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

Gently in rebellion, lie well knowing that
tne provisions inserted under and by his
dlctation in the said illegal constitutions
lof saia States were wholly inadequate TO
Pfotect the loyal people thereof, or the
! people OF the United States against the
payment OF claims on account of slaves
emanclpatad and of debts incurred nv sncb
States Ill aid of rebellion, thus rendering
! 1t practicable and easy for those in author.
lty IN the aforesaid illegal and unconstitu.
tlonal governments thus set up to tax and
oppresS the loyal people of such States for
the 6enetit of those who have been en-
gagged IN the attempt to overthrow the gov
ernment of the United States.
In that he has made official and other
puollc declarations and statements calcula-
ted and designed to injure and impair the
credit of the United States, to encourage
persons recently engaged in rebellion
| against Its authority to obstruct and resist
the reorganization of the rebel States, So
caiieo, upon Republican basis, and cal
cuIated and designed also to deprive the
Congress of the United States of the conf
dence OF the people as well in its patriotism
as IN Its constitutional right to exist, and
10 act as the department of the government
wnlch under the constitution possesses ex-
CiuSiVe legislative power, and all this with
the Intent OF renderingj Congress incapable
OF resisting either his said usurpations of
power, or of providing and enforcing meas
ures necessary for the pacifcation and res
toration of the Union
And that III ali this he exercised the veto
power, the power of removal and appoint
meht, the pardonlng power, and other con-
stltutlonal powers of his office, for the pur-
pose OF delaying, hindering, obstructing,
and preventing the restoration of the
Union OY OOsfltutiOpol ,,ooo,,o OIL G., H.
further purpose of alternating from the gov
ernment and laws Of the United States
those persons who had been engaged in the
rebellion, and who, without aid, comfort
and encouragement thus by him given TO
them would have resumed in good faith
their allegiance to the constitution; and all
with the expectation of conciliating them
to himself personally, that he might thereby
finally prevent the restoration of the Union
upon the basis of the laws passed 10y Con-
gress.
And further, that the said Andrew John
son, President of the United States. trans
terred and surrendered, and authorized and
directed the transfer and surrender &C rail-
way property of the value of many millions
of dollars to persons who had been en-
gagged in the rebellion, or to corporations
owned wholly or in part by such persons,
he well knowing that in some instances the
railways had been constructed by the Uni
ted States, that in others such railways and
railway property had been captured from
the enemy In war, and afterwards repaired
at great cost by the United States, such
transfer and surrender being made with
out authority of law and in violation of
law.
In that he directed and authorized the
sale of large Quantities of railway rolling
stock and other railway property of tho
value of many millions of dollars, the prop
erty of the United States by purchase and
construction, to corporations and parties
then known to him to be unable to pay
! their debts then matured and due, and
this without exacting from said corpora
| tlons and parties any securities whatever.
In that he directed and ordered subor-
dlnate officers of the government to post
pone and delay the collection of moneys
due and payable to the United States ON
account OF such sales, in apparent con-
formlty to an order previously made by him
that the interest upon certain bonds issued
or guaranteed by the State of Tennessee in
aid of certain railways, then due and un-
paid for period of four years and more,
should be first paid out of the earnings OF
the roads in whose behalf said bonds were
so issued or guaranteed.
In that, in conformity to such order and
direction, the collection of moneys payable
and then due tO'the United States was de-
layed and postponed, and the interest on
such bonds, of which he himself was q large
holder, YVES paid according to the terms of
his own order, thus corruptly using his
Office to defraud and wrong the people Of
the United States, and for his own person
al advantage.
Ia that he has not only restored to claim
ants thereof large amounts of cotton and
other abandoned property that had
been seized and taken by the agents of the
Treasury In conformity to law, but has paid
and directed the payment OF the actual pro-
ceeds OF sales made thereof, and this in vi
eIation of law the United States which
orders and requires the payment into the
treasury of the United States Of all moneys
received from such sales, and provides for
loyal claimants sufficient and easy remedy
in the Court of Claims, and in manifest
violation also of the spirit and meaning OF
the constitution, wherein it is declared
that no money shall be drawn from the
treasury but in consequence of appropria-
tions made by law.
Aud further, in that the said Andrew
johnson, President Of the Unitel States,
authorized the use of the army Of the Uni.
leu EOGuItS IOI thN ttlS tjClSIOu VI 81 l'cdCCiuL
and lawful assembly of citizens Of Louisia-
na, and this by virtue of Il dispatch ad-
dressed to>a person who was not an officer
of the army, but who was public and no
torious traitor, and all with the intent to
deprive the loyal people OF Louisiana OF
every opportunity to frame State govern
ment republican il form, and with the in
tent further to continue in places Of trust
and emoldmeut persons who had been en-
gagged i'll an attempt to overthrow the gov
ernment Of the United States, expecting
thus to conciliate such persons to himself
and secure their aid in support Of his afore-
said unconstitutional designs
All of which omissions of duty, usurpa-
tions of power, violations of his oath Of Of
flee, of the laws, and of the Constitution Of
the United States by the said Andrew john
son, President of the United States, have
retarded the public prosperity, lessened the
public revenues, disordered the business
and finances of the country, encouraged
insubordination in the people of the States
recently in rebellion, fostered sentiments OF
hostility between different classes of citi-
zens, revived and kept alive the spirit of
the rebellion. humiliated the nation, dis