Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-11-29

| WASHINGTON, November Zo.-Ihe
majority Of the Impeachment Commit
| tee, in their report recommending i'm
peachment, lay great stress upon the
alleged UsurpstiOn by the President of
the paTdOning and veto powers; also, the
authority to make removals and appoint
ments, and particularly refer to what is
termed tlagrant violations Of the consti-
tutioual powers of the Executive by
organizing governments In the Southern
States at the end of the war without ask
ing the advice Of Congress, as they assert,
for personal purposes. They refer to the
pardonding Of 1873 persons in West Vir-
ginia who were deserters from the army
during the war, which they state was in
behalf Of private and interested parties
and in order that they may vote in
accordance with the Presidents opinions
Their resolution is causing great deple-
ton of the Treasury. The tenor Of the
Executive offences throughout the entire
report, consists in alleged usurpations of
the powers above mentioned. The ma
iority assert, also, that by various official
speeches, public declarations, the Presi-
dent has sought 10 Obstruct the laws of
Congress for the pacification of the
States, with particular reference to the
Constitutional amendment approved by
Congress. This report is very lengthy,
and is signed by Boutwell,, Williams,
Churchill, Thomas and Lawrence.
A report was alse submitted by Wilson
and Woodbridge, dissenting from the
views Of the majority, and asserting that
there was no evidence presented which
demanded the impeachment of the Pres
ident, but they condemned his political
views, and we're willing TO censure him.
The minority report by Marshall and
Eldridge, strongly defended the President
from abuse by his political enemies, and
assert that his only faults consist In not
holding the political views Of the party
which elected him, in regard to the
subjugation Of the people of the South.
The report is extremely caustic, and
abuses harshly some of the witnesses who
testified before the Committee. Baker Is
accused Of perjury, and they conclude
with "The President will be held in
respect by his countrymen when his
cRlumniators are pilloried in undying
scOrn and indignation of the American
people. The points made in the summing
up OF the majority report against
the President are not borne out
by the testimony. /. As to the Presi-
deRts having usurped the powers of
Congress in organizing governments in
the Southern States. IL will be found In
Gen. Grants testimony that the pro-
gramme which was followed by Mr.,
johnson had been laid down by Mr.. Lin
coin. 1t also appears in Gen. Grants
testimony that be was present by invi-
tation at the Cabinet councils, In which
the reorganization Of the Southern States
was discussed, and while he assented to
the plan followed by the Administration,
he did not offer any suggestion of his
own, but was 3 silent listener. The
only active part he took was in restrain
ing the Presidents Rrdorto have promin-
ent rebels like Lee brought to condign
punishment As to the pardon Of promin-
ent rebels, it appears that many Of the
most prominent OF them were pardoned
on the recommendation of Grant, Speed,
Stanton, etc. AS to the pardonins OF
some hundred deserters from q West Vir-
ginia regiment, which the report alleges
was done in order that they might vote
for Democratic member Of Congress. IL
appears from the evidence that they
were only technically deserters-that
they were not pardOned until some weeks
after the election, and that the President
merely indorsed the application in the
usual form-referring it to the Secretary
Of War, who himsaf granted it. The
committee inquired into the possession
by the President Of certain Tennessee
bonds, on the supposition that his posses
sion OF them might have some connec-
tion with bis release of the property o.
certain Southern railroad companies
but It appeared that Mr.. Johnson has
been possessOr of those bonds for the lsst
twelve yeSrs.
In reference to the trial Of jefferson
Davis, Attorney General Speed and the
counsel for the Government shoulder ali
the responsibility OF not trying him, the
avswed cause being that Chief Justice
Chase would not preside, and that Attor-
nsy- General Speed would not consent
under any circumstances to have the
trial conducted before Judge Underwood.
There was an attempt on the part Of
Lafayette G. Baker to get up story
about sn imaginary letter from Mr.,
Johnson, as Military Governor, to Jeffer-
son Davis, offering to turn over the State
Of Tennessee to him, but the committee
could have had no trouble in deciding