The Portland daily press., 1868-04-20

1t is difficult to understand why so much
importance is attached to the admission of
testimony to which the impeachment mana
gers have thought proper to object The OBJ
jections OF the managers have had reference
chiefly to considerations of economy in time
and not, as we understand it. to the possibili.
ty that members OF the court would be infu-
enced by irrelevant or frivolous testimony.
The principal charge for which Mr. johnson
is ariaisned is one which is not to be strength
ened, on the one hand, or invaidated, ON the
other, by any testimony which was not
known to the Senate before the trial COM
menced. The violation of the tenure o(-ofiee
act is merely question for legal Judgment,
and has been before the Senate and the coun-
try as possible and on the whole rather
probable event for many months.
All speculations, therefore, favorable to
the President, founded upon the liberal
ity of the Senators in admitting evidence, ap-
pear to be without foundation. Offering 10
bet ten thousand dollars is an old Democratic
dodge, which has been resorted to hundreds
OF times before. Rumors of the threatened
withdrawal OF the articles by the managers
are equally Enthusiastically. If the allie egations
Of those articles had in tact been disproved
by the Presidents counsel as thoroughly as
Democratic politicians assert, the managers
have other resources than an abandonment
| of the prosecuti IN. The articles as they now
stand do not embrace a 1.-THE of the offences
| aiccio Of xuhtab hac pno1n A pu
johnson odinus to the American people. The
House of Representatives has reserved to it.
self liberty'to present articles in addition to
| those already under consideration.
1t is idle to talk OF an acquittal on the
| charge of breaking the civil tenure law. But
defence could be devised to an article setting
forth usurpation in debating constitutions
and avs to the Southern States? In the
minds of many of the protoundest consttu-
| tional lawyers in the country, that is the
| graveSt mlsdemeaLo or that has been commit
ted by the present Executive. II President
of the United States car arrogate to himself
| the power to prescribe the qualifications oil
voters and make such changes in the organic
| law of States as seem good to him, independ-
| ent of the control of the legislative br9nch Of
| the government, Capitalization has indeed
made greater Irogress than the most extrav-
agant Democratic alarmist has yet dreamed
| Nor is this the only count that can be add
| ed to the Indictment. The abuse of the par.
| doning power of which Mr.. johnson has
been guilty might serve as the basis of an
other article. 1t is well known that counter
feiters OF the national currency have beer
pardoned by thu Executive as fast as the
courts could convict, to the great additiona
embarrassment to the national finances. TIL,
surrender of vast amounts OF pioperty be
longing to the United States to Southern rail-.
road corporations, is another misdemeanor
for which the President is clearly apswerabe.
In fact, during his three years OF Official
life n Washington. johnson has slaned SO
oten and so grossly that men OF apliity ana
courage like the impeachment managers can
not fail to make good before tne senate
CHARGES enough to insure bis removal from
office. For the people the eleven articles al
ready presented are sufficient, and they
onobt 10 be sufficient for the Senate. How
little that is favorable TO the President can be