The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-03-06
HlNGs IN wAsH1N GToN.
THE IMPEA CHMENT.

THE IMPEA ACHMENT.
DEMOCRATIC PROTEST AGAINST THE ARBITRARY
RULE OF THE RADICAL MAJORITY IN CONGRESS.
The annexed is the protest OF the Demo
cratic members of the House of Representa-
tives, offered on Monday last, after the articles
of impeachment had been gone through with
in, that body, but which the House refused to
receive, or even allow to be printed:
The undersigned, members Of the Fortieth
Congress Of the United States, representing
directly, or in principle, more than one-half OF
the whole people of the United States, do
hereby, in the name of law and order, and in
behalf Of tn )se they represent, most solemnly
protest against the tyranny and injustice prac-
ticed by the majority of the House in violating
Ehe sacred right OF free debate and uncon-
strained deliberation upon the greatest ques-
tions ever brought before an American Con-
| gress.
The rules of the House, made for the pro-
| tection of minorities, and ''by strict adher-
ence to which the weaker party can only be
protected from those Irregularities and abuses
which the wantonness Of power is but two
often apt to suggest to large and successful
majorities, have been, during this entire Con-
gress, in violation of their true spirit and in
tent, wantonly and unprecedentedly suspended
and set aside, not upon particular and press
ing matter, but upon all pending subjects of
legislation, SO that by the reckless and arbi-
trary suspension of tho rules, and the wanton
abuse OF the previous question, the rights Of
the minority have been utterly disregarded,
the House of Representatives has ceased to be
a deliberative body, and the minority have been
compelled to vote upon the most important
questions without any proper or reasonable
time for debate or consideration To such an
extent has this dangerous and oppressive prac-
tice obtained that measures affecting vitally
the whole country and the direct interests of
our constituents, tending, as We believe, to the
subyersion of our republican form Of govern
ment, in their very nature demanding Of the
peoples representatives the most careful exam
nation and scrutiny, have been hurried
through the forms OF legislation without being
printed, without one word Of debate, or one
moments consideration; without, indeed, tile
opportunity Of the undersigned to protest, ex-
cept in violation of the then operating rule en-
forced by the majority as the 'order OF the
House."
These alarming abuses of power might not
seem to demand this formal protest If we were
not forced to the belief that determination
exists with the majority to revolutionize this
government by destroying the other co-ord-
nate branches and vesting all the power of the
government in Congress. In the stops taking
to depose the President of the United States
we are admonished that there is no end to their
oppressive measures to cripple the power and
silence the voice Of tho minority.
under the operation Of the previous question,
referring the matter to the Committee on Re-
construction; the committee, in hot haste
sitting when the House was in session, in
violation of one of it's express rules, consider
ed and by strict party vote adopted and pre-
sented it again to the House for its action
And then was exhibited one Of the most extra
ordinary spectaces ever witnessed in n delibe-
rative parliamentary body Members were
allowed somo thirty, some twenty, some ten,
some five, some one minute only 10 discuss
the most momentUus questions ever pro-
sented in Congress- Many could not get even
one minute under the arbitrary rule OF the ma
jority., And more than half of those even OF
The party voting to enforce the previous ques-
ton, who desired to be heard, were permitted
speeches only in the 'Globe," after the question
upon the resolution was decided, and which
were never delivered in the House. No COM
ment can demonstrate more completely than
The facts themselves the viciousness and ille
gality of such proceedings. But this wanton
and excessive usn of tho Powor OF the majority
does not stop here. While the committee were
in session upon tho further proceedings TO re-
move the President, and i'll anticipation of its
action, under the operation of the previous
question, without debate, in violation ofan ex-
press rule, new, special and most exLraordina-
nv rules for the conduct OF this proceeding,
changing, without previous notice, the stand
ing rules of the House, were adopted to further
limit debate and more completely to place the
minority In the power and atthc mercy OF tho
majority.
warning UPON the other coordinate depart
ments-the executive and judcial-endeayor-
ing to subjugate and bring them both under
will and control Of Congress- the minority of
the House Of Representatives are steadily and
surely being stripped of all power, and their
constituents deprived of all proper represent
tative voice in the councils Of tho republic.
We do, therefore, most solemnly protest
against the indecorous and undlgniiied haste
with which the majority Of tho House inaugur-
ated, presented and rushed through, by n
stnct party vote, in plain and palpablc viola
ton of one of the standing rules Of the House,
q resolution demanding the impeachment OF
tho Chief Magistrate of the people for alleged
high crimes and misdemeanors IN office, when
tho gravity Of tlfe charge and the character OF
the high officer against which the attack was
directed, and the unforeseen and tremendous
consequences which might result th :refrom to
the peace aud prosperity Of the people called
for The calmest and wisest judgment, the most
unprejudiced and impartial delboration on the
part OF those who had the proceedings IN
charge.
We do also most solemnly protest against
this thrice repeated attempt to. degrade and
break down one of the great coordinate
branches of tho government, through tho
spirit of party hatred and vengeance against
the person who, by tho constitution, is i'll the
riehtful und conscientious discharge OF Its
functions, thus consuming the precious time
which ought to be faithfully devoted TO earnest
efforts to relieve tho pressing wants OF the
people, restoration Of q torn and devastated
country to union aud good order, aud TO light
eping the burden OF taxation Which Is press
ing down the energies Of trade and commerce
to the point of universal bankruptcy and rum.
We do again most solemnly protest against,
and profoundly deprecate and dcploro, any anu
all attempts to array in hostile antagonlsm 10
each other any of the departments OF the gov
crnmcnt upon the mere question Ut tho consul
tutionality or construction of law VI Coll-
gress, the proper jurisdiction and final adJuul-
cation Of which belongs exclusively 10 tlie Ju-
dicial tribunals; and VIC hereby warn the pco-
nle of the United States that the public lib
erty and the existence of free institutions are
involved, and that they are in immlnont uan-
Ger of utter overthrow in this suicidal struggle.
We do further most solemnly protest against
that wild and radical spirit of innovation upon
the early and we'll settled practice OF the gov
crnment-a practice established by the men
who framed the constitution, and who best un-
derstood it's spirit and meaning-whlch puts
tho Chief Magistrate OF the Republic, the re-
nresentatiye of the dignity and power OF the
rpeople. OF the mercy OF one OF his own subor..l-
mates. assuming to be Secretary OF War III
violation of his own pronounced conviction OF
tho law. who has the unblushinG etfrontery to
nlace himself in tho unwarrantablc position OF
communicating directly with Congress, i'll utter
contempt OF the authority ct his superior, anu
with the deliberate purpose OF resisting his au-
thority.