davidson county. BY Il
Vote of fourteen t. four it was decided that
judge + was guilty 0f = high crimes and
ms. icncanor-. requiring his qualification.
in that lac did - c,rruptly, williully malic-
iou>ly and tcloniousiy issue writ of habeGS
corpuS upon the NcryeAnt-at-Arms Of the
House of Representatives. commanding him
t1 appear before him with the body of
member OF the House held in custody bv
order of said House.
Thus ends trial which has excited, ami
will cuutiuue = excite more interest than
any which has taken place in Tennessee for
many wears And it, decision is great
triumph Of legislative independence and priv
ilc-re. The circumstances, in brief, are these :
Immediately after the PRONUNCIATION of the
amendments To the Constitution proposed by
thc thirtv-ninth Congress. GOV Brownlow
summoned .'ii t..tra -csri,n uf the Legislature
to meet on the 4th ut J4st ! '.'. e. consider
the proposed amendments. As soon "a the
Governors proclamation was issued. ii began
t. be- whispered about among the knowing
ones thar there would he no quorum present.
The LEGISLATURE met on the 4th. and adlourncd
t. the 9TH On that day. and for many days
fllluwiuE. there was no quorum III the House
Members were in the city, but they could not
jtc found. Enough would appear on the floor
To- make within one or two of il quorum. and
then disappear. Guiding every effort Of the
S-rgcant-at-Arms to discover them. At
length tired with this sort Of bows play,
the House directed the Sergeant-at- Arms To
employ q posse. and bring the delinquent s"t
tic bar This was done. and two members
enough. with those present, 10 constitute
i. quorum-werc arrested and brought to the
Capitol. and there held T. wait the pleasure
Of thc House.
Meantime. caucusing. >cheming and threat
cning IF every kind was kept up. and at last
the two members who had been arrested by
the Scrgeaut-at- Arms. and were III contine-
ment bv order of the House. sued for 4 writ
of buieGS corD,,s which. after brief argument
was granted bv Judge Frazier Immediately
thereafter. during the night. the capitol was
invaded. the Scrgcant-atArms of the House
arrested and fined by the Judge for contempt
of court. The excitement during all thie
time was very great. and the course OF the
- conservative papers was highly milan
natorv. 1t needed only the occasion 10 pro
duce IA riot of the most serious character.
The decision Of Judge Frazier was only
one link in the chain of appliances used Il
pail down the General Assembly.
The motive to all this was desire 10 pre-
vent the adoption "f the - reconstruction
amendments to the Constitution Thanks L
the integrity. firmne>s and courage of th'
radical members of the Legislature. all thes'
schcmcs of anarchy failed. Had they sue
credcd We should to-day have no civil gov
ernment in Tennessee thing which leading
rebels were then working for. The impeach
Inent of Judge Frazier is an impressive lessor
10 them that there 10 a Legislature. and tha
it is not to he trihed with, and its decree
annulcd and its rights invaded by ever.
petty court which chooses to arrogate to it
self that right
1t il only Justice Judge Frazier t. "a,
that his first impressions were against grant
inc the writ OF hdbeas corpus; but he wa
persuaded to do so 10y designing schemcrs
The case was argued and contested by tn
ablest council in the state, conspicuous amon
whom were Mcssrs. Ewing and East for Judg
Frazier. and Trimble and Maynard for tn
state None of the splendor which made tn
trial of Hastings memorable accompanie
this ease but its effects upon the futur
rights. dignity and power of the Legislator
will be far greater than any which have ri
suited from that most famous of impeacf
ments-Tr7bunf.