Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-12-05

or calculated to overthrow, subvert or
corrupt the government of the United
States, or which In contemplation OF the
constitution would constitute . high
crime or misdemeanor requiring the In
terposition Of the constitutional power
of the House"
1t will be observed that the great sail
ent point OF accusation standing out In
the foreground, and challenging the at.
tention OF the country, is usurpation OF
power, which Involves, of course, Q vio'
lation OF law, and here II may be re-
marked that, perhaps, every great abuse,
every aagrant departure from the we'll
settled principles OF the government,
which has been brought home to its pres
ent administration, whether discovering
itself in special intractions OF the stat.
utes or In the prohlgate use OF the high
powers conferred by the constitution on
the President, or revealing itself more
msnifestly on the systematic attempt to
seize upon Its sovereignty and disparage
and supersede the great council to which
that sovereignty has been entrusted In
reference to the one great purpose OF re.
constructing the shattered governments
of the rebel States In accordance with
his own wishes in the interest OF the
great criminals who carried them into
the rebellion, and in such a way as to
deprive the people OF the loyal States of
all chances OF indemnity for the past and
security of the future, by gardening
their officers and restoring their lands,
and bringing them back to their hearths,
unrepentant and their hands yet red with
the blood OF our people, into condition
where they could once more embarrass
and defy--if not absolutely rule--the
government which they had vainly en-
deavored to destroy. 1t is around this
point, and as auxiliary to that great CEN
trail idea, that all the special acts of NAL
administration we have witnessed will
be found to grayitate and revolve; and
it to this point, therefore, IS the great
master key which unlocks and inter.
prets all of them, that the attention OF
the House will first be directed. 1t is a
fact of history that the obstinate and
protracted struggle between the Execu-
tive and Legislative departments, aris-
ing ont of the claim OF more than kingly
power, on the one hand, and as strongly
maintained by the operators OF the first
rights Of sovereignty, lodged with it by
the people, on the other, which has con-
vulsed this nation for the last two years,
and presented a spectacle that has no
example here, and none in England since
the era of the Stuarts, began with the
advent of the present Chief Magistrate
The catastrophe that lifted him to his
place, while it smote the heart OF the ma
tion with grief and horror was the last
expiring, armed effort of the insurrec-
ton. The capital of the rebel govern
ment hsd fallen, its chiefs were fugltives
its nag was in the dust the strife OF
arms had closed; the hosts that had
gathered for the overthrow of this nation
had either melted away in defeat and
disaster or passed under the conquering
hand of the republic. The extraordin-
airy mission OF the Executive WAS full
filled, although, as the Commander in
Chief, he might possibly treat with bel
ligerents In arms. The cessation Of the
war in the overthrow of the rebellion
and the unconditional surrender of the
armies had determined that power. To
hold the conquered territory within our
military grasp until the sovereign power
OF the nation, vesting In the Representa-
tives the same power which had grit the
sword upon the thigh of the Executive
and placed the resources of the country
In men and money st his command,
should be ready to declare its will in re-
lation to the rebels 1t had conquered, was
all that remained for him to do. But
the duties OF the sovereign were not st an
end. An extent OF territory OF an almost
continental dimension, desolated by war,
but still swarming with millions OF peo-
pie, was at our feet awaiting the sem
tence which it had deserved. The local
governments swept away as they had
been, in the opinion OF the President
himself, by the whlrlwind Of the rebel
lion, were in ruin, while communities
were anarchy, the courts outlswed, the
social tie dissolved, s system OF pretend
ed law existing in deadly conflict with
the law OF the conqueror. A people sub
dued, but sullen and full OF hate, and as
hostile as ever to the power that had
overthrown them; q loyal element ask
Ing for protection, a new and anomal.
Gus relation without parallel in his
tory, about which the wisest of states
men might well hesitate and differ, su-
perinduced fratricidal strife that had
ruptured the original ties and placed its
objects in the condition OF public ene-
mics, large army to be disbanded and
such indulgence extended, such punish
ment inflicted and such securities de.
maRded for the future as the interests
of peace and justice might require.
Never in the history OF this or any other
State have questions more numerous and
vital, more delicate or difficult, requiring
graver elaboration or involving the ex-
ercise OF higher governmental powers,
presented themselves for the considera.
ton OF q people; and never was Con.
gress convoked In more serious crisis
OF State. The duties and responsible
tiles OF the men who formed and organ
lied the Union OF these States, and of
those who assembled here in 1851 to con-
suit upon and provide the means for
suppressing this rest rebellion were as
nothing in the comparison, and demand
ed certainly no higher sagaclty and no
broader wisdom than the task of bring