The New York herald., 1867-02-08

slavery be ors the majority discovered that he st ad
hered TO his former Democratic opIncpA .n pa, a..
dent had been supported by Norhers maiony There
: nothing inconsistent in the remedy of imfA as
Tor course Of policy which thwars the genera %
Vet it oddly happens that the first President ~ =
threatened with impeachment is supported by far ~ ~
than half Of The entire population Of the United Sl
The object OF the sovereignty
OF Congress and to break down the prerogatiye which
has hitherto been the chief power in the Union.
IL Is sl uncertain whether the House OF Representa-
tives will eventually the impeachment and the ju-
dcia decision Of the Senate Ii st doubtful The
most definite Of the alleged charges Is founded the
disturbances which occurred la New Orleans when the
party which had been recognized by General Banks
the constituency OF Louisiana attempted 10 hold Con.
eeSners may seem that tie Preden, udsea lightly
in taking the part OF the people Of the State agans
small faction which assumed 10 itself the character Of
the entire commonwealth; but Americans the best
judges OF their own a1airs and the bio0dshed which
ensued, whether Il misfortune . crime, Is nat
uray resented and condemned by the republicans Yet
It viii be difcult 70 prove that the President can have
directed from Washington the proceedings Of the New
Orleans police, although he may have approved of the
forcibe dissolution Of the Convention The charge OF
habtuaf ntoxicaton will scarcely be adopted by the
House or by the managers The unpleasant circum-
Vice President hushsd up by generM consent i
Il N extremely unlikely that be have fallen into bad
habits for the ss time during hs Presidency and his
thought disqualification for ONCE There will be
general eliag that persona, scandals belong doses
process which y 70 occupy the attention q the world
smilxr rsarE u 10 some extsnt apply 10 tho inudi-
Journey. In some instances Mr. JohDsou's language
may have been reasonable and revolutionary and he
can scarcely expect impunity for bis denunciaon OF
Congress as nsurpng assembly, but rs far as he Was
guilty only OF ribaldry and bad TASTE the fault rests
rather with bis constituents and present than
working mechanic its highest dignity II ought not
TO impeach him for not having the manners Of gentle
mot Ss % % n ne
tons In an impeachment founded on devations from the
authorized style
There appears TO be some 6oubt as TO the constitutional
mode OF administering the executive government during
the pendency Of the impeachment. II the House or
Representatives can by precrrng charges condemn the
President to Immediate suspension from his functions,
the subsequent trial before the Senate sinks into compar
ave animportance The trial OF Warren Hastings lasted
rs long two Presidential terms and therc will be moth
ing TO compel the managers TO accelerate proceedings
when they lave already accomplished their object by
removing MI. johnson from office As the constitution
is silent che subject the President would assuredy
not acqucsce In any argument for suspension which
any substitute who might appointed discharge his
es except by the consent Of all who might be SUBJ
ect TO his authority As the Chief Justice would preside
MIR Foster, President Of the Senate, would become
temporary President during provisional inerregnum;
but American lawyers appear not to be agreed on the
point and there Is doubt the law Of
sion if the President legally deposed 1t seems 70
dent and vice President, there must be new sIccton
and If the Case occurred the Southern Sales would al
most certainly be excluded in the present temper Of the
dominant party from all share in the choice But the
question 10 OF secondary Importance because the i'm
peachment, ift s commenced, will probably occupy the
nary election will take place in the autumn Of 1865 and
by hat time all parties will nave decided their u,e-
ror policy The republicans are perhaps 9nconsciousy,
mont is In itself perfectly constitutional and regular
proceeding. journalist, who probably intended to
With little exaggeration that public officer ablo to
impeachment for doing anything he ought not to have
done The penalty Is only exclusion nom oiics. which
TO an outgoing President s stigma rather than pun
ishmsns prsci,sy Tie same m would follow
pressed desire In address TO the Crown, that he
should not hereafter be employed the public service
manageable, there is no easy and undsputcd method
q providing Temporary or permanent successor The
the very threshold Of the proceeding may In
ferred The vote OF impeachment IL carried, that the
House Of is prepared With some practi.
s probably error TO suppose that there s any risk
of civil war; Physical force Is for the present with the
republican party and the author OF armed COLLISION
even in vindication of Law. would be universally con-
demned. General Grant end General Sherman are said
the power nor the wish 70 use s army or political pur
poses With many defects, American society s still far
too sound 70 30 subject to military dctation, and except
In respect OF their deserved personal popua arity the
most successful generals have In the United States
political character. The army which Terminated the
and moro especially Of the republican party For the
present, Congress exempt from the danger Of armed
T0slSauCe 8tnOugn CONSTITUTION
tend eventually 70 diminish the securities for FREQ and
orderly government The constitution Is dsregarded
whenever its provisions Interfere with the supremacy Of
Congress. divergence practice from the text Of
written document inevitable but n ordinary times
II would have been gradual and like law II
would have affected deciaratory character The rcpub
can leaders OF Congress have invented the theory that
the war still continues and that therefore all questions
OF reconstruction belong the domain OF political
diplomatic and lie outside the constitution
The hoOwness Of the pretext Is illustrated by recent
proDCsa 10 reduce the democratic State Of Maryland 70
lisar tnfa A. Mnrv vvSuAna "a
Dor engaged in the disability which may be i'm.
DOsed the State be in any condition Of
Dnace The project will probably NOT be seriously
pressed but In times when the constitution respect
cd as supreme. the Acknowledgement Of state actuaiv
In the union for political herc could never have been
mocracy who point TO the OF American nsttu-
toDs example will find their precedent inconolu-
sve until the republic has assumed definite FORM
and until II is ssceraned that Congress III DO compe
tent 10 exercise the vast powor which II is for the first
time, attempting TO assume