Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1867-12-19


on the record, and that was all he do.
sired. The gentleman (Mr. BoutwelD
had consumed half Of his time in de-
termined and persistent attack on the
feature Of the minority rcport, which,
so far as the proceedingwas concern
ed, might be stricken from tho record
without affecting the case in the re-
hottest degree.
No member of the minority Of the
committee regarded the Doctrine that
only crimes and misdomeanors in
dictable under the estatntes of the Uni
ted States would justify Impeachment
as OF the slightest importance. So far
as the correct determination of this
question was concerned, the minority
affirmed the doctrine TO be correct.
although it was introduced into the
report rather as a suggestion than as
a declaration of law IL was inmate
rial what opinions members might
have on il, he would let it rest on the
argument contained in the minority
report, and wait for some person to
answer it when q case should arise in
which it might be important, never.
the less he challenged the gentleman
from Massachusetts TO give the House
n single instance wherein the English
House of Lords had crossed the path
ofthe report ofthc minority in this case.
Theposition which the minority oc-
cupied was that no civil officer of the
United States could be lawfully i'm
peached except for a crime or misdc-
meanor known to the la1, and he
would give the gentleman from Mas
sachusetts an opportunity of bring
ing in common law, statute law, or
parliamentary law. He reminded the
gentleman that he Mr.. BoutwelD had
signed the report of the Reconstruc.
tion Committee, asserting that on some
of the matters on which he now claim
ed impeachment, the President had
not been actuated by wrong motives.
He (Mr. Wilson, was not here to de-
fend the President he must be bold
man who would do that For himself
he had not sufficient boldaess, even. if
he had the inclination; but ho was not
prepared to say that a committee so
able, so pertinacious, so thorough, as
the Committee on Reconstruction was
wrong when il declared that the Pres.
ident had been actuated by no improp-
er motives in the very acts for which
the House was now asked TO impeach
him.
As to the surrender of property to
Southern railroads, he disposed of all
the argument on that point by show
ing that IL was done, not by the Pres
ident, but by Secretary Stanton, and
from motives of great public policy,
to open the channels of trade and com.
merce. Referring to the intimation
that soldiers would be used to prevent
the blacks from voting in the South,
Mr.. Wilson remarked that the House
was asked to impoach the President
of high crimes and misdemcanors be.
cause it was feared he might do some.
thing wrong. He thought, however,
that the House would determine
whether the President had already
committed high crimes and misde.
meanors, not whether he might posi-.
bly, do so at some time in the future
The case would be tried on the record
and on that he was willing TO take, the
vote Of the House.
In conclusion he said, / believe that
the country desires TO have the case
disposed Of now they desire TO have
IL out of the way, either by sending
articles Of impeachment to the Senate
at once, or laying the whole subject
on the table. / believe that the peo
pie of the country desire that VIC shal
have done with this subject in order
that we may give our undivided attcn
tion to other matters, and, therefore
having thus gone hastily, briefly and
imperfectly over the long argument
of the gentleman from Massachusetts,
and depending on the strength Of the
case as presented in the minority re
port, or rather depending on the weak
ness of the case, as il is found IN the
record, / move that the subject be
laid on the table.
Although it was generally under
stood that this motion would be mad,
by Mr.. Wilson, it caused much ex
citement among the members who
were in favor Of impeachment, and
hum of disapprobation came from
them.
Mr.. Stevens, (Rad. } of Pa, express
cd the hope that Mr.. Wilson woult
not ask vote on his motion. Ii wa.
the most extraordinary thing he ever
heard of.
The Speaker reminded Mr. Stevens
that the motion was not debatable.
Mr.. Farnsworth, Grad, Of Illinois
desired to know as parliamentary
question, whether, il this were LAID
on the table, il would prevent any
member from calling IL up again as .
privileged question, and moving the
impeachment Of the President
The Speaker replied that if this sub
ieet were now laid on the table, nc
member could call itup as a privileged
question; but any member could pro
pose the impeachment of the Presi
dent, or any other civil officer at any
time, even though that officer had
already been presented to the Senate
tried, and acquitted.
Mr.. Schenck intimated, iooulsrly
desire to know whether it would be
in order, in connection with the mo
ton TO lay on the table, TO propos,
that a gold medal should be presented
to Andrew johnson.
The speaker replied, seriously, that
the motion was not dcbatable.
Mr.. Logan, (Rad., } desired to ask .
Il. n Al