Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1867-03-14
A PROPER REBUKE.

lcct OF lUlptlchileut t4AeA itulh 1"S "'0A'N4''
Committee, Of which, by parliamentary rule,
they would be members. Ashley's assertions
were so malignant and utterly groundlesS as to
call for manly rebuke from Mr.. Spaldiug, Of
Ohio, Republican. Mr. Sparkling said -
Sir. I differ toto c,vlo withmy colleague, Mr..
ASuLEY1 and stand here in this very place
from which. more than two months ago, the
Executive of this nation was charged with high
crimes and mSdcueanrrS, 10 denounce the
whole scheme as one Of COnSumnate folly
rNoTE.-Mr. SPALuING now occupies the seat
Mr.. ASHLEY occupied last Sc>sipn.-REP.l l
saw that no one act amounting to crime or a
misicmeanor has as vet been proved against the
Executive of this nation. and challenge any
man % rcplv a. me when make this aver
n.cut. And siv more I say that it is not
rcauilcl hy some of those who charge the EX-
eciitivc with iish crimes and miSdcmeanors
that prlof shall be- ,bjaiuci. Ii is only neceS-
sarv. as has been sad ia high places within the
past week OF ten days, that It shall be known
that the President was an obstruction in the
way Of what gentlemen cal, progress, and
that. Therefore. the Radical party Of the country
must remove him Sir claim tOhOid no such
doctrine: and / say o. my as O -iateS Of the
great Union party, that they must look well
10 their WAYS il they suppose the intelligent
people Of the United States are going % uphold
them In PRONUNCIATION and practice Of any n
principles. have no objection to this iTvesti-
CATION being pursued through the channel of
that Judiciary Committee but at the same
time, 20 be consistent. must say that doop-
pose il and tlall until have some evidence
presented tomy mind 10 show that we can
make an appeal to the coussi,n,e Of this great
nation VIXEN we seek 10 deprive it of its cxecu-
tive head.
Neare bringing tothe teStoUr republican prin-
ciples, our popular form Of goyemment; a test
such as no nation has ever vet been brought to.
| ! trust we have not vet arrived ut the same
state Of feeling as that which existed during
the revolution Of Oliver Cromwell, or thatwhich
lived in the days Of RObeSpierre and Marat, in
France, when those who one day advocated
the most extreme measures, were the next day
brought 10 the Scaffold because they were not
far enough in the advance. Is that to be our
position in this country2 Sir, have voted
Tor every Radical measure Demonstration pro-
posed in this House, and yet we have not adopt
ed radical measures enough 70 suit the purposes
Of some gentlemen around me. They now cry
for the head Of the Executive T" They want
more blood, suggested Mr. WOoD in his seat I
For what good purpose Is it to make way
for some other man OF set ofmen Is this whole
nation to be c5nvulSed; is our public credit to
be triiled with are our stocks 20 be brought
down TO so, 20, or 10 per cent, simply to graft
fl this anxiety to remove the Executive head
Of the nation? Sir, | cannot 80 for that pro-
position.
In the course Of Buffers harrangue, after
complaining that the President had misused
the pardoning power and returned immense
amounts Of material to rebels, he said
The custom Of parliaments has ever been to
find impeachmentS on common fame and COM
mon report. The current history, which is the
evidence on which all governmental action is
based, is the evidence on which this impeach-
ment shall be based. so far rs the facts are
spread on the judicial, legislative, and execu-
tive records Of the country think it of very
little consequence whether there be any secret
crime charged against the President. because
am willing to take up the gauntlet thrown down
by the gentleman from Ohio Mr.. SPALDING I
and l say that if any man stands in the way Of
the great march Of this country to honor. to
glory, TO peace, to unity TO happiness, to liber-
", and 10 law, he must be taken out Of tue
way by a constitutional method
To this tissue of fimsy charges by Butler,
Mr.. Brooks, Of New York, replied with great
force. We regret that we have not room for
the whole Of his speech on the occasion. He
said
Among the specifications Of the gentleman
from Massachusetts, for the impeachment of the
: President were usurpatious Of executive and
legislative power What these usurpations
were the gentleman did not state but. doubt
less, they refer to the Presidents organizations
Of the Southern States. Why so late a day in
finding all this out? Why not have begun
this Impeachment nearly two years ago. when
the organizations were taking place? Why
this sudden discovery Of them now as material
for Impeachment? But grant what the gentle
man said there was a remedy for all this spe-
cies of alleged usurpation in the courts of law.
The judiciary could set right all this wrong
Congress itself was now omnipotent, with its
two-thirls majority. and, as a legislative body,
could arrest uSUrpations of any kicd
Another specification Of impeachment by the
/ gentleman from Massachusetts, was. the surrcp-
der by the President Of certain army and rail-
% road materials to the rebels Was the gentle
man really serious on that point? Why. if that
was criminal. what would become If him. from
whom the rebels have taken hundred dollars
worth ofal, species Of material while the Presi-
dent has surrendered one But the President
? had taken no step ON that subject without con-
sultJtiou with the Secretary Of War and other
members ot bis cabinet. Hence. if we inst-
tutei Indictments or impeachmeutS for the sur
render olwar material % rebels. no one of
these would escape, and certainly not the gen
tcwau whom complained We are an in
b. dehtci however, o. the gentleman from MaSsa-
, ChUSctt- hr the -Jga, freedom and fankuess of
, III, speech, There was no disguise in him.
, TIE told Che I,og~, exactly what he wanted
Whoever, lee says. stood Ia the way of the
, glorious march Of the times must be taken out
g. NC tie way ~ stricken down. That was plain
. English and aI could comprehend it well.
We have here out loud what Is whispered in
{ tho inner circle ol the caucus. The executive
b. branch of The Government is in our way. and
the Executive uust he depusel. This was
B. revolutionary talk. This was what reminded
iim llIr. EFoaE~l Of the French conventions.
D. N'uat,sr what the Constitution sail-uo mat
ter what Oh, firm ot lesislatiou-uo matter
what The VrCcc1cutS of the c,ugtry were-uo
matter whether the President Is right or wrong.
{ be- stands In the way Of our party, and he.
therefore. must De removed This was the
whole secret g tie process of Impeachment
D d 4 =