The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1867-09-28
THE DANGERS OF THE HOUR


stirring up the passions Of the people by
declarations such as these that. we are on
the eve Of another rebellion, and that this
second war is to spread generally over the
country in the North as well as South; and
that President johnson intends to be the
prime mover in this new rebellion. We
scarcely need say that we give no sort Of
credence to these Nominations There is.
it is true, some bad blood both in the
North and in the South, and some talk
respecting the Presidents course. 1t is
intimated in pretty high and influential
circles, that he will be impeached; and
it is strongly limited in some quarters that
If Congress attempts impeachment, Con.
gress will be driven out at the point Of the
bayonet; and that civil war will be again
inaugurated. Now, though there is con.
siderable Of this sort Of speculation, we
must confess that we have not looked upon
the various diatrtbeS Of politicians and
partisans as having any other meaning
than that Of "buncombe!"
As far as impeachment is concerned,
we have never believed that any serious
attempt will be made in this direction ;
and even admitting such q movement be
undertaken, who is insane enough to get
up war on this account? The Constitu.
ton itself provides that the President Of
the United States may be impeached, that
the House of Representatives may prefer
charges or articles of impeachment, ant
that the Senate shall-with the Chief Jus
tice presiding-investigate, try, and SETTLE
the matter as to whether the President
may have been guilty of high crimes and
misdemeanors. Thus far all is within the
Constitution. 1t cannot be, therefore
that those who claim to be the defenders
of the Constitution will attempt to dis.
perse Congress, and thus inaugurate war
because that body does what it has O
clear right to do. That the Presiden,
could be impeached, or that he has done
anything worthy Of impeachment, are
questions which we do not wish to discuss
but that Congress can be interfered will
for investigating the official character o
our Chief Magistrate is an absurdty, an,
those who assert that it can be driven GU
for so doing 4 thing which the Constitu
ton allows are simply revolutionists, and
have no reverence or respect for the Con
stitution which they profess to revere
Until we can bring ourselves to believe
that large mass of the American people
have taken leave Of their senses and are
ready to trample upon both law and Con
stitution, we can entertain no fears tina,
any such movement as the cleaning out
Of Congress" as it is called, will be precip
itated.
We do not believe that there is any
considerable number of the American PEG
pie so moved by passion as to lend them
selves or their aid to such foolish ant
hair-brained enterprise as this would evi
IDENTIFY be. We can conceive that if tn
President Of the United States were to b
condemned without cause, and Judge
guilty without sufficient evidence; that
he were to be impeached upon mere pa
tisnn and political grounds; that if sue
thing were done without the cleares
warrant of law and Constitution, that tn
people might be indignant, and might i
such an emergency take matters into the
own hands, and dispense their agents fc
being recrcant to duty, and for the bt
trayal of their sworn trusts, in obedienc
to the behests of party. But for instruct
ing an examination into the official col
duct of any President TO ascertain whethe
or not he is or has been guilty of an in
peachable offence, no such remedy O
looks to revolution can be resortcd t
with the slightest pretext of justification
The sober second thought of the cntlr
Northern people will lead them, withou
distinction of party, as it led them in ii
first rebellion, to put their foot upon a
such attempts, and crush them out foreve
How 1T HAPPESED.-We were made to COZ