Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-12-03
IMPEACHMENT!
The Majority Report!

In the House Of Representatives on Mon
day last, three several reports were submitted
from the Judiciary Committee on the SUBJ
ject of impeachment. We herewith append
the charges upon which the majority of the
committee propose to arragn the President.
The first part Of the report is devoted to re-
view of the condition of the country at the
time Mr.. johnson assumed the duties of the
Chief Magistracy. This portion we omit,
and only give the charges upon which it is
proprosed to try hm:-
Iu accordance with the testimony herewith SUBJ
mitcd and the view of the law herein presented
the committee are OF opinion that Andrew Johnson
President OF the Uniied States, ID guilty of high
crimes and lnldemeanors requiring the intcrpUsi-
| ton of the constitutional powers of tins House.
In that upon the final surrender Of the rebel ar
mics, and the overthrow of the rebel government
| the said Andrew Johnson, President of>the United
States, neglected to convene the Congress of the
United States, that by its aid and authority, legal
and constitutional measures mig ght have been adoDt
cd for the organization of loyal and constitutional
government in the States then rece nIv in rebcI,o
In that in his PrOs nation to the people of North
Carolina of the 29th day of May, 1865, assumed
that he had authority to decide whether the govern
ment of North Carolina, aud whether any other
| government that might be set up therein, was re-
publican in form and that in his Office of President
it was his duty and within his power to guarantees
to said people republican form OF government
contrary to the constitution, which provides that
| this Union republican form of government, and
contrary also to JcibcratcoPiniom of the Supreme
Court which declares that Congress is invested ex-
cusivey with the power TO decide whether the yov-
| crnmcnt of State is republican not.
In that he did thereafter Teorganize and treat
plan Ul government up in North Carolina under
and in conformity to his own advice and direction
as republican in torm and entirely restored to its
functions as State, Notwithstanding Congress is
the branch Of the government in which, by the con.
stuuOn, such power is exclusively vested and not
withstanding Congress did refuse to recognize such
| government as legitimate government, or as a
| government republican in form.
In that by public Proclamati tion and otherwise
he did. in the year 1865, invite solicit and convene
in certain other States then recently in rebeiIon
conventions of persOns, many of whom were known
traitors who had been organized an attempt to
urged and directed such conventions u frame con.
stitutions for such States.
In that hc thcrcuPon assumed to accept, ratify
and confirm certain So ca He'd constitutions f,aIncJ
by such illegal aud reasonable assemblies of pcr.
sons, which constitutions were submitted to
the people of the rcspccti, States ratified and
confirmed by the United States, thus usurpiug and
exercising powers vested 10y the Constitution In the
Congress OF tEe United States exclusively; in that
he PardOnCd large numbers OF public and notorious
traitors, with the design of receiving their aid in
such conventions called by hs advice and direction
for the purpose OF organizing and setting up such
illegal governments in the States then recently in
rebellion, prior to the annual meeting of
with the intent thus to cOnstran accept
ratIiy and confirm such Illegal and unconstitutional
proceedings
In that he did within and for the States recently
in rebellion create aud establish a civil office the
office Of provisional governor, so-calcd II office
unknown to the constitution or laws of the land
In that lac appointed to such office 80 created in said
States, respectively, men who were public and no.
tOriOus traitors he well knowing that they had been
engaged in open, persistent and formidable Efforts
Tor the overthrow of the government ot the United
Stats. and well knowing, also, that these men
could upon the duties of said office with.
out committing the crime of perjury, Ur in mani
fest violation OF the laws Of the country.
In that lie directed III" Scc----v nG State to pro-
mise Pnymcn, of money to said pc sons So Illegally
appointed, salary compensation for services
to be performed in said Office so iIicgav crratcJ
ttbf nI pla
S:atCs, approved February Q, 1853, entitled :" An
act making appropriations for the support of the
army for tue year CndnE the twentieth day of June
1861, and for deficiency for the signal service for
the year ending June 30, lsG3.'
moneys to said persons for services performed in
said office soillcgally created which moneys were
40 paid under his direction. without authority of
s;ituton of the United Statrs.
In that ne deliberately dispensed with ard sus-
pended the operation Ct provision of law of the
United States, passed on the ID of July ISG2, en-.
titled An act to prescribe an oath Of Office, and
for other purposes
In that he appointed 20 offices created by the laws
of the United States, persons who. we'll
known To him had been engaged in the rebellion
who were guilty OF the crime of treason and who
could not, without committing 2 the crime of PERJURY
or otherwlsc violating cTlininaly the said act of
July ID, 1862, enter upon the duties thereof.
In that without authority Of law. and contrary to
law, he used and applied property taken from the
enemy in time of war for the Iaymcnt of the cx-
penscs aud tue support OF the said Illegal and
constitutional governments go set up in tic said
States recently in rebellion, and for like purpose
aud violation Of the constitution nd OF his ca TN
of office lie authorized nd ncr nttcd low Of toXrs
upon the people OF said States, thus usurpinr 2 and
exercising power which by the constitution is cx-
clusivcy in the Congress Of the United Sates
all of which acts were suTpatiOn OF rover con-
trary to the laws and constitution of the United
Stats ard in violation of his oath oG Office as Pre-
sIdcnt OF the United states
In that the said Andrew johnson, President of
the United Statcs, has. in messages to Congress aud
otherwise, put lcly denied substa ntially the right
OF Congress to provide Tor the pac!icalon, govern
mcnt and restoration of SAID States to the Union;
and in like maLncr he has asserted his exclusive
right to provide governments therefor. aud to
cCpt and proclaim the restoration of said states to
the UnOm all of which is in dcrOgaton of the right
ful authority Of Congress, and calculated to sub.
vert the government Ut the United States.
In that, in accordance with said declaration, he
has vetoed various bills passed by Congress for the
pacilcatiOn and government OF the states recently
in rebellion and their speedy restoration to the
Union, and upon the ground and for the that
the said states had been restored their places in
the Union by his aforesaid illegal and uncoustitu-
tunal proceedings, thus so iutCrposing aud using
a constitutional power of the office he held as to
prevent the restoration OF the Union upon consti-
tutiOnHl basis.
In that he has exercised the power OF removal and
appointment to Office for the purpose of tanning
pose securing the rccog milton by Congress OF the
state governments so illegally and uncUnstItuton-
ally set up the states recently in rebelli sUch
removals and appointments having been attended
and followed with great injury To the public service
and with enormous losses to the public revenue.
In that in the cxCI else Of the PardOuing power he
issued order for the restoration of one hundred
and ninety three men belonging to West Virginia
who upon the record OF the War Department, were
marked as descrtcrs from the army in time OF war,
and this upon the representations Of private and
interested persons, and without previous inYcstiER
tOn by any officer OF the War Department, and for
the sole purpose OF enabling such persons to vote
IN an election then pending in said state and with
the expectation that they would vote as to sup
port him in his aforesaid unconstitutional proceed
ings' hc then well knowing that the men rcsTor-
Cd, and by virtue of such restoration, would be
titled to a large oI money from the treasury
o! the United States.
In that, by his message to the House Of RcPrcscn'
tatlvcs on the I'D day of June, 1850, and by other
public and private means he has attempted TO pre-
vent the ratification of IN amendment TO she con-