Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-05-13
Manager Bingham Argument.

Mr.. Bingham occupied Monday, TuesdaT,
and nearly all Of Wednesday with his cm-
Guiding argument in the impeachment trIA
1t in many parts more declamatory
than argumentative. and in some portions
rather political than legal. As an argument
in support Of the articles Of impeachment
it fell considerably below Gen Buffers, but
as a specimen of oratory, to be Judged rather
by those who heard, than by those who read
it, it is much praised by Republican writers
at Washington. We give below the con-
Guiding portion Of the address
Senators That great declaration of rights
records these words against this accuIsed
King Of England.
:. lie has end,ayored to subvert the lber-
ties of tie country IN this, that he has sus
p nded ard diep need with the execution OF
tie laws in this, that he has issued commits
siUns under tie great seal, contrary to tie
laws in this, that he las levied money for
the use OF the Crown contrary to law in
this. that he has caused cases to be tried in
the Kings Bench. which are cognisable only
in the Parliament
ask the Senate TO notice that these
charges against James arc substantially the
charges presented against this accurs, d llesi-
dent and conit seed here by the record-tiat
he has suspended the laws and dispensed
with the execution of the laws. and in ol del
to do it has usuIpod authority as Executive
of the nation, declaring himself entitled
der Il e Constitution to suspend the laws and
to dispense with th,ir execution. He has
further, like james, attempted TO control the
appropriated money OF the people, contrary
to law and lie las further, like james
though this is not alleged against him IN the
articles OF Impeachment, it is confessed in
hls al swer-att mpted T. cause II e question
OF his possibility to the people to be tried
not in the Kings Bench but in the Supreme
/ Court. while II is alone triahle and alone
/ cognizable in the s. nate of the United States.
Surely, Senators. if those usurp tions and
/ those endeavors on the part of James thus to
subvert the liberties OF the people of Eng
/ land were sufficient to discrown him, the like
oiiense Of Andrew johnson ought to cost him
his Office and to subject him to that perpetu-
al disability pronounced by the people
through the Constitution upon him for his
| crimes and misdcmeanors. Senators, You
viii pardon me, but | viii detain you only Il
few minutes longer, for asking your atten-
ton to another view Of the question between
the people and the Executive. | use the
words of England's brilliant historian when
! say " Had not the legislative power of
England triumphed over the usurpations OF
james, with what crash, felt and heard to
the turthest ends of the world, would the
whole vast fabric of society have fallen :
May God forbid that future historian shall
record of these days proceedings, that by
reason of the failure of the legislative power
of the people to triumph over the usurpations
of an apostate President, through detection
in the Senate of the United States, the great
fabric of American empire fell and peTished
from the earth That great revolution OF
1858 in England WAS bat a foreru nner OF
your Constitution. The declaration of rights
to which have referred but reasserted the
ancient Constitution of England, not found
in any written instrument but scattered
through statutes of four centuries. The
great principles, thus asserted by the decla-
ration of rights in 1868, was that no law
shall he passed without the consent of the
representatives of the nation. No tax sha il
be laid no regular soldiery shall be kept up ;
no citizen shall be deprived of single day
Of his liberty by the arbitrary will of the
sovereign no officer shall plead the royal
mandate in justification of violation of any
legal right of the humblest citizen. 1t for
ever swept away the assumption that the
Executive prerogative was above the funda-
mental law Those were the principles.
Senators, involved that day in the controversy
between the people and their recusant Sow
ereign. They arc precisely the principles
this day involved in this controversy between
the people and their recusant President And
without revolution, like the great Parlia-
ment of 1858, YOU are asked to reassert
the principles Of the Constitution of the
country, not be searched for through stat
utes of centuries. but to be found in that
great, sacred, written instrument given to us
by the fathers of the Republic. The Con
stitution Of the United States, as have said :,
embodies all that is valuable in the English
declaration Of rights, in the English Consti-
tuition and laws. It was ordained by the
people among the convulsions and agonies
Of nations. By its express provisions, all
men within its jurisdiction are equal before
the law, and are equally entitled to those
rights of persons which are as universal as
the material structure of men. and are
equally liable to answer to the tribunal for
every injury done either to the citizens or to
the state. 1t is that spirit of justice, OF lib