Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-10-03
IMPEACHMENT.
Coming Civil Strife-Threafs and OPin-
ions from Various Sources.


Prom Speech of U. S. Senator Conkling, of New
York, (Radical)
| do not mean, as some have insisted, that
Congress should remain in perpetual OF
extraordinary session, and strain or tran
scend the constitution by taking from him
the Presidential powers vested by the con-
stitution in the Executive alone; nor do /
mean that Congress should, by any legisla-
tive device, attempt to circumvent or su-
percede the chief Executive officer. As well
might court, because Sheriff or Marshal
was unfaithful, attempt to execute its pro-
cess ITSELF The constitution says the Presi-
dent, not Congress, shall see that the laws
are faithfully executed. If the President
cannot he trusted with the functions of this
Office, if he has done acts which forfeit his
right TO exercise the powers of his place, if
he il so fatally bent on mischief that he is
not fit TO be unmatched or united, the con-
stitution prescribes the remedy II is not
that Congress shall usurp or curtail the
Executive Office, nor that the two Houses
shall crouch like wstch-dogs baying TO pre-
vent Executive action. No such contrivance
finds place in the charter of our liberties.
No extremity can ever justify it. Any con-
dition Of things demanding such resort
will demand something more. 1t is not for
me to express, nor even to form an opinion
of the grounds for impeachment which may
exist. The duty | may in another place be
called upon to do imposes silence and alb
stinence upon me, and besides, from the
outset it has been my earnest hope that the
country might be spared the anxiety and
disturbance incident to deposing the chief
officer of the government. But / may be
permitted TO say that whenever the acting
President cannot be restrained within loyal
limits, except by being shorn of the consti-
tutional powers of his Office, and kept con-
tinually cowed by sessions of Congress
aYowedly maintained for that purpose, the
welfare, the dignity, the Judgment, the
conscience of the nation will demand higher
and sterner methods If, indeed, such
juncture shall ever arise, let the grand
inquest Of the nation present the accused
for his crimes and misdemeanors let him
have an impartial trial, and, if found guilty,
let him be consigned by judicial sentence,
as he will be by the enlightened Judgment |
OF mankind, to an infamy as immortal as
the cause he has betrayed.
From Speech ofSchuyler Colfax, Speaker of the
House of Representatives. (Radcal)
Mr.. Colfax said he longingly counted
the DAYS till Congress would again meet,
when Andrew johnson would be brought
before the Senate for impeachment And
in regard 10 the threat attributed to the
President that he would prorogue Con-
gress, he said that johnson dare not at
tempt Il, for we'll he knew the end would
be that his feet would dance upon air,
III ha L. Ii,
tinue to perform its functions. These senti-
ments were received with great applause.
From the New York Express Conservative and |
Democrat
Mr.. Speaker Colfax, we see, (rebuked by |
the leading Republican paper ia Cincin |
matt, and the Times here calls for the |
forthwith impeachment of President J John |
son The Speaker, in his own hot pursuit |
for the Presidency, seems over jealous to
secure it before his time.
Well, suppose the President impeached |
by the House of Representative, what
then A trial of course by the Senate, with /
the Chief Justice presiding-himself, can
didate for the Presidency, and therefore, in
that position, in very AWKWARD fix. There |
are then several questions arising.
No. /. Is a Rump Senate such Jury as
the common law Srequires-or. in other
words, is packed jury, with ten States ex-
cluded, and two States in, Tennessee and
West Virginia, Ito say nothing of Missouri
IN, by disqualifying the whites. TO govern
with the negro vote, such a jury, as the
constitution intends to try the Executive? |
No. 2. Are such Senator's as Wade.
Chandler, Sumner, Thayer, etc. jurors
within the intent and meaning of the con-
stitntion, and Of the common law, when |
they have previously formed and expressed |
opinions, before trial, that the President |
must be condemned
Before we establish as A prineiple and |
precedent of our government, that an ex,
ecutlve can be removed, because a Congress
land that only rump Congress,) disiikes
him, solely for party reasons, there arc
great many things for wise men 20 think
Of As for Mr.. johnson himself as a no
liheal man, the Democrats have more 10
make out of Wade, than they have made /
out of him, with the advantage of using
on the stump, this terrible revolution of orr
government, before the people
From the Cincinnati Enquirer. DEM
If an attempt be made TO oust Mr. John