New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-02-25
i. xIrn OONGRESs-2D SESSION.



do ANYTHING outside the provisions OF the
Constitution He did not underestimate the Importance
Of the OCCASION he did not sprehend that the peOpo
Of the country would be at all cOnvulsed by the move
ment for they that Congress had the authority anu
that there was necessity for the exercise OF that
ity No question Of law involved in the matter "
all The President had openly aud plainly coiated me a~
farooa DOM he gauntlet and dared Congress 10 "e ''
AID Congress must accept the challenge, and must "'e' ~"
issue. ,,oroo-
Mr. briggs Gep Mioh said that il the T Whole at
ne doors ~ Con0ress and seeking vengeance
every man who supported the mpeaeh1evS Vote for it on
conviction aud without regard 10 any me- . ,,o nam
Mr. wAsHBURNE Rep I'D would No'e io- 80 tho
luton before the House. Acting win iOoi.'s ~
Republican members Of the House, nc h'u VV
favored impeachment; not because he ala not "0
president morally guilty Of npcachable onehses not oe
anse ne did not execrate Mr. JOhnsons administration
but because he felt that In the cause as heretoorpe
sented there might be doubt Of his conviction Rather
tlapbraneh out on doubtful experiment he had been
disposed to hush Impeachment in the hope that the
Presiden warned Of the power Of the House. and in
debed 10 for fobearance would 80 conduct himself
s TO avoid the necessity Of resOrting TO the extreme
remedy provided by the Constitution. But all such
hopes had been disappointed. Every act OF for
boarance had been but fresh invitation to further and
more fragrant aggressiOns until at last the acting Ffesl
dent had nung himself against the very buwarks Of the
Constitution defylng the laws, and overriding the CO.
ordinate branch Of tho Government. The lime had n0W
arroed chea he peoples representatives could no longer
sclav me riEdioafon Of me Constitution To him the
Dathvay Of duty was plain. He scorned tho threats
which had been made on this floor lie feared no appear
% the people, but cOurted such an appeal SSnuGmen
had not read history if theyhad not learned that IN all
contests between Executive and the Commons the rep
yesentatives Of the people HAD Lmpne1 III tS Tu
aud herOism had carried the country in triumph and glory
through the war would not fail in Its great mission
That party which OycIcamo the undivided and com
paeted strength Of all the Rebels in arms, sustained and
supported by tho sympathy Of two ffths OF
az the voters ia the states not in open rebellion would
not now be overcome by band Of mercoDary camp FOL
lowers Of corrupt and reasonable Administration MI
Johnsons longer continuance IN office was perpetual
and enduring against the peace ana prosperity W
the country Tie whole official Of the Presdehth
been marked by wicked disregard OF all the obligations
of public duty, and by degree Of perfdy, cachery ana
turptude unheard Of In the history Of the rulers OF
free people As mendaeious as he malignant he had
used his Official position TO hsrl down and destroy the
brayeet the nObest the best in the land. His admins
frsOn had been constant and prolonged warfare against
AL the material interests Of the country 1t had pros
fated business had oppressed labor destroyed States
impaired the public credit aud Slapped the public morals
Surrounded by redhanded Rebels advised and counseed
by the worst men that ever erawled Like hithy
reptiles at tho fOOtstOol Of power, he has used
AL the vast authority Of the Government to
prevent reunion OF the States, the restoration Of the
harmony, peace, and happiness Of the country. The
loyal in the Rebel States have been broughtto con-
ditlon under his administration from the contemplation
OF which all recO with horror. Murder, raplne, In
cendarsm robbery and the crimes stalk through the
whole land and every day he remains in Office adds 10
The long list OF victims Of Rebel vengeance, cruelty and
hate With such President nearly all the departments
Of the Government had become demOralized and cor
Iupt to an extent which could find no parallel in the
history OF any country In any age. The AttorneyGen-
eral not satisfied with being the medium through which
20 more marObbers cOunteeiters and public plumber
have been pardoned and turned loose again upon the
country has, with OstenaOus and boastful audacity
proclaimed that he win not vndicate the laws OF Con-
ress. Look at the Navy Department withitsprohgaoy
its extravaganza, rObberes, and prosecutions OF the
honest and best naval officers OF the country !
administration Of the Treasury Department s char
Acerzed by the most appalling frauds with countless
millions Of revenue stolen to 90 into the pockets OF
thieves, parsans and punderers, OF 10 make mp vast
political fund to demoraze and corrupt the people The
Interior Department with the land iObbing and Indian
contracts and corrupt extensions Of patents; the Post
ONCE Department, arTaigned before the House by O
Committee OF the House; and the State Department
rgned before the rulers Of the earth for its failure 10
vindeae the rights OF the nation and OF the citizens Of
the nation; confronted tins day this state Of
things 80 threatening the national existence and 50
obstructive all that is held dearwhere is the patr
cite man OF any political organization who does not call
npon Congress to strictly do its whole duty and purge
This capitol Of the crimes which now dele the nation
During the delivery Of Mr.. Washburne's speech the
hour OF u o'clock arrived and the session OF Saturday
terminated, and then commenced
49,, MoNDArS nEGUIAR SESSION a.. a..
Mr., WOODWARD Dem, PENN obtained the floor,
refusing 70 Yield few minutes ume to MI WSsh6nfne
lad been uttered by him against the PIesdenlt N, ne
lie argued that the resolution Of Impeachment was
mistake and that any impeachment Of the President
fectioH Of the TennreofOice BIN was what Fouche the
Chief Of the old French police. would have called worse
than erime-a blunder Whatever executive power the
Federal Government possessed was vested IN the Pres
Sn w of Tq S sSf 10 Office and M the
functions, check was imposed upon the Presidents; but
in those instances the power exercised was the
Presidents Tie concurrence Of the Senate was
Only regulation for the exercise OF the power 1t
was advisory discretiOn-nOt executive power.
II Congress meddled with 1t, Congress became tres
psseI and ts act an impertnent nuty and the Presi
dent was not to be impeached for dsiegardng It. He
quoted extracts from the debate in the Congress upon
the Executive Departments and argued that that debate
m,F T Of the act of March ass he
also argued that by the very terms Of that act itself Mr.
Sherman and Messrs. spaldng and Bingham as taking
fine same view OF the law. Mr.. johnson was Of
Beyed that the President trying 70 restore the Union,
with a faithful regard to the obligations of the
CONSTITUTION and the best interests Of the people.
@4ole Of his eountry~a faithful public officer and
entitled TO Cabinet advisers who We're his friends and
such IN his constitutional rights and address itself
relief the suffering country than waste It's time
and the peoples money in Impeachment OF faithful pub
lie servant charges that are both false and foolish
At the risk Of denuneation he F. WOOdwafdl denied
the right Of the Senate to try impeachment The
House was not composed as the Constitution required q
members chosen by the people Of the several statcsP
Nor was the Senate composed Of two Senators from
each State" In conclusion he said Mr. Speaker sure
am that the American people wirespec this objection
that If were the Presidents oouncilorI would advise
him. il you prefer articles Of impeachment, to denr
both TO your jurisdiction and TO that Of the Senate and
10 issue proclamation that while he held himself i'm
ueaehable for isdemeanors Office before me g6Hstd
opa tribunal he never wOui subject the Office he holds