The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1867-06-13
The Impeachment BuSiness.

ton, majority of the Judiciary Com.
mittee OF the House has decided that
they have discovered no grounds for
impeaching the President. This VIII
probably end the whole proceeding,
although Mr.. Ashley threatens to ap-
real fom the Committee to the House.
Such an appeal, especially when taken
by him, will amount to nothing. The
House would in any case be aversc to
impeachment unless crimes and mis-
demeanors had been traced to the
President of such a character as to
leave no alternative and in the face of
report against it from majority Of
the Committee, not one-fourth of the
House will be in favor of such a pro-
ceeding.
Besides, the time has gone by when
impeachment would serve the ends for
which it was proposed. Its original
object was, not to punish the President
for his crimes but to get possession of his
Office. Wendell Philips, Ashley, Stew
ems, and their associates, wanted the
power and the patronage of the Execu-
tive within their control. They feared,
moreover that the President would in.
terpose difficulties IN tho way of their
political projccts-that he might inter-
fcre with the execution of the laws they
might pass aud they deemed impeach-
meut important, therefore, as the only
means OF putting in his place some one
who would be more obedient to their
wishes. Mr.. Phillips declared openly
that the President was an " obstacle |"
to the accomplishment of their plans,
and that he must therefore he removed.
Governor Boutwell, said that he did not
see how it would be possible to pass and
carry into effect the measures which the
public welfare demanded, so long as
Mr.. johnson remained in the Execu.
tive chair Other leading radicals were
equally clear and explicit in tEclr
avowals of the motives which prompted
the movement for impeachment. 1t
was designed, after articles of impeach-
meet had been passed by the House, to
secure the Presidents suspension from
Office during the trial and by way of
preparation for that contingency, Mr..
Wade OF Ohio was selected to be Presi,
dent of the Senate, not by reason of any
fitness for that place, but because be was
supposed to be especially qualified for
the contingent service which had been
marked out for him.
The lapse of time has weake kened the
force of this motive. if not destroyed ii
altogether. President johnson is not
so much an " obstacle as was antici.
pated. He has executed the laws ol
Congress in perfect good faith and with
full effect. His appointment of Mill.
tary Commanders of the Southern De-
partments was judicious, and met with
generel approval lie aided in secur'
ing the exercise by the blacks of the
suffrage conferred upon them by law
| His appointments to office have beer
largely controlled by the radical mem
bers of Congress, and in all respects h'
has left no room for serious complain
as to the course he haspursued. There
is little motive, therefore, and as littl,
desire now, even among the Republi
cans in Congress, TO " get rid " of th'
President in any other way than by thu
expiration of his term of office.
The Committee will probably recon-
mend the publication of the immens'
amount of matter which they have col
lected about the President, under th'
name of " testimony" We can see n,
possible good to be thus effected, bu
that consideration will have but littl
weight, Much of this evidence is mer
scandal and gossip, some of it malicious
and more of it merely reckless, whicl
has very little bearing of any kind upol
the public interest, and will serve onl.
to feed The appetite for scandal, whicl
is SO sharp and So universal.-N J