New-York tribune., 1868-04-25


official journal shall develop their text. Let us
watch and wait, hopeful for the best, but pre-
pared for the reverse.
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THE AWFULNESS or IhPEACHlfENT>
1t has been somewhat the fashion, both with
the friends of impeachment and with its ene-
mics, to speak of it in tones of awe, as very
solemn and dreadful proceeding that is to
make an epoch in the history of civilization.
The World sparing no pains to make the
Managers look contemplate by the side OF
their deeds, compared the trial of Mr.. johnson
with the trial of Charles l. of England, and
painted the august parsonage standing at bay
amid herd of vulgar clowns. If the parallel
were only just ! The trial and execution OF
King Charles mark the epoch of popular
ascsndancy. Were the present case parallel
with that, all good Democrats would find
cause for cOngratulatiOn not, even then, for
fear, certainly not for adherence. But the
cases are not equal or similar in any single
respect. King Charles was person born to
royalty. He was never anything less than
prince. He held his throne not by the will or
the favor Of the people, but by hereditary
right To take up arms against him was
lege. Resistance to his authority was
revolutionary act, importing resistance
to the Government and suggesting at
least a complete reversal of the seat of power.
Nothing of all this obtains in the case of our
impeachment. Andrew johnson is an ordinary
man, born into low estate reared TO hardship,
dependent on his labor for support. Such
power as he represents fell to him by acci-
dent; in his own right he possesses no author
ty whatever. He is not the Government, but
a simple functionary in its administration.
What terrible thing is involved in his dis
missalg What revolution, or approach to
revolution, is threatenedG What change in
the balance or the disposition of power is
implied9 The execution of King Charles was
to some extent judgment on royalty; but
the Presidency in America will remain pre-
cisely as it was before when Mr.. JOhnsOn's
official head shall be severed from its titular
trunk. In England, the servants rose against
their master, fought him, defeated him,
captured him, tried him, convicted
In America, the master calls his unfaithful
steward to account and takes from him the
stewardship, harming no hair of his head, not
cOnfining him a single hour, imposing not so
much as a fine, never suggesting even bread
and water, but dismissng him to private life
to get his living as he can by the exercise of
his talents. Instead of mounting a scaffOld, he
will probably mount lawyers chair; instead
of a rabble shouting "TTaitorm he will hear
"the incorruptible" murmuring'" Martyrw A
soft pillow will receive his head, instead of
the horrid box of sawdust. The spectacle lacks
both ghastiness and grandeur We laugh at
the idea of popular uprOar menaced in case of
his conviction There is nothing to disturb for
a moment the equanimity of the people. There
can be no pretext for convulsiOn. The ship
that moved so steadily over the tremendous
mGlstrom that sucked down Abraham Lincoln
will not feel for an instant the foolish eddy
caused by Andrew JohnsOn's displacement from
the White House.
Equally wild seems to us the apprehension
that we are establishing an awful precedent in
removing Mr.. Johnson-in fact, are preparing
the way for an uninterrupted series Of State
trials that viii make the tenure of Presiden-
tial office dependent on party whim. Have
the people of England followed up the eXecu-
tion of Charles |. with course of Royal be-
headings? Once was enough to establish the
principle There have been bad kings since
Charles-kings, worse, in some respects, than
he was Did either of the four Georges wear
his head insecurely7 Will the royal Albert
when he "cOmes to his own" be in danger of
losing his. head from anything sharper than
champagneY Having reduced royalty toa
pageant, the English are under no necessity for
decapitating it; they are content to shrug their
own shoulders, and wag their own heads, leav-
ing its head and shoulders as nature placed
them No king of England will ever again be
beheaded. None but a, mad king will ever bc
dethroued. So let Presidents be satisfied with
doing their duty, and the people will be glad
to give them honor for doing it, Such an ex-
ample as we hope to witness now, in the con-
viction of Mr., johnson, will do more than any
thing else could, to make Presidents content
to serve the people during their tine
We should like to ask, just by way of inforr
nation for the public, if it is true that when