Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-01-17

which we live; ard he who seeks to revert
to it seeks to destroy liberty.
aThe committee says it does not propose
to discuss the constitutionality of the ten
ure-ofofhce act, but contends that the Presi-
dent, by his proceeding now under consid
Grafton, has recognized Its binding force.
He has adopted It as rule of his conduct,
by actually using and employing power
created and existing only by the act itself
the power of suspension-and 1t only
remains for the committee to give Its views
of the suffioiency Of evidence and reasons
| upon which he relies, to justify his action.
The report then proceeds to anaiyze the
Presidents message to Congress on the
subject of Stanton's suspension, ana ADDS ;
taThe fact was already made public by Mr..
Johnson himself, that, in the Cabinet
! council Of the preceding June. Mr.. Stanton
| had dissented from the opinion of the At
torney General in reference TO the true
meaning and effect of the reconstruction
acts of March 9 and March %, 1867, which
fopinions Mr.. johnson had adopted and
acted upon. The whole country had seen
| that, if these opinions were carried out IN
practice, as MrsiJohnson proposed they
should be, and as he had Instructed his
gubordinates to carry them out, the plain
intention OF Congress In regard to recon
struction lin the rebel States would be
l. defeated. Mr. Stanton had expressed his
| dissent from those opinions, and refused TO
| countenance an artifice which had ocea-
| stoned the assembling Of Congress on the
Cd of july, Congress, to the exclusion OF
| all other business, passed at that meetinga
third act on reconstruction, setting aside
| the dangerous Interpretation OF the Attor-
ney, General of the two previous acts, as
he had done to the two former bills. Mr..
Johnson vetoed this bill also 1t was as
notorious as three elaborate vetoes, aided
| by his speeches and conversation, and the
corps of presses la his interest, could make
1t, that he was strongly opposed to every
| thing of the kind, and that he Intended TO
render all such legislation abortlve. He
1 had not only used his influence and patron
age to that end but had strenuouslg op-
posed, denounced and endeavored TO deieat,
| and even veto, the amendment to the Oon-
stitution known as article Ia, passed juno,
| 1896. and intended at that time as the basis
of reconstruction. His whole course of
conduct was VIGOROUSLY In open and yio-
lent antagonisrn to the will of the nation
as expressed by ths two houses of Con-
| gress. Mr.. Stanton, on the other hand,
| favored the faithful execution of these
acts. They were laws of the land. lie
would not seek to defeat their object by
any means, direct or Indirect. lie had
good reason to believe, and did believe,
| chat, if he resigned his post, Mr.. Johns on
would fill the vacancy by the appointment
of some person in accord with himself In
his plan of obstruction and resistance to
the viii of Congress. Such appointment
| would, BY the Constitution, have remained
in force until the end of the session"
The report continues: cit was the
aim of 1Mr. Johnson, If we may Judge from
his previous conduct, to avail himself, 1t
practicable, Of the lapse of time to carry
/ outhis scheme of obstruction, and by every
means IL, his power. land they are many
to hinder and thwart the Interpretation
and effect Of these statutes; and when
| asked to resign under pretext of public
considerations OF high character, Mr. Stan
ton refused to yield his assent to such con.
sideratious. and strongly and manfully op-
| posed to them the duty incumbent upon
| him to assist their Accomplishment, by
remaining at his post and seeking to exc
cute those statutes faithfully and efectu'
ally"', The report then says: If the
| President Is to become the final and intal-
! lible Judge of what the public Interests
require, Congress and lite laws are nothing,
and, however wanton and wicked he may
/ be, 1t becomes official misconduct to differ
with him in opinion and make known to
him this difference" 6.a .;-i.L-
The committee then asks: els Mr..
johnson serious in this most arbitrary as
! sumption 7 Can he no longer brook to be
told that his course is wrongs6 Does he
| regard mere difference Of opinion as to
/ the propriety ofcarrying nut the legislation
rof Congress as official misconduct? II
| would seem So from the position taken.
| We cannot countenance doctrine 30 alb
solute and despotic. Itis not merely a step
toward tyranny, but is itself the essence
of tyranny.'l.2f.H ..;ie ri s'tsI >atta.
h The report enlarges upon these points,
| and then pays q warm tribute to MT. Stan
ton, as follows: 9't'a 'A'i'6'''' s''h
- We recognize in his refusal no miscon-
duct, no fault, but on the contrary, we are
! Of opinion that in SO doing he consulted
both hisduty and the best interests Of the
country. During the bloody civil war his
eminent talents, his patriotism, nls vigil
lance, his utiring devotion to the cause,
and his unf1inohing determination to put
down the rebellion had justly entitled
him to the gratitude and admiration Of the
country. In the worst Of times he was
true and faithful When many others
seemed to despair his fortitude was I'M
1 shaken. When defeat and encouragement
darkened the land, he was not appalled,;
but his genius pierced the gloom and saw
4 the light of approaching triumph. We
cannot sympathize with that spirit which,
without fixing upon. him 80 much as
plausible charge of misconduct. would
cast him down and ruin his well.
earned reputation" The committee here
quotes Mr., Stanton's letter in reply TO the
note, from the President informing him OF
1 his Suspension, and tnen takes up the
charge by the President that MIR. Stanton
concurred IN the veto OF the tenure of
office bill. 1t Is admitted that Mr.. Stanton
Thought the bill unconstitutional. and was
opposed to its becoming a law. Such, the
committee says was sincerely his view,
and some Of the ablest statesmen in the
country have entertained the same opin-
ion; but others, equally able, have held q
contrary opinion, and among them Dir.
/ Webster. The controversy is almost as
4 old as the government, but the committee
contends that 1t does not follow that be-
cause public officer has entertained such
au opinion of a proposed measure he is to
carry his notions so far 81 TO treat it as void,
when forcaally enacted into law by o
two, thirds vote of each House.
4 The next point Of the Presidents nea:
sage noticed by the committee his charge
4 that Mr.. Stanton was at one time In accord
with his (Johnson's) policy, and endeavors
to make him partly responsible for 1t.
i This 10 denied on the strength of Mr..
| STATIONS testimony on the subject, given
before the impeachment committee OF the
4 rro,.o3tf r. r.,,,o Yi RI Mr. JohucOn'a clair,