Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-12-04

considerable degree given turn 10 the majority
report WEIGH they decline TO approve. In ap-
proaching their duty, they feel that the spirit of
the partisan should be laid aside, and that the in
terests of the republic, as they are measured by
It's Constitution aud laws should alone guide, aud
they most deeply regret that they cannot approve
the report Of the majority Of the committee.
Mcssrs. Wilson and Woodbridge then proceed to
discuss the constitutional question with regard TO
impeachment, &c, showing, by reference TO legal
authorities, that an impeachment cannot be sup
ported by an act which falls short of an indicahle
crime or misdemeanor. English precedents are
referred 20 at length, aud copious extracts are
made from the testimony Of the committee in or
der TO retute the reasoning and conclusion OF the
majority. They conclude as follows;
/ great deal of the matter contained in the
volumes Of testimony reported to the House, is Of
no value whatever. Much Of it is mere hearsay,
opinions OF witnesses, and no little amount OF il is
utterly irrelcyent TO the case. Comparatively a
small amount OF it could be used on a trial Of this
case before the Senate. All Of the testimony re-
latng 10 the failure 10 try, aud the admission to
bail Of Jefferson Davis the assassination Of Pres-
dent Lincoln, the diary of j Wilkes Booth, his
place oil burial, the practice of pardon brokerage,
the alleged correspondence of the President with
Jefferson Davis may be interesting 10 the reader,
but is not OF the slightest importance so far as
determination Of this case is concerned. Still,
much of this irrelevant matter has been interwov-
en- into the majority report, aud has served to
heighten its color and to deepen its tone. Strike
out the stage elfo " this irrelevent matter, and
the prominence given 10 the Tudors, the Stuarts
and Michael Burns, and much OF the play will dis
appear. Settle down upon the real evidences in
the case, which will establish, in view Of the at
tending circumstances, substantial crime by
making plain the elements which constitute it. and
the case in many respects dwaris into political
contest In approaching o conclusion we do not
fail to recognize the standpoints from which this
case may be reviewed the legal and the political.
Viewing it from the latter poin. the case is a
cess The President has disappointed the hopes
and expectations Of those who placed him in pow
err lac has betrayed their confidence aud joined
hands with their enemies he has proved false to
the express and implied conditions which underlie
his elevation 10 power, and, in view Of the case,
deserves the censure and condemnation of every
well disposed citizen Of the republic. While we
acqut him of mpeachablo crimes, we pronounce
him guilty of many wrongs his contest with Con-
gress has delayed reconstruction, and inflicted
vast injury upon the people in the rebel States
he has been blind to the necessities OF the times
and to the demands of a progressive civilization
enyeoped in the darkness of the past he seems
not to have detected the dawning brightness OF
the future; incapable Of approaching the grand
changes which the past six years have wrought,
he seeks 20 measure the great events which sur
round him by the rules which adjusted
public affairs before the rebellion and its leglt-
mate consequences which destroyed them and es-
tablished others. Judge him politically and con
demn him, but the day of political impeachment
would be sad one for the country Political un-
fitness and incapacity must be tried at the ballot
box, not in the high court of impeachment.
A contrary rule might leave to Congress but
little time for other business than the trial OF i'm
parchment But we are not now dealing with po-
litcal otlenses. Grimes and msdemeanors are
now demanding our attention. Do these within
the meaning of the constitution appear? Rest the
case upon political oifenses and we are prepared
to pronounce against the President, for such often
ses numerous and grave. If Mexican expert
encc is desired we need have difficulty, for there
almost every election is productive of revolution.
| II the people of this republic desire such result,
we have not yet been able to discover it
would favor il il its presence were manifest.
While condemn and censure the political CON
duct Of the President and judge him upwise in
the use OF his discretionary powers, and appeal to
the people Of the republic to sustain US, we still
affirm that the conclusion at which we have arrived
is correct We therefore declare that the case be-
fore us presented by the testimony, and measured
by the law, does not declare such high crimes and
misdemeanors within the meaning of the constitu-
ton as require " the nterposition of the constitu-
tional power of this House, and we recommend
the adoption Of the following resolution -
] Rssoiped, That the committee the judiciary
be discharged from the further consideration Of
the proposed impeachment of the President Of the
United States, and that the subject be laid upon
the table JAMES F Wilson,
FRED. +. WOODBRIDGE.
! IThe Democratic members of the committee
appro we'd the course of the President.
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