Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-12-06
The Impeachment Case.-The Minority
Report

Representatives James +. Wilson and
Frederick E. Woodbridge handed in re-
port, dissenting from the conclusions ar
rived at by majority of the committee.
They say On the 3D. day of june. 1857
it was declared, by a solemn vote in The
committee, that, from the testimony then
before them, it did not appear that the
President Of the United States was guilty
OF such high crimes and misdemeanors as
called Tor an exercise of the impeachino
power OF this House. The vote stood
yeas hve, nays four. On the DIST instant
this action of the committee was reversed
and vote of five to four declared in favor
OF recommending to the House an impeach-
ment OF the President. Forty-eight bours
nave not yet elapsed since we were inform
ed OF the character of the report which re-
presents this changed attitude of the COM
m1ttee' The recentness of this event COM
pels general treatment of some features
of the case as it is presented by the major.
ty, which otherwise would have been treat
ed OF more in detail.
The report of the majority resolves all
presnmptlons against the President closes
the door against all doubts, affirms facts as
established by the testimony, in support of
Wnlch there is not particle of evidence be-
fore us which would be received bv anv
court in the land. We dissent from all Of
tn1s, and from the temper and spirit of the
report. The cool and unbiased judgement
OF the future, when the excitements in the
midst OF which we live shall have passed
away, Will not fail to discover that the no.
iltlcal bitterness of the present times has. |
- no 4nconsloerable degree, given tone to |
'ng document which we decline to approve. |
Dissenting, as we do, from the renort of |
CODlm1tfpa 70
case and the conclusions drawn from tho
facts developed by the testimony. a. dine re-
gard for the body which imposed on us the
nlgh ana transcendantly important duty
involved IN an investigation of the charges
preferred against the President impels MS
TO present at length our views of the sub
ect which has been committed to us bv a.
most solemn vote of the House of Retire.
In approaching this duty we
eel tnat the spirit of the partizan should
De lald aside, and that the interests of the
Aepuohc. as they are measured by the Con-
ana laws, alone should guide us.
ma we most deeply regret that, in this re.
'aru' we cannot approve the report of our
oIleagues' VINO constitute q majority of the
ommlttee. While we would not CHARGE ]
hem with design to act the part of narf;. {
ans IN this grave proceeding, we neyertbe. l
7ss feel panied by the tone, temper, and
plrlt OF their report. But regrets will not {
ns"er the demands of the present grave
no commanding occasion, and we there I
1re respond to them by presenting to the
louise the results of careful. deliberate :
no' as we hope, conscientio is investipa. U
on OF the case before Us. y
Messrs. Wilson and Woodbridge then
roceed to discuss the constitutional Ones.
on with regard to impeachment. etc. v
lowing by reference to legal authorities =
La' an impeachment cannot be supported
any act which falls short of an indicta-
. crime or mlsdemeanor. English pre- a
uents are referred to at length, and copj- n
Is extracts are made from the testimonv a.
the committee, in order to refute the
asonlng and conclusion of the majority d
hey conclude as follows: n
A great deal of the matter contained in b
e volume OF testimony reported to the
ouse is OF 20 value whatever. Much of II
Is mere hearsay, opinions of witnesses r
ID no little amount of it utterly irrelevant n
case. Comparatively small amount
IL could be used on trial of this case g,
fore the Senate. All of the testimonv L! II
atlng to the failure to try, and admission -
pail OF, Jefferson Davis !; the assassina- -
n, OF President Lincoln the diary of J.
likes Booth his place of burial the =,
acuce of pardon brokerage, the alleged cd
of the President with JEFF ST.
son Davis, may be interesting to readers Oil
Is not OF the slightest importance, so far
o determination of this case is concerned da
H. much of this irrevelant matter has O.
ID interviewer into the report of the ma bu
1ty, and has served to heighten its color lif
l 70 deepen Its tone. Strike out the