The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1867-12-04


viewcd-the legal and the politicaL-
Viewing IT FROM the latter, the case Is a
success
The President has disappointed the hopes
and expectations of those who placed him
in power. He has b, trayed their eonf>
dcnce. and Joined hands with their enemies
lie has proved false to the express aud im-
plicit conditions which uuderIie his
elevation to power, and in our view of the
case deserves the censure and condemna-
ton of every well disposed citizen OF the
Republic. While we aequit him Of i'm
peachable crimes, we pronounce him guilty
of many wrongs. His contest with Con
gress has delayed reconstruction, and in
hicted vast injury upon the people of the
rebel States. He has been blind to the me-
cessiiies of the times and to the d,mands
of progressive civilization, enveloped in
the darkness Of the past, and seems not to
have detected the dawning brightness of
the future; incapable of approaching the
grand changes which the past six years have
wrought, he Sc ks to measure the great
events which surrounded him by the mar
rev rules which adjusted public affairs be-
fore tn strebeion, and its legitimate ccnse-
quences destroyed them and established
Others. Judge him politically, condemn him
but the day of political impeachment
would be sad one for the country. Polit.
icaI unfitnpss and incapacity must be tried
at the ballot box, not in high court of
impeachment The contrary rule might
leave to Congress but little time for other
business than trial Of impeachments. But
we are now dealing with political offense,
crimes and mi>demeanors are now demand
ing our attention Do these within the
meaning of the Constitution appear? Rest
the case upon political offenses, and we are
prepared to pronounce against the President
for such offenSeS are numerous and grave.
If Mexican experience is desired, We need
have no difficulty, for there, almost every
election is productive Of revolution. If
the people OF the Republic desire such a
result we have not yet been able to discov-
er it, nor would we favor it if its presence
we're manifest, while we condemn and cen
sure the political conduct Of the President
and Judge him unwise in the use of his
discretionary powers, and appeal to the
people of the republic to sustain us. We
still affirm that the conclusion at which we
have arrived is correct. We therefore de-
clare that the case before u S, presented by
testimony and measured by law, does not
declare such high crimes and misdemeanors
within the meaning of the Constitution as
require the interposition Of the constitution
al power of this House, and recommend the
adoption of the following resolution:
Rei0lced. That the committee on the
Judiciary be discharged from the further
consideration cf the proposed impeachment
of TIE President Of the United States and
that the subject be laid upon the table.
foil JAMES 3. WILSON.
loisiieo FRED. H. WOODBRIDGE.
Messrs, Marshall and Eldridge, in their
report, say OF the President: His greatest
offense, we apprehend, will be found to be
that he has not been able to follow those
who elected him to his office, and made as
sauts upon and departue from the Consti>
tutional Government of the fathers of the
Republic, and that, standing where most of
his party protesscd to stand when they
elected him to his present exalted position,
he has dared TO differ with the majority of
Congress upon great and vital questions;
he has believed in tue continuing aid and
binding obligations of the Constitution;
that the suppression of the rebellion against
the Union was the preservation of the
Union and the States comprising it, was put
down, and the State were all equally enti1
tied to representation in the Congress of the
United States. Planting himself firmly and
unmovably upon this position, he has in
cured the fierce and the malignant hatred
and opposition Of ell those who claim, by
virtue OF the alleged conquest of the terri
tory and suhiugation OF the people of the
lately rehelious States. the power and right
i . boi ', Il lo,
they shall live under, and the liberties they
shall be permitted to enjoy. In this differ
ence between Congress and the President,
and the desire of each for the adoption by
the country OF their respective views, is,
we suspect, to be found not only the cause
for the movment to impeach, but of his cen
sure and condemnation. Out of it has
grown the embittered feelings and violent
hatred of the President by his former friends.
The majority of Congress and Of the com.
mittee have entertained and have been pre-.
| pared to declars at all times, in Congress
and out of it, even more strongly then is ex-
pressed in their report this same censure
and condemnation. This opinion was NOT
formed upon the testimoney taken before
| the committee, or upon any facts elected
by its investigation 1t was political op-
inion, growing out Of difference of views
upon political questions, it was the opinion
with which the majority of the committee
entered upon The investigation; it was that
which inspired and stimulated all it in.
quiries and examination, but, notwithstand'
ing these pre- existing opinions and preju
dices, the minority Ct the committee have
been compelled to find after the fullest con-
sideration great protractcd delIberation
that the President had committee no ofense
! for which, under our laws he can or ought
to be impeached; and hence none, as we
insist, suhjccting him to the official jurisdic
| ton of the committee OF the House. The
censure and condemnation of the President
by the majority or minority is without being
justified by facts, unbecoming one one de
partment oil the Government toward the
other. and calculated to bring reproach upon
the committee, we can not regard the
charges made against the President as q
serious attempt to procure his Impeachment
without dwelling upon their utter failure to
point to the commission of single act that
is recognized by the laws of our country al
high crime or misdemeanor. a
The President had the sanction of his
Cabinet for every act for which he has been
I arraigned, yet they are recognized as es.
pecial favorites OF the party of impeach
ment. Mr.. Stanton gave his emphatic ap
proval to the acts for which the President
is arralgned, and yet the ex-Secretars is a
favorite and popular martyr, and the Whole
country is vexed with clamors for his res
t ration to poweragd place. The President
has used every means within his power to
bring jeff Davis to speedy trial, and yet
he has been denounced Throughout the land
for procrastination, and preventing the trial,
while the judges and prosecuting officers
having entire control of the matter have
been deemed worthy of the most honored
plandlts. Were ever inconsistencies more
glaring and inexplicable than these? and