Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-04-09
our ObedlCnt soryant,
RYLhND FLETCHER.
WA.urNarnN. D. C.. Mareh u.

SNLAND FLETCHER
WASHINGTON, y, c., March 81
Ny DEAR SIR Iour letter Of the II It'll
instant was duly received, but the pres
sure of other engagements has prevented
my finding time to answer until now
Your anxiety upon the subject Of the i'm
parchment OF the President is shared.
believe, by all the loyal people of all see
tons of the country. Il is shown BY the
press, the general mouthpiece Of the peo-
pie, and find il in all my correspond.
ence; and presume the same Is true Of
every other member of Congress | am
satisfied that the feeling il unanimous in
the Republican party, that the official
course and conduct of the President has
been such that he deserves Impeachment,
and that the best interests aud safety OF
the country demand it. For a variety OF
reasons was strongly uvrrse to putting
the strength of our government to this Sc
we're test, if it could pevsiblg he avoided
Some of these reasons | gave III a short
speech ! made on the subject which has
been published in some of our papers
The great argument against the republic
known in the world, has been it, want Of
stability. Scarcely one OF all the Ameri-
can Republics, except our own, has ever
had an Executive serve out his constitu-
tional term. They have either been as
sassnated or overthrow by some reyn-
luton, or dcposed by some form Of i'm
parchment. The greater stability Of our
own has been due TO the superior virtue
and intelligence of our people, and the
great respect in which We have held our
constitution and laws
Our example has undoubtedly been
highly beneficial to the cause OF ,republi.
can constitutional government every
where, and feared that however good
cause We might have for impeaching the
President, it would be made to wear the
appearance of a political impeachment.
and thus not only injure the force Of our
example 10 other nations, but might be
made precedent TO ourselves, inr the
overthrow of one department of the Coy
erumcnt, by another, for mere political
differences.
greatly regret that even nov, the i'm
parchment is made 10 wear the appear
ance OF a mere party measure. The vote
Ill the House on the resolution and artl-
cles Of impeachment, was a strict party
vote | expect to see the vote III the
Senate, upon the question Of the Pre,i-
dents guilt or innocence. stand in the
same way And still do not believe a
Republican in the House voted otherwise
than as he believed u he his lagl and
constitutional duty | ought not. per
haps, to doubt that every man who voted
the other way, voted with equal cousci-
entiousness There il something very
euriousin the relations pi the Democratic
party and the President They profess
to him to be his friends they claim his
favor by way Of appointments and pat.
ronage, as il they were his political
friends and supporters, But in fact, d.
not think they either love him, or respect
him, or believe in him, any more than V,
do | believe they would be about "a.
averse to making him their candidat,
Tor the Presidency IT, would he til,
Republicans But they have wished
to use him to help themscl1e.
and damage the Republicans Il
Is Just so with the Impeachment They
hope something may grow ont Of it that
Will help them politically and 50 they
oppose it. do not believe there is a man
among them, who viii not thereby lose
an Office who cares a sixpencc whethe,
he is convicted or acquitted. - far rs il
affects Mr. johnson himself Ii il would
help them politically, they would much
rather he would be convicted, Ihe d.
mocrats profes, Ia believe, as the Prc.i.
dent does, that all tire laws passed hy
Congress known as the reconstruct in
laws, and also the tenure Of office net :
taking away the Presidents unlimited
and nearly arbitrary, power Of removals
are repugnant to the Constitution, and
am not prepared TO deny but that boil
are honest in that belief. But have no
yet seen Democrat bold enough TO ayov
the doctrine, that, after Congress had b,
two thirds majority passed a bill owe
veto Of the President, and thus given j
the same legal force as il the President la,
signed it, that the President had the RICH
TO bid it open defiance, and totally disre
gard its requirements Unless they d
hold this, do not see how they coul,
conscientiously vote that the Presiden
was not guilty of an improbable offence
| know 1t is now claimed that the Presi
dent Ola not really mean TO sci the law a
defiance, and openly usurp authorit,