Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-12-05

rebellious states, the power and right to
dictate to them the constitution and
laws they shall live under ana the liber-
ties they shall be permitted TO enjoy, In
this difference between Congress and the
President and the desire OF each for the
adoption by the country OF their re.
spectlye views is, we suspect, 10 be found
not ouly the cause for the movement TO
imprach the President, bur OF his CEN
sur and condemnation Out OF II have
gro" the tmhlttrrri feelings and VIC.
len a'rcd a. the Prr>i teut nv his for.
me- 'r,rnh>. fnr mahrlty of Congress
ana OF The Committee haV- entertain
and teen prepared 10 declare at all
uues, in Congress aud out Of u, even
more strongly than Is expressed in their
report, this same censurr and condemns.
tion. This opinion was not formed upou
any testimony taken before the commit.
tee, or upon any facts elicited by It's in
vesJigation. 1t was political opinion
growing out OF difference OF views
upon political questions It was the
opinion with which the msjoTi y Of the
committee entered upon the investiea-
tion. L. was that which inspired and
Stimulated all its inquiries and exami-
nations. But Notwithstanding these
pre- existing opinions auh prejudces, the
minority OF the committee nave been
compelled to fud, atler She fullest con-
slderatlon and great pInLraclrd deliO
tlon, that the Presideul had committed
no Cns use Tor which. uudrr our avs, he
can or ought 10 be impeacheu, aud uence
none, as we insist sunjeCtlng him To the
official jurisdiction uf the committee II
the House.
The censure and c hdsmna,iou Of tae
President either by majority or the mi.
nurlJy Is without our jurisdiction, Tot
Justified by the facts, unoecDmln4 uue
department OF the government tuxafd
the other aud calculated 10 nrihg ia
proach upon the committee, the House
and the nation. We cannot ignore tn.
fact that time has been spent and t.s,i.
mony taken by the committee iD ebcra-
voriDg 10 ascertain II the President Ia
his Ctficla capacity, has spoken Ceu.,-
rlouSly and condemnatOrlly 0i Cuhgre~N.
With view 10 his lmpeAchmr u, thrfe
fore, can 1t be more becUmlu2 ia Cou-
mlttee Of this House, or tae House Itself
to go beyond its jurisdiction ami ceusure
and condemn the President than for him
to censure and condemn Congress. Is
not the impropriety OF the one as appar-
ent as the other Ii one is imprachaole
Is not the other wroHg 7 What would
he thought Of the Supreme Court IT, az.
tr having been compeile1, in case
properly pending before it, To decide an
sct of Congress constitutional, 1t should
because 1t did not agree to the propriety
or policy OF the enactment, declare It's
severe censure and condemnation OF the
Congress for having passed it? VINO
would hesitate TO pronounce this sn uu.
JDstiasole and even unwarraptsb!e inter-
ference with the rights aud duties Of
Congress by the Supreme Court ca!cnia.
ted 10 disturb the harmony OF our gov
trmental system and to bring into uu.
happy If not fatal collision the CO ordi-
nate departments I Like this attempt
TO reprove or censure the President for
acts or wrongs not amounting to often.
ces, subJecting him TO the legal jurisdic.
tion OF the House OF representatives,
such an act would be sheer impudence
an act on the part of the court Justly
iASAANibE oulOquy hbu SuE0
interference by one department OF the
government with the other, without au-
thority OF law, must aud will most as.
suredly break off that comfy which
should at all times characterize their re.
lati0ns in intercourse. The end cannot
but be foreseen-the autagonism vii.
ultimately produce enmity and open hos
tillty and aggressions which must result
In the destruction of one or more de-
partments and as consequence destroy
our system of government altogether.
With all due respect to the majority
of the Committee, We cannot regard the
charges made against the President as =
serious attempt to procure his impeacl-
meut without dwelling upon tkelr ut
ter failure TO point TO the commission Of
g single act that Is recognized by the
la IS of our country As nigh crime or
mlsdemeanor. The Inconsistency OF the
majority cannot fail TO challenge the at
tenuon Of the country. Acts for which
MIR. Lincoln was clamorousIy applauded
are deemed high crimes in Mr.. johnson.
For every act 50 graveiy condemned the
President had the sanction and approval
o. his Cabinet ana yet while he Is ar
raigned before the world as s criminal
OF the deepest dye, they are not only not
impeached, but are recognized as special
fayorites of the party for impeachment.
The iatter have even gone So far a. 10
unite in the passage OF an extraordinary
and unprecedented law TO prevent the
President from removing these officers
from the places which they held.
Mr.. Stanton, the late Secretary of
War, gave his emphatic approval of the
acts for which the President is arraign-
ed, and yet the ex Secretary is favorte
and popular martyr, and the whole
country is clamorous for his restoration |
TO power and place. The President is |
held crlminally responsible for the acts
OF suburdinates, of which be did not |
even have the slightest notice or knowl. |
edge; and yet those bringing him to |
trial enact statute deprivlDg him of all |
costrol over these same subordlnates, |
and they are deemed worthy OF the espe- |
cial protection Of Congress The Pres |
ident has used every means within his I
power to bring the great State prisoner I