The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1868-04-17

/ "tti Gals Ii The c. Institution does not ex-
rrc.sI y grant tie power of removal, its
exercise for many years has made it, as it
we're, common law--ono sanctifed by
lug us.gc and custom. But Mr.. Butler
IS tun bly, exercised at the idea of a
! Presidents removing an official that he or
"is predecessor appointed. lie argues as
if the creator should become the creature
of his own creation. And here again the
counsel for the prosecution is most upfyr-
tunato in his quotations from past egis
lation, and 10 attempting to prove that
the accused has been guilty of "high
Grimes he really defcuds him. Refer
ring to the power of removal, he admits
that the First Congress, when it passed
the act creating the Office of Secretary Of
War, implied the pc Or Of removal
Did the Tenure Of Office bill repeal that
act fit did, was not the office Of Sec
rotary Of War also abolished ? We find
numerous quotations from legislation on
the power of removal, but rowhcre does
Mr. Butler show that any previous Con
gress questioned the right or power of
making such removals.
But perhaps the most astonishing por-
ton Of Mr.. Buffers speech is that i'll which
he denies that Mr. Johnson is President
in his own right We are told that he $
but serving out MI. Lincoln's uuexpircd
term, and that as Mr.. Stanton was APP.
pointed Secretary of War by the latter
his successor is bound by such appoint
ment, and cannot, therefore, take advan-
lage of that portion Of the Tenure of OF
fee bill which provides that the Cabinet
Of each President may b. Of his own Sc
lection. Mr.. Stanton is serving under
Mr.. Lincon's term of administration,
just as MIR. johnson is; it was viola
ton of the law to attempt his removal,
and consequently high crime and mis-
demeanor Mr.. Butler denies the right
of the President to question the constitu.
tionality of any law, so that, no matter
how glaringl y unconstitutional All ct of
Congress may be, it is the duty Of the
President to enforce it, although in doing
50 he violates his oath Of office. Turn
ing to the appointment of General Thorn
as as Secretary of War al Interim, the
counsel denouuces it as usurpation.-
The charge of conspiracy is enlarged upon
and has for its main foundation an allie.
cation that General Thomas said he in
tended to "klck" Mr.. Stanton out of
Office. The creation of the new military
department and tie promotion first of
General Sherman and afterwards of Gen.
George Ii. Thomas are all declared part
of plot to remove the barnacle of the
War Department and take possession. -
The charge Of conspiring with General
Emory is made the subject of long SEN
sation story, in which Mr.. Butler proves
to his own satisfaction that because the
President sent for Gen Emory and asked
him the questions he did at that particu.
lar time the purpose was to scduce that
officer into a disobedionce of the laws.
After discussing the various phases of
conspiracy at an almost intolerablc length
Mr.. Butler takes up his own charges that
the President, in his speeches, had en-
deavored to bring Congress into disre-
putc, and that by speaking as he had his
remarks tended to bring the Executive
office into contempt. Now, we would
ask, who commenced this vitureration
and denunciative specchmaking ? Did
not Mr.. Thaddeus Stevens, in the House
of Representatives, denounce Mr.. johnson
in fierce and bitter speech long before
that gentleman left Washington, on his
tour to Chicago During the canvass
last year radical Senators and Congress.
men delivered political harangues filled
with the most violent denunciations and
coarse abuse of the President. Even
Mr.. Colfax, the Speaker Of the House,
went SO far as to declare that Mr.. John
son would be hanged if he did thus aud
so. Were not all Of these things equally
as bad as anything that Mr. johnson ever
said or did MIR. Butler, in very mel,
odramic style, depicts the scenes at st.
Louis ard Cleveland, where the President
banded words with the mob, and shud.
ders with virtuous indignation at the
.'ungentlemanlike' position then ocou-
pied by the Chief Magistrate of the ma.
| tiun.
But Mr.. Butler entirely forgot to men,
ton another sceue which took place in the
City Hall Park Of New York, in which
he was an actor, and very prominent
one, too. He forgot to mention that he,
too banded words with mob, and was
so undignied as to describe the voters of
New York as pack of thieves and rob-
bers, and be would have continued, prob
ably, with other und;gnifed remarks had
not a partially rotten apple, thrown by a
behigercnt citizen, struck him on the
breast. Was his position then less rep.
rehcnsibe than that of Andrew johnson,
CITIZEN of Tennessee and President of
the United States
We have thus hastily reviewed the
opening of Mr.. Johnson's prosecutors. If
they have proved anything like "high
crimes and misdemean0rs' we have failed
to discover the proof. The speech has
not even the advantage of sophistry. Its
arguments are lame and beg Garly its
quotations are worthless aud can aid the
defence only /; its charges fail to the
ground from their own weakness. -
Throughout the long pages we have Pc
rused We find everything of the partisan