Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1867-01-24
[From the New Yo:k Timer.l
Impeachment Of the Pres
ident. ~

From the new 4o.h Altne''l.
impeachment Of the Pres
ident. ~
TIE Impeachment Of the President
,xcites q good deal Of interest through
he cou ntry, but no morethanit deserves /
There is a general disposition to regaro
I as less serious than it really is. Th.
ueople fnd it.dlficult 10 believe that the
project Of i'm peaehment and removal from
ofice is seriously cAtertainedshy respon,
sible leaders Of the Republican party, or
that the mass Of that party in Congress
can be brought to support i. We see,
that'itis is widely assumed that
the inquiry will be suffered to sleep 10
the committee which has it in charge.
at least through the remainder Of the
ptesent session, aud that probe bly, moth
Ing more will ever be heard Of it. We
think this a mistake, and that the cOuu-
try will fall into Ferieus error if 1t rests
Oh this belief.
Those who have brought forward this
project are not only serious, but they are
Jealous aod rcsolute in pressing it TO ex-
ecution: not on its own account; not
merely or mainly to punish. the Presi-
dent for alleged misconduct, but because
il IL absolutely essential to the accom-
plishment Of their political purposes
The removal of ADdreW johnson from
Office is sought as means, not as an
end x X X *
Wendell Phillips, who is the author Of
the scheme, denounced the President,
more than year age, not as a criminal
to be punished, but as an ''obstaclc to be
removed" He was in the way of the
Phillips policy. He had not then done
any of the acts for which Mr. Phillips
now arMigns him he had vetoed no
bills, and made no removals from office ;
ho had neither "swunground the circle"
nor branded Colonel FOrney as a "dead
duck" Yet Mr.. Phillips demand for
his impeachment and removal was just
us imperative as it is to day. General
Butler. who came somewhat later into
the field, and who now considers himself
the leader fthe impeachment movement,
is not quite so open in his avowal Of
motives but none who know his char
ocrer and ambition can believe that a
disi interested and holy indignation
against official misconduct has al lone in
spired the rervor which he displays.-
Governor Boutwell,, member Of Con-
gress, and also q member of the Judi"
ciary Committee, which has this matter
under consideration, said in a recent ad-
dress, after enumerating the difficulties
in the way of reconstruction.
81 see no possible way outof these
difficulties while the present Chief Mag
istra.e is at the head Of tho Government.
Congress is strong, but il! is powerless to
execute. 1t has no hand by which it
can WELD the vast powers of this govern
mant. During thege two years, from the
4th Of March next, if Mr.. johnson cons
tinues to be President of the United
States during that period, | do not know
how long the restoration Of this govern
mcnt will be delayed. l make no pre-
dictions as to what the future has in
store Tor US with reference to the Presi-
dent in Office; but | only say that il he
continues in Office during these two years
to cOne, / know of no means by which
human life eau be protected, by which
human rights shall be regarded as sacred,
or by which any efficient means can be
tax on for the restoration of these ten
States to their ancient place in the gov
errmert Of tAe country"
These declarations from leaders of the
i'm peachment movement might be multi
piled indefinitely; but We have given
enough to show that his rer oval from
Office is deemed absolutely essential to
the success OF their political programme,
and that they are therefore profoundly
and reSoluteIy in earnest 10 pushing,it
foI ward to ccnsummation.
If they abandon that; they abandon
their whole scheme of reconstruction
They must give up their attempt to re-
duce the Southern States 10 territorial
coDdition, or to abolish their present
State Governments aud substitute others
in their stead, or to impose universal
suffrage upon them, unless they can
remove the President, who, while in Of"
flee, is an'iuvincible "obstacle" to all
their schemes. Are they likely thus to
abandon all their cherished plansP If
they do, their career is ended. They
have gone too far to retreat or to halt
Their failure is the Presidents success.
Unless they reconstruct the Southern
State governments, those governments
stand as they are; add every day they go
stand adds to their strength, and incFeas-
es the difficulty Of oyerthrcwiDg them.
But will the great body Of the Repub'
lean party follow them2 Not willingly
perhaps-but the past shows what we
nav expect in this regard for the future.