The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-06-02
From the National Intelligencer, May %.
The Capitol A Bastile.


The proceedings Of the House yesterday
only verify what has been intimated before
in the columns of the Mtelligencer, namely:
that the popular branch, as It is called, of
Congress-. iflthwarted BY the Senate in its
ell desien of revolutioAizing the Govern
ments woald, under the lead Of the Buffers,
Biughanas, and Showcases, proceed TO ex-
tremitiess to enforce thsir further ausurping
designs. II is idle to suggest what Butler
might not do. As for Bingham, he is the
author of the blasphemous expression, that
This committee, to effect their object, would
sit until the day of resurrection" None but
man whose course in politics was in the
last degree demoralied would indulge in
such hlaspheny. Sit until the day of resur-
rectionl The next minute might see the
end of one who thus pirates in the phrase of
the Divine law, and especially conveys the
idea that the limited official life of the Of
fender and his associate eonspirators should
reach the period at which the heavens should
roll away as n scroll. IF @it were so, what
fate and what place might not moderate
sketch of imagination prescribe for the guano
impeachers-for Butler who has been
guilty of that betrayal of truth and honor
that SO materially aided 10 whelm the nation
in sea of blood; and for Stevens, who
thirty years ago proposed to treat an cleo
| ton in Pennsylvania as if it had never taken
place; who attempted to overthrow the state
government; and who, for his infamies at
| that date, was denounced by Col. Forney as
"yillaia at heart, who could not escape the
penalties of the laws of Pennsylvania.
! Mr.Woolley 10 fated as we understandit,b by
| the proposed resolution of the House, to sur
| fer solitary confinement, without power to
| give direction In writing or verbally IA re-
sspect TO his business affairs, or other private
or domestic matters, except By the khowl-
| edge or consent of the House of Representa-
tives. He has testified, as has been report
| ed, that he had used no money in connec-
ton with the impeachment trial; but he has
| declined to say aught as to any other dis
| position of his means We take it that there
| is no jurist of the land that would not repel
| further proceedings against him, after that
revelation. Certainly no parliamentary body
to say nothing Of Congress-has ever
| furnished an example of brutal tyranny like
| that which DEGREES close confinement in
prison to one who is arraigned upon a
/ charge of contum acy, to the authority of a
political body. The'country which, through
| the better portion Of its press, has strongly
condemned not only the initial proceedings
| IN Impeachment, but especially that phase
of it which, after an acquiital of the Pres
| dent, has resulted in the designation of al
| inquisitorial committee, confined to Jacob
ms alone, which has lawlessly instituted
private searches and seizures, and which
proposes 10 consign to dungeon q maj
who will not disclose his private affairs
though denying that they have related tc
Impeachment, will not fail to set the seal o
its utter hostility upon the men and the par
ty that are responsible for the crime ant
cruelty that it is proposed to visit upon al
| American citizen. ..
A bastile is established, and the day i.
not distant, as things 60, when the iustru
ments and means Of torture of which history
has horrible reeord-the rack, the wheel anC
the thumb screw-wiil be applied to limo
cent victims until their agonized shriek
shall resound through the vaulted arches o
the Capitol.