The national Republican., 1867-12-12

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his career Of MAJ. .administration and crime,
do not for moment doubt, do much for OWL.
He Is . genius In depravity, and not merely an
obstinate man who means honestly to deal with
the problem Of reconstruction. HIS boarded
malignity and passion have never been fathomsd
nor exhausted, and will not be during his term
Of once. II may judge Of the effect Of the
Presidents late message Of defiance acting on
the ipaammable temper Of Southern rebels, and
followed swiftly by the strong vote Of the House
denouncing It's Jurisdiction over Its armies,
cannot hesitate In believing that q new dispen.
sation Of rapine and misrule will be the result.
This will be morally and logically inevitable,
and while I respectfully commend II to the con.
sideration Of gentlemen who voted against In.
peaohment, desire to say In behalf Of myself
and tho Eve Of my colleagues who voted with
me, that in the vote we gave We assumed no
jurisdiction whatever over acts Of tho President
which have not yet transpired.
We have neither the right nor the disposition
to do this, but give our own vote for the follow
ing good and sufficient reasons: Because he as.
sumed power to call conventions, to set up
governments, and to decide the qualification Of
voters In seven Of the States lately In rebellion;
because be recognized those governments, un.
constitutionally established by himself, as valid
civil governments, and condemned and de-
nounoed Congress for lawfully exercising the
powers and performing the acts which ho exer-
cised and performed in violation Of law and the
Constitution; be luse he created tho office Of
provisional governor as a civil Office, which Ia
unknown to the Constitution, and appointed to
such Offices In the rebo States notorious traitors,
we'll knowing them to be such, and they could
not enter upon the duties Of Office without the
crime Of perjury; because ho deliberately tram
pied under his feet law Of Congress Of 1862,
prescribing an oath Of Office, which law he was
bound to execute, and appointed TO Offices under
the laws Of the United States men who were well
known to him as traitors, who could not take
the oath required; because he refused to execute
the conhscation laws and tho laws against
treason, and by the most monstrous abuse Of the
pardonipg power, In innumerable instances, made
himself the powerful ally and the best friend Of
the conquered traitors Of the South, whose un.
matched crimes have thus far utterly dehed even
the ordinary administration Of criminal justice
because the power Of impeachment as defined In
the Constitution clearly oomprehends political
offences Of which the President has been proved
guilty in the case recently before the House, and
would otherwise be an empty and unmeaning
moekery, leaving Congress wholly powerless to
protect the nation against tho most wanton act
Of executive nal. administration and lawlest.
ness and because, finally, In the language ofthe
majority Of the Judiciary Committee, he had re-
tsrded publ, prosperity, lessened the public
revenues, dc.
Mr.. Julian here quoted from the close Of the
Judiciary Committee's report, and said these
| were some Of the reasons which compelled six OF
the Indiana delegation to vote In the Affirmative
We had no occasion to carry our researches into
the future to 6nd Justification for our votes.
Under our views Of the evidence and the law
there was but one alternative left Us but to vote
as We did We could not allow our sense Of duty
| under the oaths We have taken TO be swayod BY
any calculation as TO the effect Of mpeac hm ut
upon the finances Of the country or upon our
l a al. - A.
| Republican party next year. Neither could We
pause to consider whether this impeachment
would be sustained by the Senate. or whether Il
| would provoke the President to renewed acts Of
violence, and render him more devil bent than
before. We had nothing whatever to do with
considerations Of this character. Impeachment
Is not . policy, but . duty under the Copstitu.
tion, which expressly provides for 1t. "Im.
parchment" rays the New York Tttbuns, 'fs q
constitutional safeguard between the people and
. dictatorship. To regard the Presidency as an
| intact, independent ONCE, responsible only to
the moral influence called the people. and the
political voice called tho convention, Is to make
our ruler as absolute as the Emperor Of China
Not to impeach in case plainly requiring 1t ID
character" So the Indiana delegation believed,
and so they acted under their sworn duty oil
fidelity to the Constitution Of the United States
| And having 90 believed and acted they have nc
apology to make and no favors TO ask In any
quarter. In common with the 81 members who
voted In the Affirmative, and the other l08 whc
voted In the negative, We shall be judged by tn,
people. None Of US can escape history and fame
an willing 10 accept Its verdict.
/ only beg leave to say, In conclusion, that Il
the leading newspapers Of the country had al
lowed the people to SEQ the report Of the ma
jority Of the Judiciary Committee In full the
correspondent Of the Tribune would probably
have felt less inclined to volunteer an apology
for the Indiana delegation, which Is as dis.
graceful to himself as II can be to them.
Mr.. Archer, Of Md, introd duced a bill to es
tablish certain post roads Referred to Com
mittee on Post ofices and Post Roads.
On motion Of Mr.. Moorhead, of Pa, the Soc
rotary Of the Treasury was directed to send b
the House q copy Of the report Of John Miller,
special revenue agent, In regard to the inspec
tion Of oil In the Twentieth revenue district 0
Psnnsyivania.
Mr.. Pruyn, Of N. Y, rising to q personal eI
PLANTATION, referred to the discussion that tool
place on Monday last In relation to tho refsrenc
Of that portion Of the Presidents message relat
ing to Russian America, and referred particu
larly to the remarks Of Mr.. Butler upon that %
caion, and the legal points made by him, IN,
he argued to show that the position assumed b.
Mr.. Butler, that the House was not bound I
make appropriation to carry out the treat
J made BY the Senate, was not correct He cor
tended that when q treaty was made In goo
, faith BY the Senate It was the duty Of th
House to make tho necessary appropriation
Z carry out the treaty, and any other cours
! would be q violation Of faith. A treaty mad
7 BY the Senate was q law binding upon II
House, and must be concurred in by the latte
Mr.. MeClurg, Of Mo. from the Committee
! Southern Railroads, reported the testimon
already taken by the committee, except such
D related to the eonGsoation Of land heretOfo
granted for railroad purposes in Arkansas al
. Missouri. The testimony was ordered to
: printed and laid on the table.
I Mr.. KuntI, Of Pa, from the Committee Q
, District Of Columbia, reported back the bill /
8 incorporate tho congregation Of the First Pre-
. byterian church Of Washington, with an amen
ment empowering Congress to revoke or amer
/. the charter at any time. Passed as amended.
!. Mr.. Butler, OF Mass asked leave to make
!. personal explanation, but objection was ma,
d BY Mr.. Wood and others, who said that gentl
B men on their side also desired TO make explain
| tions.
= Several other gentlemen desired to make pc
o sonal explanations.
Mr.. Bromwell, Of Ill finally obtained leay
, and said ho had been accused Of lodging Il
vote on the question Of impeachment. He hi
n voted in aid Of the 6fty.seven who fllibuster,
o for an opportunity for speaking, and yet Il
n nam.a NJ promwell BfoomaI and putler va