Buchanan County bulletin and guardian., 1868-08-07
From the Chicago Republican, 2Sth uit.
WHAT CONGRESS HAS DONE.

From the Chicago Republican, 2Sth ulf.
WHAT CONGRESS HAS DONE.
Yesterday noon Senate and House al
j0urned BY concurrent resolution, passe'
some days ago, until September 2lst, thu
taking q recess instead Of putting an end .t
the regular session. Thi. action has beer
caused by the dangers Of the crisis through
which the country is feeling its way, and tbs
prevailing distrust which IS entertained o.
the Presidents motives and conduct
Under similar spprehensions, Congress
re.assembled in extraordir airy session, Nsy
2lst, 1867. The judiciary Committee had
been empowered to make searching and
exhaustive investigation iuto the official do
ings Of Andrew johnson, with the primary
view Of learning whether be had been guilty
Of offenscs that would make bis iInpeach,
men, duty. Accordingly. November 25,
a, majority and two minority reports, the
former accompanied BY bulky volume Of
testimony, were presented to the House.
The consideration Of Tue question fingered
for some days with changeful prospects, but
soon it became manifest that the body wss
not prepared to take 80 important and deci.
sve step as to bring the President to trial on
charges Of high crimes and misdemeanors.
Consequently public expectation but no,
wish was met, December 7th, BY defeat ol
the proposition to irnpeach, by vote Of los
nays to 81 ayes. This action sppeared and
was everywhere accepted as fuslisy.
Meanwhile . provoking cause vas as
work, going out into results that created uni>
versal surprise and alarm. Under the pro-
visions Of the Of6ce>Tsnure Act, the Exec.
utive had suspended Secretary Stanton dur
ing the recess Of Congress. The Senate had
the reasons for this suspension under con,
sideration, ard finally, Jan. 18th, refused its
assent TO the displacement, and restored the
officer to his splace and duties. In many
ways, Andrew johnson refused to accept
that reinstatement among others, by de-
barring him from cabinet consultations, and
BY ignoring his official charse,s in military
orders, which were communicated directly
10 zen. Grant, coLirary to usage and Law.
This conduct revived the talk about impeach-
mens, and led Tha3deus Stevens to intro>
duce Q resolution, February 10, which vas
adopted, turning over To the Just revived
Committee on Reconstruction. the whole Of
the volnminous testimony accumulated by
the protracted investigation of the Judiciary
Committee. Soon after, or Feb. 2lst, the
President took very bold and decided step,
which electrified the country with excite
ment being nothing less than lhe perempto.
~ removal Of Stanton BY autograph order,
and the appointment 70 she place thus in
tended to be made vacant, Adjatant General
Thomas, as an ad interim Secretary Of the
War Office. The new appointee made .
formal demand for immediate possession,
but received . point>blank refusal. Next
day, this demand was renewed, and sgain
refused, II was understood that force would
be employed to enforce the exaction, and
Thomas was arrested and held to bail. A
telling Of alarm seized the whole country.
The vsydest fumors prevailed. The Mary>
land militia offered their services to to exe>
cute the Presidents decree Of removal. Ex-
element ran riot in every quarter Of the
Union. A revolution seemed to be impend.
ing. and this opinion vas entertained by
many of the coolest and most discriminating
minds in Washington and elsewhere. A
universal crv went up for impeachment. On
February "a. resolution TO that effect car
ried in the House by heavy majority. On
March I'd, articles of impeachment we're Se>
and Immediately adopted By very deter
mined vote, together With number of in,
peachment Managers. the senate being, q
the same time, engaged IN frsming rules O
procedure for the forthcoming trial. Mex
day new articles were added to Ease ALREADY
sanctioned. and, on March 4th, the Hous'
proceeded in body to the Senate chaaass'
to notify that branch officially Of the actor
| which had been taken. The morning after
ward. the Court of Impeachment began Il
organize BY swearing the Chief Justice snt
the Senators present. This proceeding wa
completed on the 9th, and on the 9Th ,h'
sersice ofthe impeachment summons upor
the accused took place. The trial openet
March l3, Andrew johnson being represent
| ei by counsel, vko asked forty days !,
| which to prepare their defense, but obtained
only ten. On March 23, further delay o
thirty da-s, vas petitioned for By the Preei
dents lawyers. The question was not de
| cided until next day, when the Managers OF
the part Of the House 6led their replication
| to the answer Of the accused. The trial Va
then ordered to proceed on March 30. Hhel
that day arrived, The case vas opened b
Manager Butler. and the trial began in earn
est. For time, no sane man doubted tn
conviction Of the President, nor vas K unti
| late in April that different expectation he
gan to be entertained. Even then, outsid
Of certain unscrupulous lobby ring, it va
manifested more By mysterious hints m,
speculations which reached the countr
| through the Telegraph, or fom nevspaPe
correspondents. On May l2th, hoveveE
these feelings Of doubt were reinforced An,
took distinct form from the test vote. vhicl
showed that the first article ct least voul'
not be naintainsd. In edition, the veal
points Of the Senate we're disclosed. Thi
| discovery led to numerous meetings OF citi
xens in their States represented BY doubtful
| Senators. Resolutions, kilograms, letters
appeals, threats, poured IN apon lhs0 con
tinually. The further consideration Of th
articles had been postponed until Saturday
| Nav Is. When . vote wAs taken; the elev
enth articls, considered the strongest Of al
was defeated BY one vote. seven Senators
whose previous declarations and of{icial con
duct had caused them to be relied on, unit
ins with the opponents II impeachment
| The vote Nas 5. once postponed until th,
26th. Forthwith there burst from the peo
! PIE such CRY Of indignation as has not hat
: parallel for intensity and universally sine
the organization Of the countyy. Thefeel
| ing was SO bitter for the moment thai tn
| traitor Senators would not have been sAf
from personal violence had they been amonl
their constituents. Even in Washington
their colleagues refused to associate witt
them, some going to the extent Of cou:radie
ling in the newspapers the reports uhicl
had found currency that the Secusants wer'
receiving their countenance and aid.
| On May 26, acquittal took place on th'
second aud third articles, and the furthe
consideration Of the case was inds6n;tsl
postponed. Particularly this was sufren
| der of impeachment. Stanton retired from
the War Office without expressly resigning
The Managers investigating Commisse
soon after attempted 70 gather the scattese,
threads Of evidence Of bribery and corrup
ton. While falling 10 bring guilt disectl
home 10 any Senator, they particularly re
| vcaled o conspiracy 10 secure The President
acquitts!, which has thrown grave suspicion
upon several high quarters, and which ha
left an impression upon the popular min
that the verdict Of the Senate wSs secure
BY fraud.
| Thus ended the most extraordinary tlis
Of history. Others Of IKE kind have occu
pied more protracsed period others hav
arlafgned the heads Of nations, and eve
consigned them 70 the scatfold; but nor
equaled lhis in the combined dignity OF Ii
culpsil's station and Ne entire consiisu.io,
al,y Of tAe proceeding. II consumed. froi