Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-12-04

] W6nI.
The following are the points of the re
ports:
THE MAJORITY REPORT.
The majority report from the Judiciary
Committee is signed by George S. Boutwell,
Francis Thomas, Thomas Williams, William
Lawrence, John C. Churchill 1t rectes tn,
facts elected by the evidence given before the
committee, and concludes with the following
charges against the President
/. That upon the final surrender of the
rebel armies and the overthrow of the rebe
government, he neglected to convene Con
gress.
2. That, in his proclamation to the people
OF North Carolina of the Doth of Nav, 1865
he assumed that he had authority to decide
whether the government of North Carolina
and whether any other government that
might be set up therein, republican in
form. and that in his office of President it
was his duty and within his power to guar
anty to said people republican form of
government, contrary to the Constitution.
). That he thereafter recognized a plan of
government set up in North Carolina, in con
formity to his own advice and direction, as
republican in form, and entirely restored in
its functions as a state notwithstanding
Congress is the branch of the government in
which, by the Constitution, such power is
exclusively vested, and notwiths landing Con-
gress did refuse to recognize such government
as a legitimate government or as a govern
ment republican in form
t. That in 1865, by public proclamation
he solicited conventions in other rebellious
states, and urged and directed such conven-
tiOns to frame constitutions for such states :;
and thereupOn assumed to ratifv certain So
called constitutions, framed by such illegal
and reasonable asscmblagcs Of persons
which constitutions were never submitted to
the people of the respective states, nor rati-
fed and confirmed by the United States, thus
usurping and exercising powers vested by the
Constitution in the Congress of the United
States exclusively.
;. That he pardoned large numbers of
public and notorious traitors, with the de-
sign Of receiving from them aid in such con-
yentions called by his advice and direction
for the purpose of organizing and setting up
such illegal governments in the states then
recently in rebellion prior to the annual
meeting OF Congress, with the intent thus to
constrain Congress to ratity such unconsti-
tutional proceedings.
6. That he Illegally established the Office
of provisional governor
:. That he appointed notorious traitors as
provisional governors. and made illegal use
Of public money to pay them
;. That he used property taken from the
enemy in time Of war for the payment Of the
expense and the support of the said Illegal
and unconstitutional governments Of said
states recently in rebellion. and for q like
purpose, and in violation Of the Constitution
permitted levy Of taxes upon the people Of
said states.
g. That in his messages to Congress. and
otherwise, he has publicly denied substan-
italy the right Of Congress TO provide for tie
pacitication, government and restoration of
said states 10 the Mon, and has asserted his
exclusive right TO provide governments there
for and to accept and proclaim the restora-
tion of said states to the Union. all of which
is in derogation of the rightful authority of
Congress.
10. That he has vetoed various bills passed
by Congress for the pacifcation and govern
ment OF the states recently in rebellion, and
for their speedy restoration TO the Union.
II. That he has exercised the power of re-
moval aud appointment for the purpose of
maintaining his usurpation, and for the pur-
pose Of securing the recognition by Congress
Of the state governments 50 Illegally and un-
constitutionallv set up.
u. That he has pardoncd descrtcrs from
I3. That he has attempted to prevent the
ratification of an amendment u the cOnstitu-
tion proposed to the several states agreeablv
to the Constitution Of the | nted States. al
though such proposed amendment provided.
among otLer things. for the validity o! the
public debt Of the JuIt,l States. rendered
the payment Of any claim for slaves cmanci-
pated or of any debt incurred in aid Of insur-
reetion or rebellion against the nited
States or by any Of the states recently in
rebellion.
It. That he has made public declarations
and statements to iniure the credit of the
United States. to encourage persons recently
engaged in rebellion against its authorities.
to obstruct and resist the reorganization of
the rebel states. 30 called upon republican
basis, and calculated and designed also to de-
priyc Congress of the confidence Of the people
Is. That in all this he has exercised the
veto power, the power of removal and ap-
pointment, the pardoning power. and other
constitutional powers of his Office for the
purpose Of delaying, hinderng, obstructing
and preventing the restoration of the Union
by constitutional means and for the further
purpose Of alternating from the government
and laws Of the states those persons who had
been engaged in the rebellion, and who. with I
out aid comfort and uragemcnt-thusb by /
good faith their allegiance to the Constitu- /
ton, and all with the expectation of concil- /
iating them to himself personally, that he
might thereby finally prevent the restoration
Of the Union upon the basis Of the laws |
passed by Congress.
Is. That he has authorized the transfer
and surrender of railway property Of the
value of many millions of dollars to persons |
who had been engaged in the rebellion.
i. That he authorized the use Of the !
army for dispersion of peaceful and lawful |
of citizens of Louisiana, and this by |
virtue Of despatch addressed to a person !
who was not an officer of the army, but who |
was public and notorious traitor.
The majority of the committee therefore |
recommend the adoption of the following
Resolrcd, That Andrew johnson, Presi-
lent of the United States, be impeached of |
nigh crimes and misdemeanors.
nNORITY REPORT BY MEssRs. WILSON AND
WOODBRIDGE.
James F. Wilson Chairman of the com
nittee) and Frederick f. Woodbridge, pre-
ent minority report, in which they declare
hat much of the testimony heard is of no
,alue whatever, and conclude thus
While we condemn and censure the politi-
al conduct of the President, and Judge him
,nwise in the use of his discretionary powers,
md appeal to the people of the republic to
ustain US, We still affirm that the conclusion
It which we have arrived is correct. We,
therefore, declare that the case before us,
presented by the testimony and measured by
he law, does not declare such high crimes
md misdemeanors within the meaning of the
Constitution as require " the interposition