Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1867-12-05

N""" eNS ihi 'NaOhthchi was prop
erly before us The impeachment o
: the President, the chief officer of thii
great Republic; the bare inquiry will
} view TO ascertain whether he haC
committed any offcnse for which b,
ought or might be put upon trial be
fore the most august tribunal of the
world, impressed us from the begin
! ming with most solemn awo.
We endeavored, in the investigation
TO exclude from our minds every cues
tion of mere politics, and, as far as
possible, to be uninhuenced by party
bias. We were admonished that in
one sense, the nation, the people. in
the person of their Executive head
were on trial before the world, and
that personal animosity and party
politics should be infexibly and scru.
pulously forgotten and ignored.
For any cause, TO have shrunk from
a full aud careful investigation of the
great question of impeachment, was
cowardice to have pursued il in the
spirit of party, to have degraded it
into mere investigation of the polit-
ical policy, with reference to partisan
success, would have been meanness.
and would have disgraced the nation
itself by scandalizing the nations con-
stitutional head
We repeat, therefore, that the inves-
tigation of the committee was, so far
as we took part in it, with the sole
view TO ascertain whether the Pres
ident, under the charge preferred
against him, was guilty of any i'm
peachable offense. Not only so, but
with the belief that it was the only
qustion we were authorized or expect
ed TO inquire into. Not witness was
called or examined with any view to
proving q case for merely censuring
or condemning the political action OF
the President.
No suggestion was made, or intima-
ton given by the majority Of the com
mittee, till the resolution Of censure
was offered, that there was any pur-
pose Of considering, as n committee,
any but the question Of impeachment,
nor was there then, as we understand
il, any purpose Of reporting such reso-
lutions in the House, for its official
action. We think, therefore, that we
are warranted in saying, that although
much testimony, irrelevant, illegal and
experimental, was taken, much that
had no bearing upon the question of
impeachment, and much more that
was not testimony in any case, or for
any purpose; that none was taken
with any view except the impeach.
ment, aud hence we insist that, If the
committee had the right and iurisdic-
ton, which we deny, to inquire into
the political ard discretionary acts of
the President, with a view to his con
domination, that it has not in aryI
legitimate and proper manner, inves
tigated, or attempted TO consider that
subject. We do not impugn the per
sonal motives Of any member of the
committee who differs with us. Our
intercourse upon the committee has
been pleasant, and the courtesy with
which we have been treated, uniform
and uninterrupted.
We entertain none but the most
kindly personal feelings towards ev-
cry member, but candor and a sense
Of duty compels us TO declare that we
can find no warrant or excuse for
this travelling outside or beyond the
subject with which the committee was
charged to censure and condemn the
President, except in the prejudice and
zeal Of overheated partisanism
The President needs and can ask
no defense from us upon party grounds,
or upon any other than those which
spring from official obligation and du-
ty. He was not the President Of our
choice and was not elected by our
votes nor is it necessary that we
should agree with him or justify or
approve all he has done. Neither do
we feel called upon TO review all the
great mass of testimony taken by the
committee, TO show that his consure
and condemnation are not warranted
by 1t, though taken as il has been,
and unchallenged as il was.
In that regard, we do not, however,
believe the unbiased, unpreiudioed |
mind will be able in the testimony to
discover any just or any reasonable |
cause for condemning or impugning
the motives by which he was aotuated. |
Indeed differing with him in opinion, jas
we have, as to the policy yand propriety /
of many things he has done, and many /
more that he has left undone, we feel
compelled TO declare that the proofs
before us viii not warrant charge |
that he was in any instance controlled |
by motives other than those pure and |
patriotic.
His greatest offence, we apprehend, |
will be found 10 be that he has not
been able or willing to follow those
who elected him to bis office in their
mad assaults upon and departure from
the constitutional government of the
fathers Of the Republic, and that,
standing where most Of his party pro
fcssed to stand when they elevated
him to his present exalted position,
he has dared TO differ with the major
ity Of Congress upon great and vital
questions. lie has believed in the
continuing and binding obligations of
the Constitution that the suppressing
of the rebellion against the Union was
the preservation Of the Union and the
States composing il ! and that when
the rebellion was put down, the States
were all and equally entitled to repre-
in the Congress Of the Uni
ted States.
Planting himself firmly and immo-