The Montana post., 1868-03-14
THE TWO COURTS.


In the present unpleasantness" " be-
tween the President and Congress there
are involved in its adjudication by the
High Court of Impeachment technical
questions of law but in its adjudication
by the people at higher court, tech
nicalities will be laid aside; the principles
involved will be at issue; the rulings
viii be in accordance with the spirit of
our government of the people, and the
decision viii be to place our Republic
one more remove beyond the reach OF
zone man power" If we admit that
+" Democracy" is what it assumes to be
and is immutably welded to its funda-
mental principles, we have the authority
of Webster that it is government by
the people, in which the supreme power
is lodged in the hands of the people"
and that o Democrat is lone who ad-,
heres to a government by the people, or
favors the extension of the right of suf-
frage to all classes of men," That is a
bitter pill for Democrats nowadays; but
Il is one of those " eternal principles !"
they prate Of We have Republican !"
defined as Zone who favors or prefers
"a government In which the exercise Of
the sovereign power is lodged in repre-
sentatives elected by the people" Dem
ocrats win not deny that we adhere to
this, and we will cheerfully let them
adhere. to their " eternal principles"
The only difference regarding the legis-
ting power consists in direct legislation
by the people or through chosen repre-
sentatives. The former being an impos-
sibility in a commonwealth of the mag
nitude and population of this, Democ-
racy resorts to the Republican method
of exercising its power, and is only in
advance of Republicanism in it's primary
declaration in favor of universal suffrage.
The power to make the laws governing
the country is lodged in the Legislature;
the authority and duty to see them faith
fully executed in the Executive, and the
determination of controversies under
those laws, in the Judiciary. If those
are not the functions of the several CO.
ordinate branches of government, the
American people misunderstood them
selves. Mr. Johnson has carried with
him from the halls of Congress the idea
thathe is still a slegislator, and in assum-
ing the prerogstives of Congress, and
failing to perform his own Legitimate
duties he has sinned in the sight of the
people. Let the country sustain Mr.
johnson, in this, and it is long, direct
stride backward toward the despotism
from which the western world wai
wrested by the patriots of oftherevolution
Permit him to retain the powers he hai
usurped, and in what save the tenure o
4 Office does he differ from the crowned
Eeads of Europe. Depend upon it, th'
people will decide this question for ,
peoples form of government. Ever!
grasp for ungranted power made by th'
President is a grasp for the sceptre of |
despot every right yielded by the repre-
sentatives of the people is surrendel
of our liberties and of our peoples form
of government. The House is the warn
impulse of the nation, responsive to 1T
every heartbeat; the Senate is its sobel
second thought. The one has spoker
aud demanded the spoiler shall be stay
ed in his devastations, the other viii
(" weigh the matter very well" Owe
their decision hangs that glorious uncer
tainty" which comes ofthe technicalitie'
of law, and has let many culprit g
forth triumphant, but before the Higl
Court of the people, with their verdic
unhampered by quibbling Pettifoggers
he will be tried for high-handed en-
CT oachments upon the great principle
of this government, and their decision
win be +" Andrew johnson: Guilty.