The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-02-20
United States. The Senate of the United

not advised with the Senate, but he las de-
libcrately appointed men who have been re-
iected by the Senate. know, Sir, it may
be said that this thing has been done before,
and it is true, Sir, that in two or three in
stances Gen. Jackson did reappoint men who
had been rejected by the Senate do not
hesitate to say, therefore, that for the act of
usurpation Gen. Jackson should have been
impeached by the Congress of the United
States; but, Sir, would pass that over, and
come to another allegation yet more start
ling. 1t is alleged, and / know not whether
it be true or false, but it is alleged that An
drew Johnson made appointments during the
recess of the Senate by removing the incum-
bents, and during the late long session of
Congress did not send the names to the Sen
ate at all, but ON the adjournment of the
Senate, without consulting the Senate, and
in direct violation of the Constitution and of
his oath of Office he reappointed these men,
never having sent them to the Senate at all.
I know not whether it be true or false, but if
it be true, say Andrew johnson should be
impeached for this one act, and for it alone.
Sir, if the Congress of the United States per-
nit such violations of the Constitution to go
unpunished, then the Congress of the United
States should never meet again. The British
Parliament watches the least encrOachment
of the kingly powers upon the rights of Par
lament and if any King or Minister had been
guilty of any one of the acts alleged against
Andrew johnson, he would have been i'm
peached forthwith. Mr.. President, much has
been said both in this body and before the
| people of the country about the plan of the
President. would like to ask any member
of this body what right the President has to
have plan outside of the law of Congress.
The President has right to advise Congress
| what plan it shall adopt; so has every in
dividual in the United States the same right
| If Congress sees fit to adopt the plan of the
| plan of the Nation If Congress sees fit to
| adopt the plan of John Jones, who by peti-
| ton advises Congress to adopt it, then John
but if Congress declines to adopt the plan of
John Jones or of Andrew Johnson (and it is
immaterial which), the plan falls to the
| ground. Sir, have heard enough about the
Presidents plan. What right has Andrew
johnson to a plan that has been rejected by
Congress He has no more righ than my horse
His plan has been rejected, and it amounts to
nothing 1 want to hear no more of the
| L
| United States obey the laws; and if lie don't
obey the laws, let him disobey them at his
peril-that's all.
But Sir, there is dread that we, in exc
cutting our Constitutional powers, will bring
some dreadful calamity upon this great
Nation. Mr.. President, this Nation has
come victorious out of the most terrible re-
bellion the world has ever seen. 1t has
| Taff n,, for Tor
tained as he was by the inhabitants of the
Rebel States. 1t has conquered the Rebel
lion, and now see what fearful calamity could
be brought upon this nation by your exercis-
ing our CONSTITUTE onal rights. Mr.. Presi-
dent, the removal of a man who has viola
ted the Constitution of the United States,
and who ought to be removed care not
whether he be President ofthe United States
or occupy the chair which you so ably fill
care not what position lie occupies the re-
moval ofthat individual by impeachment
would produce about the same amount of
excitement in the country that the removal
of the Custom House officers in the City of
New-Y York would produce, and no more.
Sir, the people have declared, and that degree
has been registered on high, that this nation
shall stand, and no man Or set of men, and
no combination of men, l care not whether
headed by Jefferson Davis, or by Andrew
johnson, or any other living man no man
or combination of men can overthrow it. 1t
will stand any and every assault that can be
made upon it. hope my resolution will be
taken up.
Mr.. Dixon johnson, Comm said it was
true, as Mr. Chandler had said tha. it was
important to know whether the President of
the United States had exceeded bis authori-
ty in appointing Provisional Governors. He
agreed to that. Perhaps he should not agree
with Mr.. Chandler as to the propriety Of of
fering resolution of this kind, and then
calling upon the House of Representatives 10
impeach the President. 1t struck him (Dix-
on }, while listening to Mr.. Chandler, that
he (Chandlcr) was not adding very uch
to his reputation as an impartial Judge. It
struck him that if the House should draw
up articles and send them to the Senate, the
Senator from Michigan, after the speech he
had just made could hardly be an impartial
judge of the merits of the case. Whether
such remarks were proper at this time, it was
for him Mr. Chandler) to determine. Ifit
was desirable to know whether the Presi
dent had any right to appoint Provisional
Governments, it must be important also to
know what were the precedents on the sub
ject. Therefore, when the resolution was
before the Senate, he should offer an amend
ment to exclude the inquiry as to Mr.. Lin
coins Administration ALSO 'rn
The motion to take up the resolution was
put andagreed to. -
Mr.. Conness Rep, CALI moved to amend
by striking out the word "Vice" before
President, and also the words "Acting Presi-
dent" so as to make read Andrew johnson,
President of the United States" etc.
Mr.. Chandler said he was informed that
Vice-President and Acting President was
the true title by which Mr.. johnson should
be addressed; it was immaterial, however.
MIR. Fessenden Rep, Me) agreed with
Mr. Conness as to the proper language of the
resolution. He had no objection personally
to the resolution. All he had to say was,
that if he was member of the Judiciary
Committee to which it was proposed to refer
this resolution, he should hesitate to act at
all in the matter He would not investigate.
and would not report for the simple reason
that an investigation was going on in the
House, looking to the impeachment of the
President; and when this matter was under
investigation in the House. he would not in
vestigate it here.
Mr. Pomeroy Rep., Kansas) spoke in a
strain similar to Mr.. Fessenden. II
Mr.. Grimes Rep, Iowa) moved to lay the
resolution on the table, and the motion pre-
vailed without a call of the Yeas and Nays.
Whiea small body of Union soldiers was march
ing through Richmond on the way to camp on