Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1867-12-07


originate matters pertaining to the
army, but never was willing to orig
inato matters pertaining to the civil
government OF the Gniten States.
Whom I was asked my opinion
about what had been done, ] was
( willing to give it, | originated no
plan and suggested no plan for civil
government, only gave my views
ON measures after they had been
originated, / simply expressed an
anxiety that something should be
done TO give some sort of control
down there, There were no gov
ernments there when the war was
over, and | wanted to soc some gov
ernmcnt established, wanted to sec
it done quickly, | did not pretend
to say how it should be done, or in
what form.
Chairman of committee of cleo
tions, Doves; Ways and Means,
Schenck; Appropriation, Stevens;
Banking and Currency, Pomeroy;
Pacific Railroad, Price; Claims,
Bingham; Commerce, Washburne;
Public Lands, Julian; Postotlice,
Farnesworth; Judiciary, Windham;
old committees continued through
out; Indian Affairs, Windham; Mil
itary Affairs, Garfield; Naval Affairs
Pike; Foreign Affairs, Ashley, of
Ohio; Roads and Canals, Cook;
Frcedmen's Affairs, Elliott; Educa-
ton and Labor, Rakcr; Patents,
Jincks; Printing, Laiin; Rotrench-
ment, Van Wyck.
Tho majority Of the impeachment
committee, in their report recon-
mending impeachment, say great
stress is.laid upon the allcdged usur-
patton by the President Of the par
doning and veto powers also the
authority to make removals and
appointments, and particularly re-
fer to what is termed nagrant viola
tions of the constitutional powers of
the Executive by organizing gov
ernments in the Southern States at
the end Of the war, without asking
the advice Of Congress, rs they as
sert, for personal purposes. They
refer to the pardoning Of 1913 per-
sons in West Virginia, desertcrs
from the army during the war,
which they say was in behalf of
private and interested parties, and
in order that they may vote in ac-
cordance with the Presidents opin-
ion.
The tenor Of Executive oticnses
throughout the entire report con-
sists in alleged usurpation Of pow
ers above mentioned. The majori
ty assert also that by various official
speeches and public declarations
the President hassought to obstruct
the laws of Congress for the pacifi-
cation Of the States, with particular
reference to the constitutional
amendment, approved by Congress
This report is very lengthy, and
signed by Boutwell,, Williams, Law
renee, Thomas and Churchill.
A report was also submitted by
Wilson and Woodbridge, dissenting
from the views of the maj rity, and
asserting that there was no evidence
presented which demanded impeach-
ment, but they condemned his po-
litical viows and were willing to
ccnsurc. n
The minority report, by Marshall
and Eldridge, strongly defends the
President from abuse BY his politi-
cal enemies, and assert that his only
faults consist in not holding the
political views of the party which
elected him, in subiugating the peo-
pie of the South. The report is ex
tremely caustic, and abuses harshly
some Of the witnesses who testified
before the committee. Baker is nc
cused of perjury, and they conclude
with; "The President will bo held
in respect by his countrymen when
his calumniators are pillowed in the
undying scorn and Indignation OF
the American people.
The points made in the summing
up of the majority report against
the President are not borno out by
the testimony First, as to the
President having usurped the pow
ers Of Congress in organizing gov
ernments in the Southern States
Second, it will be found in General
Grants testimony that the program
me which was followed by Mr., Johu-
son had been laid down BY Mr..
Lincoln.
It also appears in Gen. Grants
testimony that he was present by
invitation at the cabinet council in
which the reorganization of the
Southern States was discussed, and
that while he assented to the plan
followed by the administration, he
did not offer any suggestions Of his
own, but was silent listener. The
only active part he took was in re-
straining the Presidents ardor TO
have prominent rebels, like Lee,
brought TO condign punishment.
AsIto the pardon of prominent
rebels it appears that many of the
most prominent of them were par
doncd on the recommendation of
Grant, Speed, Stanton, &c. As TO
the pardoning some hundred dcser-
ters from a West Virginia regiment
which the report alleges, was done
I in order that they might vote for a
Democratic member of Congress, it
appears that from the evidence that
they were not pardoned Gil a week
after the election, and the President
merely indorsed the application in
( the usual form, referring it to the
Secretary of war, who himself
granted it.
The committee enquired into the
possession by the President Of GER
tain Tennessee bonds. in supposi-
tion that his possession Of them