Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1868-03-26

President of the United States, un.
mindful Of the high duties of his office
and Of his oath of office, and in disre.
gard of the Constitution and laws of
the United States, did heretofore, to
wit, on the 18th day of August, 1866,
at the City of Washington and the
District OF Columbia, by public speech,
declare and affirm in substance that
the AXXlXth Congress of the United
States was not Congress of the Uni
ted States, authorized by the Consti-
tuition to exercise legislative power
under the same, but, on the contrary
was Congress Of only a part of the
States, thereby denying and intending
to deny that the legislation of said
Congress was valid or obligatory upon
him, the said Andrew johnson, except
in so far as he saw fit to approve the
same and, also, thereby denying and
intending TO deny the power of the
said &&XIXth Congress to propose
amendments to the Constitution Of
the United States and in pursuance
of said declaration, the said Andrew
johnson, President of the United
States, afterward, TO wit, on the 21st
day of February, 1868, at the City of
Washington, in the District of Colum-
bia, did unlawfully, and in disregard
of the quiremeDts of the Constitu-
tion that he should take care that the
laws be faithfully executed, attempt
to prevent the execution of an act
entitled "An net regulating the tenure
of certain civil Offices" passed March
2, 1867, by unlawfuIy devising and
contriving, and attempting to devise
and contrive, means by which he shall
prevent Edwin NJ. Stanton from forth
with resuming the functions of the
office of Secretary for the Department
OF War, Notwithstanding the refusal
Of the Senate TO concur in the suspen-
sion heretofore made by said Andrew
johnson, Of said Edwin NJ. Stanton,
from said office of Secretary for the
Department of War; and, also, by
further unlawfnlly devising and con-
irving, and attempting to devise and
contrive, means then and there to
prevent the execution of an act enti-
tied can act making appropriations
for the support of the army for the
fiscal year ending June 30, 1868" and
for other purposes, approved March,
2, 1867, and also TO prevent the exc.
cution of an act entitled "An act to
provide for the more efficient govern
ment of the Rebel States," passed
March ;, 1867 whereby the said An
drew Johnson, President of the Uni
ted States, did then, 20 wit, on the
2lst day of February, 1868, at the
City of Washington, commit and was
guilty of a high misdemeanor in office.
PROTEST OF THE MINORITY.
The following protest was sought
TO be presented by the minority, but
the liberaI-minded Mongrels refused
to have it read in the House:
The undersigned members of the
Fortieth Congress ofthe United States,
representing directly or in principle
more than one half of the whole peo
Pile of the United States, do hereby
in the name of law and justice, aud in
behalf of those they represent, most
solemnly protest against the tyranny
and injustice practised by the maiori-
ty OF the House, in violating the sa-
cred right of free debate and uncon-
strained deliberation upon the great
est question ever brought before an
American Congress the rules of the
House made for the protection of the
minority, and by strict adherence
to which the weaker party can only
be protected from those irregularities
and abuses which the wantonness of
power is but too often apt to suggest
TO large and successful majorities,
have been during this entire Congress
in violation of their true spirit and in
tent, wantonly and unprecedently sus-
pended and set aside not upon a
particular and pressing matter, but
upon pending subjects of legislation.
so that by this reckless and arbitrary
suspension of the rules and the wan
ton abuse of the previous question.
the rights of the minority have been
entirely disregardod, the House of Rep
Iesentatives have ceased to be a delib-
erative body, and the minority have
been compelled to vote upon the most
important questions without any prop
er or reasonable time for debate or
consideration. To such an extent has
this dangerous and oppressive practice
obtained, that measures affecting vi.
tally the whole country and the dear
est interests of our constituents, tend |
ing, as we believe, to the subversion
OF our Republican form OF government,
IN their very nature, demanding of
the people and representatives the
most careful examination and scruti-
ny; have been hurried through the
forms of Legislation without being
printed, without one word of debate
or one moments consideration with |
out, indeed, .he opportunity of the
undersigned to protest except in vio-
lating the then operating order, en-
forced by the majority, as the order
of the House. These alarming abuses
of power might not seem to demand /
the formal protest, if VIC were not
forced to the belief that a determined |
intention exists with the majority to |
revolutioniZe this government by de.
stroying the other coordinate branch |
es, and vesting all the powers Of the |
Government in Congress, in the steps
taken TO depose the President of the |
United States. We are admonished |
that there is no end to these oppres.
sive measures TO cripple the power
and silence the rnice of The n,innrit,.