Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-09-05
uIPE4GHQENT

IlPEA GHuENT
We have not been of those who
see no safety for the nation except
in the impeachment Of the President.
We have held that only the gravest
and most pressing of dangers would
justify a resort to so extraordinary
a remedy rs the removal of a Chief
Magistrate from office. We believe
that we have had the sentiment of q
large majority of the people with us
i'm this matter; but it is useless to deny
that Mr.. johnson is doing his best
to change that sentiment and that
many prominent men are move arrest
ly i'm favor of his removal who were
a month ago as strenuously opposed
to il. Suppose the impeachment
party prevails; let us see what course
will be pursed.
The offenses for which an officer
may be impeached are treason,
bribery, and other high "crimes and
misdemeanors." High crimes and
misdemeanOrs are not defined by the
Constitution, and in determining
what they are recourse must be had
to Parliamentary practice and the
common law. OF course, the range
of offenses embraced under them is
pretty comprehensive; and it may be
said in brief that many crimes not
easily defnable by law, and many OF
a purely political character, are held
to be included; and that in none of
the cases of impeachment which
have thus far been tried in the United
States, except that of Judge Hum
phreys of Tennessee, who was con-
victed of treason in 1862, have any
of the chages rested upon statutable
offenses.
The charges must be presented by
the House of Representatives,, and
tried by the Senate Any member
of the House may initiate proceed
ings, either by offering resolution
of accusation or moving the appoint
ment of Comm ttcc OF Inquiry. II
the House adopt the resolution, a
Committee is appointed to proceed
to the bar Of the Senate and demand
that that body shall take order for
the appearance of the accused to an
swcr to the articles of impeachment
which the House will present in prop
er time. The House then, having
agreed upon the articles, forwards
them to the Senate by the hands of
a Committee; the Senate appoints n
day for the trial. and process is
served by the Sergeant at Arms.
When the President is tried, the
Constitution provides that the Chief
Justice shall preside. On the day
assigned, the Senate resolves itself
into Court of impeachment; the
Senator's are solemnly sworn to do
impartial justice according to the
Constitution and laws of the United
States: the managers appointed by
the House to conduct the prosecu-
ton in its behalf attend, and the &C
cused is summoned to appear and
plead. If he does not answer either
in person or attorney, the case pro-
ceeds er parte. Both sides may be
heard by counsel. The accused is
entitled to a copy of the charges,
and must be allowed time to prepare
TN answer. The House OF Represen-
tatives may then file a replication to
the answer, and after that day is as
signed for the trial. The subsequent
proceedings are conducted suhstan-
TALLY as in ordinary courts. The
managers open the case. the witnesses
are then examined, under the usual
rules of evidence, and both sides are
fully heard in argument When As
sociatc Justice Chase of the United
States Supreme Court was impeached
for official misconduct in 1850, the
Senate Chamber was deliberately fit
ted up for the accommodation of
spectators. The trial lasted nearly
four weeks, the last seven days being
occupied in arguments. At the
close, the Senate votes upon each Of
INC Cuhi Yes di"eSiys wv 1h-iuS
being required to convict: 1.-THE ac
cused is found guilty, the Senate
fixes the punishment, which cannot
extend further than removal from
office, and disqualification to hold
any place of trust, honor, or emolu
ment under the United States. Of
course, there is no appeal from the
verdict. nor canthe President exert
his pardoning power to remit the
penalty.
An attempt was made by John
Minor Bolts and others to obtain
the impeachment of President Tyler
in 1913. but the House of Representa-
tives refused by large majority even
to appoint Committee Of Inquiry.
Indeed, impeachments before the
United States Senate have been ex
tremely rare, there having been only
six, we believe, in our whole history,
and in only two of these was con-