The New York herald., 1867-07-22
The impeachment DimcnIiy-"Old Thad's'
Opinions. $50

The venerable and skilful leader of the
House of Representatives, familiarly known as
FOld Thad," has deliberately given up the
case and fatty declared to the House that in
consequence of divisions in the republican
camp President Johnson will not and cannot
be impeached. In his last veto message he is
bolder and-mo defiant than in any preceding
veto, and broadly hints that Congress need not
look to him for the faithful execution of this
Supplementary Reconstruction bill. What,
then, is to be done? Mr.. Stevens, while one of
the most earnest believers in the policy and
necessity of Mr. Johnson's removal, says that
this thing cannot be done; that the friends of
the measure are urging it in vain; that there
are unseen agencies at work-invisible powers
which will prevent the impeachment that the
composition Of the House is such as TO prevent
an indictment, and the composition of the
Senate is such as to prevent o conviction if the
accused shall be brought to trial before that
body.
These are extraordinary declarations in the
face of the recent solid vote Of the republicans
OF both houses in passing their new bill over
thePresident's veto. We see no division here
and no signs of wavering, and yet Mr.. Stevens
declares that at is impossible to pierce
the panoply which surrounds the White
House." What is he limiting ats Is it
the cohesive power Of the public plum
ders" Evidently so. But how does il affect
the composition of the two houses. 1t must
be in the bargaining for and selling of Offices.
We heard, too, at the last session. that good
deal of this bargaining between the White
House in its appointments and the Senate in
its confirmations was going on spon the prin-
ciple Of giving something to Dick in order to
get something for Tom and Harry. We ap.
prehend, however, that if Mr.. Stevens thinks
that the anti-impeachment wind in Congress,
sits in this quarter he is wide of the mark. In
his late conversation at Lancaster with one of
our travelling correspondents we guess the old
commoner was nearer the solution Of the mys-
terry.
There are, in short, at least two rival repub-
lican factions mining and counterminiug for
the next Presidency. We win call them the
radical and conservative, or the Chase and the
Grant factions. The first is powerful body,
backed by the national banks and the bulk
Of all the other agents connected with Mr..
Chase's financial system, while the conserva-
tive faction have but little to depend upon
beyond the popularity Of General Grant. As
between these rival factions, President John
son may bc set down as cipher or an un-
known quantity which may be thrown out of
the estimate, five simply look at his political
notioas. This impeachment difficulty lies with
"0ld Zen wade," President Of the Senate, and,
In the event Of the removal Of Andrew
johnson, President Of the United States.
but Why any clashing in regard to this SUBJ
stitutlon OF Wade for Johnson in the White
House. We have only to suppose that Mr..
Wade, as radical, is supporter of Chief
Justice Chase for the succession, "a eet at the
key to the difnculty. Thus, If promoted 10 the
White House, there is reason to fear, not so
much that President Wade will make clean
sweep of President Johnson's pet Office
holders, but that radicals, who can pronounce
the shibboleth Of Chief Justice Chase as a
Presidential candidate, will be appointed to al
all these vacancies, from the Minister 10 Eng.
land down to the postmaster at Confederate
Cross Roads. II Is said that " Old Ben, aspires
TO the Executive Mansion bimself but we
spprehend that bis real position Is that Of
armor bearer to the Chief Justice In either
capacity, however, he would be stumbling
block in the White House to the republican
conservatives, and before the meeting Of the
grand party convention in his distribution Of
the spoils he might throw all their fat in tbe
fire.
1t follows, therefore, that their policy ls 70
let well enough alone. II President Johnson
Is not much inclined to help them on the Grant
platform, hs y NOT disposed to hurt them;
while bis implacsbls hostility y the radical
impeachment faction il e. much CLEAR gsif,
The republican cO6vtyknSss Acsof1dsH
csnno. end in the evidence taken BY the Judi
ciary Committee Of the Tfouse, nor 10 t6as
Ni.Lia the last iey DAYS fySaishsJ BY Mr.