Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-05-01
Argument of John A. Logan.

i1iSu SOuJ OF lmpedculucAt, AAOo LIP "a
gument, as one of the Impeachment Man
ayers, against the President. 1t is a very
lengthy and able document. We make
the following extracts:
We are here to show that President
Johnson, the man whom the country once
honored, is untitled for his place. We are
here to show that he usurped the power OF
his position and willfully violated the law,
but has maliciously commanded its IN
fringement. We are here to show that he
has deliberately done those things which
he ought not to have done, and that he has
criminally left undone those things which
he ought to have done. eaI-A
He has betrayed his countrymen, that
he might perpetuate his power, and mas
sacrificed their interests, that he might
swell his authority. He has made the
good of the people subordinate to his am
bition, and the harmony of the community
second to his desires He has stood in the
way which would have led the dismen-
bered States back to prosperity and peace,
and has instigated them to the path which
led to discord and to strife. He has OBJ
structed acts which were intended to heal,
and has counselled the course which was
intended to separate. The differences
which he might have recOnciled by his
voice, he has stimulated by his example.
The questions which might have been
amicably settled by his acquiescence, have
been aggravated by his insolence; and in
all those instances whereof in our articles
we complain, he has made his preroga-
tives burden to the commonwealth, in
stead of blessing to his constituents.
nd Is OH h0f n
course he has been shameless and guilty,
but that his private conduct has been in
cendiary and malignant 1t is not only
that he has notoriously broken the law,
but that he has criminally scoffed at the
trainers of the law BY public harangue
and by political arts he has sought to cast
odium upon Congress and to insure credit
for himself; and thus, in government
where equal respect and dignity should be
observed in. reference to the power and
authority conferred upon each of its sew
eral departments, he has attempted tosub-
rogate to himself the irrespective
Jurisdictions 1t is for these things, Sena-
tors, that o-day he stands impeached; and
it is because of these that the people bid
US prosecute. That we regret it, | have
said that they regret it, I repeat; and
though it tears away the beautiful belief
with which, like a drapery, they had in
vested the altar, yet they feel that the
time has come when they must expose
and expel the sacrilegious priest, in order
to protect and preserve the purity of the
temple. ORG 9heTt lEa sHs aia7#a' AiH
| believe it is a rule, both in law and
morals, that every man is presumed to in
tend the natural and probable conse-
quences of his own act. A good motive
never accompanies a bad act, nor bad
act a good motive: In the case at bar are
Jwelto be told that this violation Of law
carries with it no bad motive? That the
law was broken merely to test its strength?
Is a man to be permitted to break a law
under the pretence of testing its constitu-
tionality? Are the opinions of a man
against the soundness of law, to shield
him from punishment for the violation of
said law? If so, the opinion Of the crimi-
nal becomes the rule by which you are to
try him, instead of by the law which he
has broken. If this doctrine be estab-
lished, every traitor in the land will find a
complete justification for his many crimes
against the. Government of the United
States, in this, that he believed that seces-
sion was no violation of the Constitution
Doubtless every robber and murderer has
some reason by which he justities himself,
in his own mind, for the commission of his
crimes But is that justification or ex-
cuse in law? Had Booth (the assassin)
been captured alive, doubtless on his trial
he would have said that he thought he was
doing no wrong in numbering the Presi-
dent could he thereby have advanced the
interests of his friends in the South, and
would have also stated, no doubt, that
he was advised by his friends to commit
the act. And the accused claims the same
as an excuse for his conduct. He claims
that he was advised by his ministers at the
heads of the different branches of the EX-
ecutive Department But, sir, in neither
case can such an excuse be considered as
in the least manner forming any justifica-
ton or excuse in law. This plea,s answer
or excuse pleaded, if believed by the Presi-
dent and his learned counsel as being any
excuse whatever for his violation of the
law, we may here get some clue to the hes
itancy in the trial Of Jefferson Davis, the
great criminal of the rebellion Gnasmuch
as he certainly believed he was doing no
wrong in breaking the law, and his Opin-
ion was that he was maintaining a great
principle.) As the counsel, or a part of
them, who now defend the President on this
principle, must prosecute jeff. Davis
against this principle, it would seem that,
by adopting this theory, they will succeed
in releasing both instead of convicting
either ;f..,c. s,f+ 1Fl E.,a agJ a.d
Sirs, adopt this new theory, and you
thereby unhinge the law, open wide the
prison gates, and give safe conduct to
everv, criminal in the land no matter how
high or low his position, or how grave OF
small his offenses. ,.o-, eaFgg Elra
The respondent admits the fact upon
which the first charge rests, but denies that
they constitute an ofense for which he is
answerable to this Senate, sitting as a
Court of impeachment. This denial in
wolves two inquiries: A] '2'''
1. Had the President the power to re-
move the Secretary of War under the cir
cumstances, by virtue of the Constitution
and the laws as they stood prior to the
passage of the Tenure-of- Office act?
2. Had he the right to remove that otfi-
Ger under the Tenure-of- Office act? 71i.
1t must be conceded that negative an.
swer to either Of these propositions is
equivalent to verdict of guilty. The re-
spondent has stated his defense upon the.
highest possible grounds, and it is OF the
first Importance that his reasons be put to
the severest test, for they underlie the
whole. network of our admirable system of
government. The question, here involved
was crowded into the smallest compass by
the respondents distinguished premier, on
a memorable occasion, when he put to q
gaping multitude, heated by the int1amma-
tory speech Of this respondent, this cues
a. Il ~,