The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-01-08

There were some significant and ominous
proceedings in the House Of Representatives
yesterday. The morning hour was first
enlivened BY an impeachment resolution from
Mr.. Loan, Of Missouri, which, being disposed Of
a. presented, BY turning 1t over to the Recon
struction Committee, was forthwith reproduced
In new shape by Mr.. Kelso, also Of Missouri,
when motion to lay 1t upon the table was
rejected-yeas 40, nays l03-an ominous look
Ing vote In the negative. Here, however, what
Is known as the morning hour in the House
expired, and the subject was superseded by the
regular business Of the day, subject to any
privileged question which might be inter-
posed.
Mr.. Ashley, Of Ohio, ct this point, in fulfil
ment Of his promise Of last summer TO "give
neither sleep to his eyes nor slumber to his
eJclids' until he had brought in against An
drew Johnson articles Of impeachment, rose to
that privileged question. His resolution was
accordingly submitted, the preamble declaring,
in the name Of "the gentleman from Ohio, /"
that 81 do impeach Andrew johnson,
Vice President and Acting President Of
the United States, of high crimes and
misdemeanors / charge him with usurpation
of power and violation Of law, in that be has
corruptly abused the appointing power; in
that be has corruptly used tho pardoning
power In that he has corruptly disposed OF
the public property of the United States in
that he has corrupty interfered in elections
and committed acts and conspired with others
to commit acts which in the contemplation of
the constitution are high crimes and INSIDE
meanors; therefore be it resolved, that the
Committee on the Judiciary be and they are
hereby authorized to inquire into the official
conduct of Andrew Johnson, Vice President
and discharging the duties and powers OF the
President Of the United States, and to report to
the House" whether in their opinion he has
been guilty of crimes and misdemeanors re-
quiring the interposition Of the constitutional
power Of the House, and that said committee
have power to send for persons and papers and
to take the oaths of Witnesses.
This proposed the initial step to an impeach-
ment and the question recurring, Shall the
resolution be adopted Mr.. Spalding Of Ohio,
. republican from one Of the most radical
abolition districts in the United States, here
intsrposed with motion to lay on the table.
Upon this preliminary test question the call Of
the roll resuited-yeas, 80; nays, l05; the
radicals and conservatives, with
few exceptions, standing together for the reso-
luton, which was next adopted. So the Com
niffoo IN <ho Yud;o;e rv 10 or;coa - sucu3~o
into the propriety of inpesching President
johnson, and to report to the House according
to their conclusions from the evidence which
they may collect In their investigations upon
the general charges submitted. The vote Of
los against 80 in favor Of this inquiry is signi-
ficant and has an omid0us look. II looks a. il
the dominant party in Congress had arrived at
some definite plan Of operations in this bust
ness and had agreed to proceed at once to
carry it into effect.
In the matter q impeachments, a. in tho
general organization Of the two houses of Con-
gress, the trainers Of our constitution followed
the example OF the British Parliament Thus,
as in England, the House Of CONNIE ns has the
sole power Of impeachment, while the House Of
Lords has the sole power TO try impeachments,
these powers with US belong respectively to the
House Of Representatives and the Senate. The
House as grand jury (by vote Of a majority
presents Its charges 10 the Senate, which as
sumes the character of high court, and-we
quote from the constituton-"when the Presi-
dent Of the United States Is tried the Chief
Justice shall preside, and no person shall be
convicted without the concurrence of two
thirds Of the members present" The consti-
tuition next ordains that Judgment in cases
Of impeachment shall not extend further than
to removal from office and disqualification to
hold any Office Of honor, trust or profit under
the United States; but the party convicted
shall nevertheless be liable and subject to in
triai. Judgment and punishment ac-
cording to law"
The object contemplated In this resolution
of Mr.. Ashley, then, is the removal Of the
President from Office. But why remove him
when the charges preferred against him or
when, at least, the "high crimes and INSIDE
meanors" Of which he has boen guilty have
been common thing with all his predeces-
sors as party leaders, from General Jackson
down to poor Pierce and Buchanan, TO say
nothing OF the lamented Lincelnf 1t seems
a little rough and uncharitsble that President
Andrew johnson should be made the first
victim 10 the wrath OF Congress, and particu-
larly when he has ceased to be an obstruction
to the legislative policy OF Congress and when
over two-thirds vote in both houses is secured
against him to the end ofhis term Of Office. In
this situation Of affairs II appears to us that IL
this impeachment movement be followed up to
its legal conclusion II win be productive Of a
miscbievous confusion in our political parties,
a serious panic and arrangement in our IMAM
cial affairs and needless and damaging delays
on those practical measures Of legislation de-
manded to meet the general interests and
wants Of the country. We think II altogether
probable, however, that the Judiciary Commit