Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-04-07
GFrom the New York Times (Republican).l
Gen. Grant and the Impeachmenr
of the President

The Tribune announced yesterday, in the
most conspicuous-styl its type could fur
nish, that General Grant had s'announced
it as his opinion that the only hope for the
peace of the country is the success Of the mend.
ing Impeachment trial." And that journal
adds:
"He feels that national security demands
the removal of the President. If the trial
should fail, the people can only expect
more assumptions of power, and a more
determined resistance to law. When the
General of our armies entertdins this conuic-
tion there is no room for doubt as to the du
of the Senate. The loyal nation demands the
Presidents renlOuGl.'
This strikes us as in every respect very
extraordinary paragraph. Its object on
the face OF 1T is to overawe the Senate, sit
ting as Court OF Impeachment, and to CO.
cree that body into convicting and reno
wing the President, whatever NAV be the
opinion of its individual members on the
question of his guilt. The '.opinion" of
the General of the Armies,-professing to
be "announced" on his authority, is bran
dished over the Senate, and is declared to
be decisive as to what the action of that
body should be. When did the voice of
"the General of our Armies" become thus
potential? When did the Tribune first be-
gin to accept Gen. Grants declaration of
opinion, on this subject as equivalent to
the voice of the nation, and as closing the
door to all doubt and debate as to the duty
of the Senate.
Gen. Grant may possibly have expressed
his personal opinion, in private converse
tion. to the effect described. Like every
other citizen of the United States. he has a
right to form opinions on this subject as on
every other-and, inasmuch as Congress
has not yet passed any law for the trial and
execution of Justice Field. of the Supreme
Court, we believe it is still lawful for every
citizen to talk very much as he pleases at
his own dinner-table. But that Gen. Grant
has directed or authorized any such IAN
nouncement" of his opinion concerning
the impeachment OF the President, as the
Tribune pretends to make on his behalf, we
do not for one moment believe.
Such declaration, put forward as the
opinion of Gen. Grant in his military ca
pacity-as the opinion of the General o
our armies" with the direct and avOwed
purpose of debating the verdict OF the SEN
ate, (and this is the form in which the
Tribune gives it), would be equivalent to
the issue of a military order. Gen. Grant
might as well march his troops to the dool
OF the Senate at once, and order them tC
convict and "remove'' the President, as tC
make use indirectly of his military power
for the accomplishment OF the same object
Gen. Grant is not in the habit of resorting
to indirect ways and measures fo
the accomplishment of purposes which
he has made up his mind t.
achieve. He is a subordinate off
Ger of the President, in his military Ca
pacity, and is not at all likely to tax,
any step, or to sannounce" any opinion
tending to the violent removal of his supe
rior. He is a man of good sense, of &C
knowledged resi- pect and regard for law anC
order, seeking no usurped authority ant
never travelling beyond the line of his owl
duties. And, therefore, we do not believ
that the Tribune's FORMAL and pretentiou
pronunciamento on his behalf wa
was made on his authority, or will
his knowledge and consent. If it ha
even the shadow of foundation in truth, i
| is probably the repetition, by some super
serviceble and INSCRIPTIONS eavesdfoppel
of some chance remark which Gen. Gran
may have made in private conversation.
The Senate in this trial have very plail
| duty to perform. They are to judge act
| ing under oath, whether the President ha
upon him in the articles of impeachment
and whether, if he has, those acts consti
| tute "high crimes and misdemeanors" TO
which they may rightfully remove hir
| from office. 1t is quite possible they ma
err in their judgment on those points,
| and that they may be swayed in their veI
diet by the belief that the public welfar
will be promoted by the Presidents removs
! from office. But it betrays a prematur
distrust OF the verdict of the Senate,
| brandish over their heads the ''opin
| ion" of the General of the Armies; and W
are confident that nothing but very gros
over-estimate of the Senate's readiness
obey such behests, could have prompte
the Tribune to resort to this menac,
at this early stage OF the Impeachmer
Trial