Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-01-02
IMPEACHMENT.

Another Bloody peal frsIa FenaeI
Phillips The President Must d,
DeE'Osod, asd the Southern state
Wiped Out-svilaf ff - all Expecieo
90 Accomplish.
From the Anti slavery STANDARD. Dee. -.
We touched last week on some considcra.
lions which show the value of an impcach-
ment Of The President even il there were
little hope of lis resulting IN a conviction
But there are two very pressing reasons
why every effort should be made to secure
a conviction. Every anti-slavery man re-
members what dead lock 20 al progress
the Supreme Court Jfthe United States has
been in times pasG It's Judge, appointed
by pro-slavery Executive, selected from
the most conservative class, holding their
Offices for life, and growing more and more
fossil each year OF advancing age, no effort
short Of revolution seemed able TO resist
their baneiul power.
To-day that same curt stands the same
immoyable obstacle in our path. II is un-
ders.ood that five Judges ont Of the nine
support the President. ID is stated that
they decided, a year ago, that the iron
clad oath" was unconstitutional, and all
the forlsql announcement Of the decision
One Of those Judges appointed by Lincoln,
has Joined the enemy. This state Of things
is IN almost insurmoBtable barrier TO some
measures which are indispensable 10 any
safe and permanent reconstruction. But
al men are mortal. Two OF these Judges
are very old, one other infrm in health.
10 is very probable that Mr.. johnson may,
within two years, have the appointment Of
two Judges, perhaps more OF course hIs
nominations are subject TO the Senate's
approval but we all know he may select
men Of fair repute bot welded to his policy,
whom il would be impossible 10 prevent
the Senate from confirming.
Such is ORE Of the dangers OF leaving a
Rebel az the head Of the government for
two years more. We may, and probably
shall, have the Supreme Court reinforced
with fresh, young blood, TO last another
quarter Of a century, and be always the re-
fnge Of abuses and the foe OF progress II
his crimes have given us sufficient grounds
20 remove Johns0n and avert this momentous
danger it is fool-hardy, it is madness, TO
leave the criminal untouched and run all
these risks.
There il yet another consideration urging
Us ~ the same direction The readiest,
quickest way 10 secure a reconstruction
seems to be this, for the first step at least I:
brush away these phantoms, the pretended
State governments, and set up territorial
governments in each Of the lately Rebel
States. This gives room 10 build, gets rid
Of al the lumber and cobwebs of State
rights and old laws. To-day North Caro-
Il
North Carolina laws, all Of which the re-
bellion annihiIated. To defend this atrocity
cunning Rebels talk Of North Carolina, and
confuse the people. There being no such
State as North Carolina, there can be, Of
course, no laws Of any such State. Who
ever undertook TO innict corporeal punish
ment by virtue Of any such laws, deserves,
whether he prctends 90 be Governor or
Judge the same summary, ignominious
punishment that any swindler suffers who
personaies a policeman and lcvies black
mail. If Congress remembers its own self
respect, or what 1t owes TO the nation, il
will end some way 10 reach the meddlcr
and punish the outrage or course the di-
rect and eiiectual way 10 prevent such Of
lenses is 20 sweep away all these military
committees and Rebel boards which call
themselves State governments and set up
proper territorial governments
There seems some evidence that Congress
intends 10 take this course. But suppose
the Radical members achieve this result,
what next2 Why, the nomination of all
territorial officers belongs 10 the President.
lie can so shape his nominations as 10 keep
those governments wholly subservient 70
his policy OF course he would not name
Wade Hampton or Mayor Munroe to Gov
ernship; he knows such men would never
be approved by the Senate. But he can
select from rebeldom North and South, men
more decent, but not lessdangerous-in
Tor that very reason of their good behavior,
more dangerous than the staggering braves
Of their Rarty-and thus, sure in time of
the Senates acquiesence, make territories
as supple tools as he has made his so-Called
States.
We see, therefore, that il is impossible to
make one step in the direction Of thorough
and permanent reconstruction while John
son remains in Office. We have the legal
right 10 remove him; the country indig.
nant and disgusted. demands it, the neces.
sity Of the situation requires it. Delay is
dangerous and may be fatal. Who dare'
20 trust such a man as Andrew johnson
with the power thus 10 baulk the plans Of
the conqueror-with the power beside so tC
complicate our domestic with angry foreign
questions as to postpone any settlement foi
a dozen years?
We regard this question Of impeachmeG;
ns being, in fact, the decision of the ques
ton whether the Republican party shall
succeed in the next Presidential election
There is very little chance Of its doing sC
unless il removes johnson out Of its path
Give him another two years, and IL will b,
almost a miracleif ever he or hisState Secre
tary are witless enough to allow themselve
to be defeated What their success mean
every one knows.