Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-04-03
IMPEACHMENT.
spssoA Of Hon. John coburn, Of IndI-
ana.

spssoh Of Hon. John coburn. Of IndI-
ana,
In zuE HousE OF RkpREsrsrArivEs
q rlT February 2ith, 1868,
On the RssslssIaas reported BY the comml ttss on
= Rsseassras,iea fss the IapsssAmsas Of The
y ftssidsnt
Mn. CopuRS. Mr.. Speaker, l have
been painsd 20 hear during the course Of
this debate the statement made by some
of the advocates Of impeachment that the
recent acts OF tho President In violation
Of the Law prescribing the tenure Of civil
ofiices aud OF the Constitution, In relation
To the removal Of officers during the ses-
sion of Congress, ~ trivial matters com-
pared with other acts Of bis administra'
too in violation Of law. IL may be a
quist aud simple act 10 remove Seereta-
w Of War. ipjuripg tho person or the
property Of no one. and be eonsummated
by the writing ofsn official note dispatch
I'd In q minute, but Il is none the less an
open, Intentional, willful, and hagrant
Areach Of Law Parallel with this are
many Of the acts which have become me-
morabIe In history AID mark epochs In
the life Of nations. The crossing OF the
sRubicon, an Insignificant stream which
WAS the boundary of-C@sar's province,
was the Gre, act, boodiess and quiet, Of a
war which broke down the Oldest aud
strongest Republic that ever existed, and
paved the way for that imperial dominion
which is the great prototype of despotism.
4 he refusal of John Hampden to pay a
Few shilIings Of ship money demanded OF
him as right began the contest which
ended IN the overthrow OF the monarch OF
England, cost him his head, aud for time
gase 10 The despiscd Puritsns the control
vf the foremost nation in Europe. The
refusal OF our iorefathors TO pay the tax
90 stamped paper aud the duties on tea,
light though they we're, aud not intended
to ,harrass or oppress, but done rather In
denial Of The right Of representation. kin.
died the flames Of war which ragged seven
yesrs, aud resulted in the lasting indepen-
dence OF our people.
"a Ip this simple act of defiance TO law in
ths removal OF Mr.. Stanton, done without
arms, without warning, and without
che demand Of public necessity, 10 cool
inprdent, insoent disregard OF the plain
words OF the law, see a movement rs
radical In its intent aud rs searching in
its. effects as any one could be, though
backed by the army and navy and driven
ihrsngh With oil their power. What il
p, ,fhen. that the President has done that
has deserved the instant and indignant re.
buke Vt the Representatives, Of the peo.
pie?
.GOn the I'd of March last, Congress, hav.
ing long had reason to doubt the patriotic
purposes Of the President, passed a Law
~ relation to the tenure Of civil offices,
providing among other things that cabi-
net Ulcers should hold their Offices during
the ,efm Of the President by whom they
wera appointed, aud for one month there
after, unless removed by and with the
advice aud consent OF the Senate, and
that no such officer should be removed
from office without the consent of the
sssats; aad that II, during a vacation Of
Congress, a suspension should be made OF
such officer, and on being reported TO the
senate in twenty days after meeting, and
resume the duties Of his Office. Ii is fur
tssr provided by the sixth section Of this
act that every removal, appointment, or
employment made. had or exercised con-
trary 10 the provisions Of this act, and the
making, signing, sealing, countersigning,
or issuing OF any commission or letter OF
authority for or in respect to any such ap-
f,s.ts. mt nr loy hal ha Haa
ed and are declared high misdemeanors
aud upon trial and conviction thereof ev-
cry Eorson convicted ,hereot shall be pun.
ished l.y a fne not exceeding SlO 900. OF
by imprisonment not exceeding five years
or both. Here. then, was this simple pro.
vision of law. so plain that the fool might
run and read, governing the President
aud which be deliberately chose 10 vio-
late. There could be no mistake abou
its meaning, no doubt as TO its intent, nc
cayil as TO It's scope.
Again, there was just as plain provis-
ion Of the Constitution which gave IN,
President power 10 nominate, aud by aud
with the consent Of the Senate to appoint
all officers Of the United Sta.es whose ap-
yided for, and which shall be established
BY law, and to gil all vacancies that ma,
happen during the recess Of the Senate b,
granting commissions which shall expir,
at the end OF their next session. Thcs,
are his powers OF nomination and Of sup
plying vacancies; no power Of removal Of
of creating vacancies Is given during
session OF the Senate. And yet he hal
usurped this power not given him, gon,
beyond the restrictions OF the Constitu
ton which no man could for a moment
understand, aud assumed TO make re-
moval, create vacaney, and gil it,.
On the 2lst ofFebruary, 1868, he trans
crosses the statute and the Constitution
By successive acts without excuse or pal
liation, or proyocation, by ordering the
removal Of Mr.. Stanton from the Office ol
Secretary Of War, aud the appointmen
OF Lorenzo Thomas "a Secretary ad inter
inn. That he failed to remove Mr.. STAN
ten, Is no defense; that he did not Great,
alvaeaney, 10 no defense; that he did no
succeed in getting Thomas into Office. Il
no dcfcnse-no moro than the murderer i
caught in tho overt act, and prevented
from the consummation Of his deadly pur
pose.
II Is no defense to say that the Tenure
of0fice Law does not apply to the case o
Mr.. Stanton because he was appointed b,
Mr.. Lincoln, and could only hold his Of
fee under that appointment, during Lin