Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-11-28
mas MAInRITY RFP0Rr.

iOStcTCu VI UN=
tween different classes of citizens, revived
and kept alive the spirit of rebellion,
Inundated the national pride, dishonored
the republican institutions, obstructed the
restoration of said States to the Union, and
delayed and postponed the peaceful and
fraternal organization of the government
of the United States. The committee,
therefore, report accompanying resolutions
and its passage.
(Signedl GEORGES boutwell,,
FRANCIS THOMAS,
VIM. LAWRENCE,
THOMAS WILLIAMS,
JNo. G. CHURCHILL.
Resolution proriding for the Impeachment Of
the President Of the United States:
Resolved, That Andrew Johnson, Presi-
dent of the United States, be impeached of
high crimes and misdemeanors.
MINORITY REPORTS.
Representatives Wilson and Woodbridge
handed in a report dissenting from the con-
illusions of the majority Of the committee.
They say:
On the Sd day of June, 1867, it was de-
clared by a solemn vote of the committee
that from the testimony before them, it did
not appear that the President of the United
States was guilty of such high crimes and
misdemeanors as called on an exercise of
the impeaching powers of this House. The
vote stood-yeas, 4 nays, 5. On the 2lst
instant, this action of the committee was
reversed, and a votes to 4-declsred in
favor Of recommending to the House an
Impeachment of the President. Forty
eight hours have not yet elapsed since we
were informed of the character of the re-
port which represents the changed attitude
of the committee. The recentness of this
event compels general treatment of some
features of the case, as represented by the
majority, which otherwise would have been
treated in more detail.
The report of the majority resolves all
prescriptions against the President; closes
the door against all doubts; afirms facts
as established by the testimony, in support
of which there is not particle of evidence
before us which would be received by any
court in the land. We dissent from all of
this, and from the temper and spirit of the
report. The cool and unbiased Judgment
of the future, when the excitement in the
midst of which we live shall have passed
away, will not fail to discover that the
political bitterness of the present time has
in no inconsiderable degree given tone to
the document which we decline to approve.
Dissenting as we do from the report of
the committee, both as to the law of the
case and the conclusions drawn from the
facts developed by the testimony, due re-
gard for the body which imposed on us the
high and transcendantly important duty
involved in the charges preferred against
the President, impress us to present at
length our views of the subject, which has
been committed to us by a most solemn
vote of the House of Representatives.
In approaching this duty we feel that
the spirit of the partisan should be laid
aside, and the interests Of the republic, as
they are measured by its constitution and
laws, alone shall guide us.
Messrs. Wilson and Woodbridge then
proceeded to discuss the constitutional
question in regard to impeachment, show
ing, by reference to legal authority, that
an impeachment cannot be supported by
any act which falls short of an indictable
crime or misdemeanor. English prece-
dents are referred to at length, and copious
extracts made from the testimony of the
committee, in order to refute the reasoning
and conclusions of the majority.
They conclude as follows:
A great deal of the matter contained in
the volume of testimony reported to the
House is of no value whatever. Much of
it is mere heresay, opinions of witnesses,
and no little amount of it utterly irrelevant
to the case. Comparatively a small amount
of it could be used on trial of this case
before the Senate. All of the testimony
relating to the failure to try, and admission
to bail Jefferson Davis; the assassination
of President Lincoln the diary of j. Wilkes
Booth his place of burial; the practice of
pardon brokerage, and the alleged cores
pondence of the President with Jefferson
Davis-may be interesting to reader, but
it is not of the slightest importance so far
Is a determination of this case is concerned.
Still, much of this irrelevant matter has
been interviewer into the majority report,
and has served to heighten its color and
deepen its tone Settle down upon the
real evidence in the case, that which will
establish, in view of the attending circum-
stances, substantial crime by making
plain the elements which constitute it, and
itical contest.
In approaching a conclusion we do not
fail to recognize the stand-points from
which this case can be reviewed-the legal
and political. Viewing it from the latter,
the case is success. The President has
disappointed the hopes and expectations of
those who placed him in power He has
betrayed their confidence and Joined hands
al L. 81
the express and implicit confidence which
underlie his elevation TO power, and in
our view of the case, deserves the censure
and condemnation of every we'll disposed
citizen Of the republic. While we acquit
him of improbable crimes, We pronounce
him guilty of many wrongs. In his con-
test with Congress- he has delayed recon
strnction, and inflicted vast injury upon
the people OF the Rebel States he has been
blind to the necessities of the times and to
the demands of progressive civilization
enyeloped in the darkness of the past, and
seems not to have detected the dawning
brightness of the future incapable of APP
preciating the grand changes which the
past six years have wrought, he seeks to
measure the great events which surround
him By the narrow rules which adjusted
public affairs before the rebellion, and as
its legitimate consequence, destroyed them
and established others. Judge him po-
litically. condemn him, but the day Of po-
litical impeachment would be a sad one
for the country. Political unftness and
incapacity must be tried at the ballot-boX,
not in a high court Of impeachment. The
contrary rule might leave to Congress but
little time for other business than the
trial of impeachment.
But we are not now dealing with poiiti-
| cal offenses. Grimes and misdemeanors
are now demanding our attention. do
these, within the meaning of the constitu-
ton, appear Rest the case upon political
offenses and we are prepared to pronounce
| against the President, for such ofienses are
numerous and grave, and if Mexican e1-
perience is desired we need have no difI-
Guilty, for there almost every election ii
| productive of a revolution. Ii the people
| II this republic desire such result We have
not yet been able to discover il, nor would
we favor it we're its presence manifest
While we condemn and censure the politi'
cal conduct Of the President. and judge
| him unwise in the use Of his Discretionary
4 II. g 81