Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-05-13
Impenchment l. Dead!


Impeachment In Dead!
There is weeping and wailing and gnash.
ing of teeth in the Radical party. Inn
peachment Is dead! Thanks to Messrs
FEssENDEN, GRIMES, HENDERSON and
TRuMBULL tor dealing that abomination
its death blow. Although they did no
more than their duty, yet it required great
courage to brave the wrath of the infuria-
ted maliguants in the Republican party
who bounded on the dogs of Impeachment
and threatened swift political destruction
to every Republican Senator who should
dare to vote for the acquittal of the Presi-
dent. Even some went so far as to threat
en- assas ,ination to those who should do so.
Impeachment had been made part and par
eel Of the Republican creed. In conventions
1t was indorsed and applauded with great
vociferation. The Radical press held it up
as means that would open the
door to q political millennium. Day by
day they asserted that "the people" were i'm
patient for its consummation-that nothing
short of it would satisfy them. Republi-
can preachers last Sabbath prayed for it.
1t is only when these facts are duly consid-
cred, that the granduer OF the action OF
Messrs. GRIMES, FEssENDEN, HENDERSON,
aud TRUMBULL is fully apparent. The
whole machinery of powerful party was
brought to bear upon these men to swerve
them from doing right. Recognized as
men eminent for ability and legal learning,
and solicitous to stand we'll in ''the worlds
approving eye" now and hereafter, and
evidently believing that there is God and
world, they elected to confront
the wrath of the malignants in
the Republican party, who therein have
been the ruling spirits for the past seven
years, to the incalculable injury of the
country, rather than imperil their reputa-
tion by rendering themselves obnoxious to
the charge of having committed perjury.
It is something to brave the wrath OF a
party and a united party press. The timid
and the venal cover before it. When men
have the moral power to rise above mere
considerations of partisanship, and do right
for the sake of right,i and that their Govern
ment may live, though their party may
perish, It is q spectacle to challenge admi-
ration. 1t does not occur to the public,
that money was to these men temptation.
In all the suggestions that money might be
used to buy up Senators, 1t was never in
simulated that these Senators could be
ablest lawyers in the country, and although
men may differ with them politically, they
are esteemed honest men. The motto of
THADDEUs STEVENS, the man by whose will
and domineering, the Republican party has
been ruled, Is, "throw conscience to the
Devil and follow yoIr party" Not so, evil
IDENTITY with these men. They have adopt
ed as their motto, in this action al least,
''Do right, and let party go to the Devil"
While the country should ring with tie
praises of these men for their meritorious
action in this matter, sight should not be
lost of that gallant band of twelve Sena-
tors, who in Republican classification are
known as "Copperheads" or Democrats,
who have stood faithfully by the Constitu.
tion, and to whom the country looked con-
fidently to render their verdict according
to the evidence and the law. From the
people they deserve praise and commenda-
tion. Had it not been for them, undoubt-
edly, the great scandal of conviction would
have been consummated. They, conformity
with the Republican Senators referred to,
have saved the country from this reproach.
With the Democracy, Impeachment was
not made party matter. They opposed
it because of its iniquity, of itsN injustice,
and because it was calculated to set pre-
cedent that would, in all probability, lead
to the complete subversion of Constitu-
tional Government in this country. It was
the Republican party that made it party
matter-that prosecuted it in the name of
the party, under the claim that its success
was vital to the party. 1t was a mistake
Its purpose was too atrocious, and that
atrocity was too apparent. Bad Senator'S
GRIMES, FEssENDEN, HENDERSON and
TRuMBuLL not interposed to defeat con-
viction, but had they yielded to she i'm
portunity and the threats of Republican
partisans. and helped consummate convic-
tion, it would have worked as much harm
= to tho Republican, party as VIII the Presi-
dents acquittal.
We have written as though the vote in
the Senate was taken yesterday at the time
previously agreed upon. That vote was
not thus taken. The proceedings in the
Court In secret session on Monday, dis
closed an unanticipated weakness on the
part OF the Impeachers. So, yesterday
forenoon, there was caucus of Republic
can Senators, In which vote was taken on
all the articles of Impeachment, excepting
on the last one. the 1lth. Acauittal was
assured. beyond peradyenture, on all the
articles on which the vote had been
taken, and it was deemed certain
that he would be acquitted on
the last article. By that caucus It was
decided to postpone the vote until Satur-
day, and accordingly the court adjourned
until that day. It is hoped that
during the intermediate time the I'm
peachers can gather sufficient strength
to carry through conviction but it will
be found that this hope is without
substance, as the longer the rendering of
the verdict is postponed, the stronger
grows acquittal. Had the vote been taken
yesterday, the righteous verdict of t.not
guilty" would have been pronounced.
Hon. Peyton Hord.
This gentleman, who represents Marion
county SO ably in the Ohio House of Rep
resentatives. yesterday afternoon made
speech In opposition to the bill authorizing
County Commissioners in certain cases to
invest county funds, which we have heard
..fo-rod m IN forn,e- of tha t;oh,st 90.