The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-03-17
TFor the Spirit.l

ing the Jury. -
The love Of fair play is Inherent ia thA
masses of the American people. They
regard intrigue as little better than infs-
my. And there is perhaps no feature Of
politics which has contributed more to
bring it into disrepute than The fact that
it affords such ample facilities for the
success Of chicanery. The best men and
the best measures frequently fail through
the superior cunning and duplicity Of
their opponents. Butsamong the masses
even those who favor the ends thus ac-
complished look upon them With .distrust
if accomplished by unfair means.
The history Of detestable duplicity
and low cunning can furnish no more sig-
nal alsexample Of the power and perfection
they have attained than is found in tho
Impeachment Of President johnson,
The Radicals wanted the Presidency.
They were unwilling to wait for 40 elec-
ton, and were perhaps 4 little sceptical
as to the result. True they have robbed
the Executive Of all hispowers. but they
wanted President who would willingly
unite his strength with theirs in oyer-
throwing the remains Of the Constitutions,
They had neutralized johnson, but they
could make President very useful if he
were one Of their partisans. .ss az
Twice before resolutions Of impeach-
ment we're introduced, but by a careful
calculation it was ascertained that more
votes and plunder would be lost than
gained by their passage, and they we're
incontinently squelched. io So -s
Now opened FINE field for the display
Of dexterity in political legerdemain and
adroitness in duplicity. To cheat the
people out Of President, and make those
deluded people think a great service had
been done them, was an achievement re-.
lquiringi genius. But great natural Co
pacity for sneaking stratagems superad-
ded to years Of experience was equal to
the task.
| An unconstitutional law was passed
pretending to take from the President bis
appointing power. he was shared. He.
must violate the Constitution and his
oath Of Office, or violate the pretended
law. They watched and chuckled. He
attempted to bring the case before the
Supreme Court by removing On insoIent
subordinate Thissame subordinate, Nj.
Stanton, had advised the President to veto
the law en- the ground of its unconstitu-
ltionality...
/ A long, loud howl was raised that the
President had violated law Of Congress.
Every artifce was employed to give fctis
ltious importance to the affair. The inge-
nious contrisers of the scheme trieked
the Senate into passing resolution de-.
claring that the removal was urauthor-
lied aud in violation Of law.
Rascality was triumphant. The Senate
which was.to try the President had been
trapped into squarely committing itself
for conviction. Nothing seemed now
necessary but to hurry through . few, Of
the prescribed forms. - soso
The House rushed articles Of impsach,
ment through by applying the party lash
to Radical members and the gag to their
opponents. The necessary delay in the
Senate is not allowedso pass unimproyed.
| By party vote Ben Wade is permitted
! to be sworn as oneEof the jury. The fact
that he is to step into the vacant Presi--
dency is no objection. The fact that a.
bribe Of twenty-fv thousand dollars d
year awaits his vote for conviction don't
disqualify him in the least sxE
! Radical Legislatures and Radical Con-
yentions instruct their jurors to vote for
conviction. Radical newspapers and or
ators threaten with political Eamnation
any jurorswho dare be influenced BY any
other motive than the necessities of the
Radical party. stissI & ,i..,ss
/ But with every Radical Senator pledg-
ed in advance, with every appliance of
party discipline in furious activity; with
a regularly concocted riot of aoitside
pressure the schemers are fearful Of the
result. More Radical Senator'S are wan
ted. The people sof Alabama sdefeated
| the proposed Negro Constitution BY If
teen thousand votes, but Congress. has de.
termined to declare the Constitution
adopted in order to oget two more votes
for impeachment Party necessity is fonnd
to be ten times more powerful than was
military necessity 10. overriding laws and
Justice and Constitutions. {, sasaasss s
Butitrequires courage as we'll as turs
pitude to perpetrate an enormous iniaui-
| ty, and for this reason alone it is not lab.
solutely certain that txa-t thirds will sote
to make Presidentfor the peoplesof one
of their own number. At any Fate We
may still hope that they viii not follow
their Alabama precedent, and dsolara she
President impeaohed in defiance Of 4 lack