Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-12-06

By Messrs. Wilson and Woodbridge. We
give below full abstracts OF the reports
MAJORITY REPORT.
The Committee on the Judiciary, tc
whom was referred the resolution of the It'll
of March last, authorizing them to inquire
into the official conduct OF Andrew John
son, Vice President Of the United States
discharging the present duties Of the office
Of President of the United Stat s. and Il
report to this House whether IN their opin
ion the said Andrew johnson, while in saiC
office. has been guilty Of acts which were
designed or calculated to overthrow 0l
corrupt the Government of the United
States, or any department or officer thereof
and whether the said Andrew johnson has
been guilty of any act, or has conspired
| with others to do acts which, in the con
temptation of the constitution, are high
crimes and nlisdemcauOrs requiring the III
terposition Of the constitutional power Of
this House, respectfully report
That in the performance of the important
task assigned to them, they have spared no
! pains to make their investigation as com
plete as possible, not only by the explora-
| ton of the public archives, but in fol-
| lowing every indication that seemed to
promise any additional light upon the
| great subject OF inquiry, and they submit
herewith the result Of that portion of their
| labOrs In the vOluminGus exhibit that ac-
! companies this TeDO t. In order, however,
: 10 direct the attention Of the House to such
| portions OF the somewhat heterogeneous
mass OF testimony, which they have been
| compelled 70 present without the order Or
arrangement that might have facilitated It's
examination, as are regarded by them rs
most material 10 the issue, they will now
| proceed TO state, as briefly as possible, the
| leading facts which they suppose the in
| Qniry to iIave developed beyond dispute,
along with their own conclusions there
| from, and reasons by which they have been
influenced i'll reaching them. In so doing
they must be allowed the Indulgence which
q comprehensive scrutiny, running over q
two years administration of the affairs of a
great government, through al unexampled
crisis of the State, and involving the very
highest matters that can engage the atten-
ton Of 3 free people, would seem to neces-
state, and must at all events excuse.
The charges made, and to which the in
yestigaiions Of the committee have been
especially directed, are uSurpatlOn Of power
and violation of law III the corrupt abuse
OF the appointing, pardoning and veto
powers; 10 the corrupt Interference In
elections and generally, in the commission
of acts amounting to high crimes and mis-
demeanOrs under the constitution and
upon this recital it was charged with the
more general duty OF inQuiring into the
official conduct Of the President of the
United States and Of reporting 'whether
he had been guilty Of any acts which were
designed or calculated to overthrow, sub
vert OF corrupt the Government of the
United States or which, in contemplation
of the constitution, would constitute high
crime Or misdemeanOr requiring the inter
position OF the constitutional power of the
House
1t will be observed that the great salient
point of aCcusatiOn standing out in the
foreground and challenging the attention
OF the country is uSurpCtiOn Of pOUeT, which
involves, of course a violation of law
And here it may be remarked that perhaps
every great abuse, every fragrant departure
from the well-settled principles of the gov
ernment, which has been brought home to
its present administration. whether dis
cerniug itself in special infractions of the
statutes or in the protiigate use Of the high
powers conferred by the constitution on
ihe President, or revealing itself more man.
ifestly in the systematic attempt to seize
upon its sovereignty and disparago and SD
persedo the great council to which that
sovereignty has been entrusted in reference
to the one great purpose Of rccOuStructing
the shattered governments Of the rebel
States in accordance with bis own wish, in
the interest of the great criminals who car
ried them into the rebellion, and iii such Il
way as to deprive the people Of the lOval
States Of all chance of indemnity for the
past or security for the future by pardon
ing their offences, restoring their lands
and bringing them back, their hearts I'M
repentant and their hands yet red with the
blood of our people, into Il condition where
they could once more embarrass and defy,
II not absolutely rule the government which
they had valDly CudeaVOrCd to destroy. 1t
is around this point, and as auxiliary 10
that great central idea, that all the special
acts Of maladminiatration Wo have Wit
messed will be found TO gravitato and re-
volve and it is to this point, therefore,
as tho great maser-boy which unlOcks
and intCrprctS AL Of them, that the at
tcution of the House will be first directed.
Ii is Il fact Of history that the obstinate
and pr0tracted struggle between the cXecu-
tive and Legislative departments, arising
out OF the claim Of moro than kinglY power
IN the one haNl, and as strongly main
,uinai 10y the operation Of the just rights
of sOveraj rnty lodged with it by the people
on the other, which has convulsed this ma
ton fer the last two years, and presented a
spectacle that has 30 example here, and
none in England since the era Of the
Stuarts began with the advent of the pres
ent chief magistrate. The catastrophe that
lighted him 10 his place, whiIo it smote the
heart of the nation with grief and horror,
was the last expiring armed effort Of the
insurrection. The capital Ct the rebel gov
eminent had fallen its chiefs were fugi-
tives its Il & WAS in the dust the strife Of
arms had ceased. The hosts that had been
gathered for the overthrow of this nation
had either melted away in defeat and disas
ter or passed under the conquering hand
of the republic. The extraordinary mis-
sion of the Executive was fulfilled. AL
though, as the commander-in-chief, he
might possibly treat with belligerent IN
arms the cessation Of the war IN the over
throw of the rebellion and the uncondi-
tional surrender OF the armies had deter
mined that power. To hold the conquered
territory within our military grasp until the
sovereign power of the nation vesting in
the Representatives of the same which had
girt the sword upon the thigh Of the Exc
cutive aud placed the resources of the
country, in men and money, at his com
i II &c.