Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-12-05

Sofhuy anh of posteIlLJ Will De tndt the
crime OF the President consists not In
viostions, but in refusals to violate the
laws; In being unable to keep pace with
the party OF progress In their rapdly
advancing movements, or to stay "out,
sif and above the constitution in the
ADMINISTRATION OF the government In
pr,ierring the constitution OF his coun.
trl to the dictstion of an uuscrupulous
patissn cabal, in bravely daring to meet
thi maledictions OF those who have ar.
rived st the accomplishment Of most
wtked and dangerous revolution, rather
thIn to encounter the reproach OF his
own conscience and the curses o. poster.
itI through all time II the subject
wee not too grave and serious a one for
mrth some o! the grounds Of impeach-
mint presented by the majority would
ceEainIy be sufficiently amusing. The
PFsldent is grayely arragned for array
IN! himself against the loyal people of
th' country in vetoing the miscalled Re-
construction acts OF Congress, when,
without dwelling upon the constitu.
tlnal right and duty OF the President
lnthe premises. Congress itself has for
th.se same acts received the mcst with
erng and indignant condemnation and
re0uke of the entire people from Maine
tnCalisorDia. The impeachers, forgetting
that they have been themselves i'm.
pached, aud that the verdict of the tri-
bnal OF the last resort has already been
rendered against them, still persist in
trTitng with the peace, safety aud pros.
peHty Of the country by precipitating
upn us this dangerous question at
tine so critical as this.
It is wicked to trife with the most
vial interests of the nation, and to dis
res4rd the voice of great people when
sptsen as in this case, so emphatically
in '.vor o. the preservation of our con-
sttntional form OF government, and the
! rights and liberties established by our
revolutionary fathers. We will not at
tempt to add anythingto the able, and
As we believe, unaDswerable argument
jus press nted by the chairman OF our
committee upon the law OF impeach.
mn.. 3 ad not experience taught US
th- wonderful diversity OF human judg-
ment and conclusions, we should find il
Hific0Lt to believe that there could, upon
the questions submitted to US, possibly
be two opinions among candid and
inf-li2ent men. Blind bigotry and
UNIV died partisan rage, it is true,
cau 49, crime in the most merit
or ,.s actions and men governed
hy these unhallowed passions do not
hesitate 10 drag to the stake or tha tor
ture OK the inquisition all who will not
CONFORM TO their wretched creeds and
miserable dogmas. They substartiate
their own crude and often crsxy theories
for Truth sud justice, and under pain OF
severes' penaties demand OF all men to
DOW d0SG and worship the idol they
nave erec:ed. That their own Judgment
may ne falible or that other men differ
ing from hem may be equally wise and
honest with themselves, never occurs to
their minds, and they will without hesi-
tation question the justice even OF the
Almighty, If the ways os Providence do
not conform to their own crude theories.
This class of men has constituted con-
siderable portion OF mankind 10 all ages,
and in none have they been more numer-
ous than In our own. They have fur
nished the bigots and prosecutors of all
times, and their pathway through the
long line Of history, from the earliest
date to the presenttime, has been marked
with carnage and desolatlon. With such
men no Argument, based upon the con-
stitution snd established laws, can have
any authority; they live and breathe in
purer and higher atmosphere outside
OF the constitution aud above the laws.
They are too pure and Immaculate to be
tettered By the restraint OF constitutions
or written laws They are law unto
themselves and both men and gods must
conform to their views and theories,
or receive thsr bitterest maledictions.
But our people will never submit to
have their Chief Magistrate arraigned
for trial for off9nses unknown to the
laws, and which exist only In the excit.
Ell brains Q, his political enemies. 1t
would be precedent disastrous In its
consequences and suoversive OF our po.
ltical institutions. We cannot doubt
thai the evidence herewith this day sub.
mitted will be received with one univer-
sal burst o' Indignation by the Ameri-
can people If they retain any just
pride in thtir country and its institu-
tions, they will blush to find that the
chief officer Of their government has for
ten mouths been subjected TO the scrut-
iny Of secret Star Chamber iuquisitiOn
unparalleled in its character in the an-
ais Of civilization. A dragnet has been
put out to tatch every malicious ~his-
per throughout the land, and all the vile
vermn who had gossip or slander to re.
tail, hears:y or otherwise, have been
permitted to appear and place it upon
record for the deleetation Of mankind.
Spies have been sent all over the laud to
flnd something that might blacken the
name and character Of the Chief Magis-
trate of ourcountry; unwhipped knaves
have given Information OF fabulous let
teIs and documents, that, like the t3ns
fataHs, eternally eluded the grasp Of their
pursuers, and tse chase resulted only in
siding In the depletion OF the public
treasury. That notorious character,
Gen. L. G. Baker, Chief OF the detective
force, even had the effrontry to insult the
American people by placing spies within
the very walls of the Executive mansion.
The priydcy of the prpsidantiS h0me HIS