Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-05-20
Wate4toN,u 4epu0Ijfals,
W 10 IS RIGHT?

We notice in certain quarters a dispo
sition to apologize for and defend the Re-
publican Senators, who voted against i'm
parchment. Now, We waat to make a
strict examination into their case that
we may get at the probable reasons for
their conduct. Is it to be supposed that
these half dozen Senators know SO much
more than al the one hundred and sew
enty Members Of Congress who favor i'm
parchment, that they are 20 be excused
for their conduct? We understand Dlr.
TrumbuIl says the impeachment proceed
ings could not stand in a justice court
five minutes. Are We to believe that the
House Of Representatives is so poor a
judge Of law, as to solemnly inaugurate
proceedings for impeachment in a case
that could not stand in ''justice court
five minutes ?" Let any man sit down
and look over the list Of names of Repub-
Iicans in the House, and ask himself
whether the men whose names he looks
upon are likely to be so much behind
these half dozen boiling Senators in I'M
derstandlng what constitutes an impeach-
able offence, and the evidence necessary
to convict of it as that these Senators can
say with any chance Of being believed
that the House did notsknoW what it was
about when it instituted the proceedings
Then it is said that these men are ex-
ceedingly conscientious. Well, are we
TO suppose that these men are the only
men in the Republican party who have a
conscience? 70 acquit them of their
boiling on this ground, is to convict Of
Indifference to conscience and devotion to
pure partizanshrp the one hundred and
seventy-more than two thirds of both
houses, Democrats included-who favor.
impeachment. IF these men have never
elsewhere distinguished themselves as
champions Of conscience above their fel.
lows in both Houses, we shall not allow
them the benefit Of this excuse.
We cannot allow them the benefit Of
the claim to superior wisdom, nor to SUI
perior tenderness of conscience. We
think their conduct can be accounted for
on other grounds. They do not exhibit
the spirit Of men who are honestly attach
ed to the Republican party, and yet hon
estly compelled to differ from it in this
question. Where is an expression Of re-
gret at being obliged to part company
with the majority Of the members of their
own party? They are sulky and defiant.
The truth is they dislike the spirit that
auimatos the majority Of the party, and
they are bound to break it down if they
car, even at the cost of destroying the
party itself, and this is the secret Of their
votes against impeachment. Take Mr.
Trumbull's case When a man says that
the impeachment proceedings would not
stand FIVE minutes in a justice court,
we may easily know that he has no care
for the welfare Of the party that institu-
ted them Mr.. Grimes has been sore
headed for long time. The majority of
the Republican party are protectionists
But Gr. Grimes has become a Free Ira
der, and not only SO, bat bitter, malig
nant Free Trader. It is we'll known that
he has become cold toward the Republi-
can party, for this reason, if for no other
and his explains why the Chicago Tri5-
utsc i, sweet on him just at this time. As
to Dir. Fessenden, it has long been
known that his hatred Of Mr.. Sumner ex-
ceeded all attempt at control. He has
not for years been able to speak peacabIe
ofhim. So you may go through with
these men, and We shall End other rea-
sons than an Intelligent and conscientious
sense of duty controlling their conduct.
They bate and they are bound to stab,
that is what ais them.
CHICAGO CONVENTION.