The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-02-29

fore the rulers of the earth for its failure to vnd
cate the nights OF the nation and the csizens Of tue
DstioD.
Confronted as we are this day by this state OF
things so threatening TO the national existence,
and SO destructive to all that Is held dear to pros
perity, where Is the patriotic man Of any political
organization who does not call upon Congress TO
sfernly do its whole duty and purge this capital of
the crimes which now defle the nation.
During the delivery Of MIR. washburne's speech
the hour Of ~ arrived, when the session OF Satur-
day terminated. and the regular legislative SEES
sion for Monday commenced.
Nr. Woodward obtained the floor, refusing to
yield few minutes time to Nj. Wsshburne TO
conclude his remarks because of the islanders
uttered by him against the president, and pro
ceeded to address the House against the impesch.
ment resolution. He argued that the resolution
|sof impeachment was mistake, and that any
impeachment Of the president on the idea that
secretary Stanton was within the protection Of
The tenure Of Office law was what Fouche, the
chief Of the old French police, wolld have called
sworse than q crime, blunder." Whatever
executive power the federal government pos
seSsed-was vested In the president, who was the
sole trustee of the people in that regard. Ia
The matter of appointment to Office and the
ire atty making functions, q check was imposed
upon the president. but even in this instance the
power exercised was the presidents; the concur.
renee Of the Senate was only a regulation for
the exercise Of the power. Il was a mere ad
visory discretion, and not an executive power.
he separateness and completenesssof this ex-
ecutive power In the hands of the president was
u doctrine essential to the harmony of this sys-
TEN Of government, and to the responsibility of
the president TO the people. IL Congress med
died with 1t, Congress became q trespasser, AMI
its act an impertinent nuty, and the president
was not to be impeached for disregsrding it.
He quoted extracts from a debate in the FIRST
Congress upon the executive department, aud
argued that that debate settled this question alb
soutey and demonstrated the utter unc0nst-
n
argued that by the very terms OF that very act
ITSELF Mr.. Stanton did not come within its scope.
lie quoted Senator Sherman and Messrs. Spad
ing and Bingham as taking that same view of
the law when ii was under consideration.
Mr.. johnson was q man of the Republican
paTty's own choosing, and he verify believed
that the president was trying to restore the
Union, 10 paciicate the country, and admnster
his high Office with faithful regard to the obi
cations of the Constitution and the best interests
Of the people. He seemed to him to be true
friend to the whole OF this country, a faithful
public officer, and entitled TO cabinet advisers
who were his friends and not his enemies. Con.
eress had far better Sustain such a man ia his
constitutional rights, aud address itself TO the
lief of the suffering country, than TO waste its
time and the peoples money In the impeachment
of faithful public servant on charges that are
both false and foolish.
At the risk of denuDcston he (Woodward) de-
MED the right of the Senate to try an inpeach-
ment. The House was lot composed, as the Con
siisution required, of members chosen by the
people of the several States, nor was the Senate
composed of members from each State.
IN conclusion, he said
Z" Mr.. Speaker, so sure am | that the American
people will respect this objection that il | were
The presidents counselor, would advise him, if
upon proper srticles OF impeachment, to dem1r
both 10 your jurisdiction and to that OF the SEN
aye and to issue a proclamation that, while he
held himself improbable for misdemeanOr in
Office before the constitutional tribunals, he
ever would subject the Office he holds ia trust
the people TO the unconstitutional frag
mentary bodies who propose to strip him of it,
such 8 proclamation, with the army aud navy in
hand 70 sustsin, would meet popular response
hat would make an end OF impeach ment and the
impeechers.'
Mr. Wilson, Of Iowa. chairman of the Judiciary
committee. ia support of the impeachment resO
utions, sad
"Mr. Speaker, the peace of the country is
sgsin disturbed by the president of the United
States. He denies torthe nation that reD0se which
il go much needs. He will not obey the law, and
by il he must be judged. | do not approach the
case under the spur of hate or the heat Of pas
sion. It's presence deplore, but its demands
Ril respect and obey. s representative, it Is
NY duty to zee that the laws of the republic are
rot dehed by criminal in office, If within the
terms OF the Constitution remedy may be
found. The presence of the criminal Is palpa-
BILE fact. The remedy is plain and undsputable.
aud from Che performance Of the duty will not
brink. An impeachment Of the president Of the
United States Is made inevitable by his own de-
ibeTate criminal conduct, as presented to US By
The case which now commands our attention. We
| cannot escape this conclusion If We would, for
Tie president would hedge Us about with new
acts Of greater enormty, if there be any logic in
his course Of procedure. which would at last con-
pei Us TO take up the gage that he has now ded
sntly cast at our feet.
Heretofore his challenges have not been, In my
Judgment in 6he form Of law, or stamped with the
character Of real crimes and misdemeanors, and
therefore have resisted resort to he extreme
remedy which the Constitution has placed in our
hands. Perhaps have been more cautious than
| most men would have been, but no regrets come
10 me on this account, for believe did my duty.
| TIE considerations which urged upon my mind
and moulded my conduct in the case with which
| the committee the judiciary OF this house was
charged are not to be found in tbe-present case
The logic in the former cases is made plain, not
TO say perfect by its sequence in the present one.
| The president was working to an end, suspected
| by others, known to himself. His then meaas
| we're not known to the law as crimes and misds-
meanors, either by the common law or by statute,
and we so pronounced He mistOOk our judgment
| for cowardice, and worked on until he has pre-
| serted TO us, as q sequence, high misiemeanor
| known to the law and defined by statute. II we
| permit this to pass unchalenged by that high
power with which the Constitution has clothed US,
| 90 man can measure the future troubles Of this
republic.
For one, am not willing to wait for an ascer.
tainment OF the unknown quantities Of future pres
| ideptial crimes and misdemeanors. We have be
fore US the elements and the quantities ascert4ined
aud am in favor of wiping it from the executive
| black board by an impeachment of the criminal
| who placed il there. Its presence is a source oil
regret to me- and il must be of modification TO the
people of this republic; bat / will face it, aud
hey will meet it, By asserting the subordnation
of the president to the law of the land. He is moi
| a maker of the law, OF judge thereof; and it il
enough fer him to know that the Constitution
ION Nch be is to preserve protect and defend
hat he shall take care that the laws shall be
- executed. What laws! Those which
I are passed IN pursuance OF the terms OF that Con
/ stitution which he is sworn to preserve, protect
i and defend. And how are these laws passed
/ By the two Houses of Congress, with the approval
| Of the presidents or in such case a. he does not
approve he shall return 1t, with his objections who
shsl enter The objections at large on their Journal
and prOceedt 10 reconsider it; aud II, after such re
consideration two thirds OF the house shall agree tc
/ pass the bill, il shall be sent. together with the
/ objection, o.the other house, by which il shi
| like wise be considered, aud if approved by two
thirds of tbsthouse. it shall become a Law. What
| kind of 3 law 2 ORe which the president shall
/ Jake care it bt faithfully executed. The C0nst-
Tuition does no. make him judge OF the law, bu
/ an executor thereof. and he is bound to execute
/ that which the aw-making power DEGREES to be the
| law OF the land. Whatever may be his opinion q