The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1867-03-28
The Impeachment.

Nv
The following remarks made by Mr.
SPalding of Ohio in reply to his col.
league, Mr.. Ashley, on the impeachment
question show that some Of the Radi-
Gals at least can be touched with hon.
orable feeling, and tell their associates
the truth occasionally.
Mr.. Spalding, to whom Mr.. Ashley
yielded five minutes Of his time, said /:
Mr. Speaker do not boast of posses.
sing any extraordinary degree OF cour.
age either moral or physical, but |
thank my Creator that he has 80 con-
stitutsd me that can rise on the floor
Of this House yet and declare my co.,
victions. although they differ with the
majority Of the party with which / act.
Sir, differ toto colo with my colleague,
Mr.. Ashley, and stand here, in this
very place, from which more than two
mouths ago the Executive Of this ma
tion was charged with high crimes and
misdemeanors, to deuounce the whole
scheme as one Of consummate iolly -
(Nete-Mr Spalding now occupies the
seat which Mr.. Ashley occupied last
session. | say that no one act amount.
ing to crime or misdemcanor has as
yet been proved against the Executive
ofthis nation, aud challenge any man
TO reply to me when / make this aver
mcnt; and ] say more-I say that it is
not required by some of those who
charged the Executive Sith high crimes
and misdemeanors, that proof shall be
obtained; it is only necessary, as has
been said iu high places, within the
past week or ten days, that it should
be known that the President was an
obstruction in the way Of what gentle.
men called progress, and that there
fore the Radical majority of tn. coun-
try must remove him. Sir, | claim TO
hold TO no such doctrine, aud | say to
my associates of the great Union party,
that they must look vel to their ways
If they suppose the intelligent people
OF the United States are going TO up
hold them in the PRONUNCIATION aud
practice Of any such principles, I
have the utmost confidence in the Ju:
dietary Committee, as constituted in
the Thlrty-ninth Congress l doubt
not that shall reposc an equal degree
Of confidence ia any committee that
shall be constituted by our prescut
Speaker. have no objection to this
investigation being pursued through the
channel of that Judiciary Committee :;
but, at the same time to be consistent,
| must say that do oppose aud shall
oppose it until have some evidence pre-
sented 10 my mind TO show that we can
make an appeal to the cons ence of this
great patton we seek TO deprive it Of its
Executive head. Weare briugipgt to the
test onr republican principles, our pop
uiar form OF goyernment--a test suelr
as no nation has ever yet been brought
to. trust We have not yet arrived at
the same state of feeling as that which
existed during the revolution Of Oliver
Cromwell, or that which lived iu' the
days Of Robespierre aud Marnt in
France, when those who one day advo-
Gated the most extreme measures were
the next day brought to the scaffold,
because they were not far enough. in
the advance. Is that to be our posi-.
tion in this countryy Sir, | have voted
for every Radical measure Of Recon-
structiou proposed 10 this House, and
yet we have not adopted Radical meas
ures enough to suit the purposes Of
Of some OF the gentlemen around me.
They now cry for the head of the Exe-
cutiye.
They want more blood" suggested
Mr. Wood, in his seat.
For what good purpose9 Is il to
make way for some other man or set of
mem Is this whole nation to be con-
vulsed is our public credit to be tri-
fed with are our stocks to be brought
dowl 10 80. 20, or 10 per cent, simply
to crafty this anxiety to remove the
Executive head Of the nation Sir,