Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-03-09
THE IMPEACHMENT oUEsTION.

From the proceedings of the caucus of
Radical members of the House of Re
representatives. ard the action of the Senate
caucus on Thursday, the impeachment
project threatens to abort. The number
of really bold and earnest impeachers in
the House of Representatives are quite
few There are others in that body who
seem willing to wound, but are yet afraid
TO strike; while there are quite a num-
Der who have the sense and ca1dor to
oppose the movement entirely There
are some members of the Senate who
favor the impeachment, such as Chandler,
Sumner and Fowler, but as the members
Of that body are to be the judges in the
event the articles are preferred and the
trial entered upon, the Radical Senators
have not as general rule expressed
opinions as to the propriety of the step.
The indications now are that the Judiciary
Committee Of the House of Representa-
tives viii be instructed to sit during the
adjournment OF Congress upon the call of
its chairman, and take evidence rs to the
" high crimes and misdemeanors which
the more venal aud corrupt of the Radi-
cal party have alleged against the Presi
dent This committee will only be en-
powered TO report to the House on its re-
assembling in May or in the coming
autumn, the Investigations they may have
made; and it is safe to predict, that unless
that committee is made, by its appoint
ment, an impeaohing cabal predetermined
to pursue this matter, it viii offer nothing
en- which any upright and conscientious
member would vote to sustain charges
against the President. That body con-
tains low>minded partizans who are filled
with raRcorous malice against Mr.. Johns
son, and who are INSCRIPTIONS enough to
fabricate charges and suborn witnesses to
substantiate them; but we cannot think
that a majority of the Radical party are
of such base composition. 1t is only by
such means that the people could be
abused into tolerating proposition to
depose the President, and we believe that
those Of the Radical leaders who have
not entirely lost their self-respect as
Butler, Ashley and their kind have, will
check the wanton and disgraceful pro-
ceeding.
There are many of them, however, who
while conscious that the opposition that
the President has deemed it proper to
make to the unconstitutional and 6estruc-
i've measures which have characterized
.he Congress just closed, was perfectly
legitimate, and that they afford no grounds
whatever of impeachment will consent
o have the rod held over him ia tsyrorem
They are willing 10 use it as means Of |
irving him into submission, aud by sus-
lending his influence prevent him from
sUmmoning the second sober
bought Of the people to the arrest Of the
icious policy which they have adopted
t was for this purpose that they con-
ened the fortieth Congress The best Of
he Radicals dare not make an untram
lelled issue with the Executive before
be people They are conscious that
heir cause viii not bear the scrutiny
7hich the friends Of the President and
he Supreme Court would make,
nder circumstances propibous to full and
AR discussion. They have control Of the
'urse and the sword they hold the pow
T to threaten and infict whatever they
ee TT They are using this power to
tide the voice Of Conservative remon-
trance, and to paralyEe every function in
he government that will not Weld 10
heir behests and demands. The com.
leteness Of their triumph over the Presi
entail negative on al Che important