Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1868-04-09
IMPEACHMENT.
Gen. Buffers Opening Speech

From the Columbus Morning journal
We give a portion of our space
, to an extract from Gen. Buffers
: able argument in opening the I'm
peaehment case. The entire speech
occupied three hours and quarter
, in its delivery, and was attentively
listened to by a crowded Senate. -
1t is a clear, forcible, md cogentle-
gal argument in support Of the
charges of Impeachment. There is
no attempt at oratorical effect, but
there is an effort on the part Of the
speaker to convince the understand
ing of men, whom stern logic only
will influence, Appeals to the pas
sions or to the prejudices will avail
nothing before such a Court. Gen
eral Butler defines an impeachable
crime or misdemeanor to be:
Ono, in it's nature and conse-
quences subversive of some funda-
mental or essential principle of
Government, or highly prejudicial
to the public interests, and this
may consist Of violation Of the
Constitution, oflaw, of an official
oath, or of duty, by an act commit
ted or omitted, or, without viola
ting a positive law, by the abuse of
discretionary powers from improp-
er motives, or for any improper
purpose.
He produces many precedents
in support of his definition, de-
scribes the nature of the impeach-
ment proceedings, the character of
that Legislative body which has the
sole power to try impeachments,
and then presents the grounds up
on which is sustained each sepa-
rate charge in each of the eleven ar
ticles of impeachment now under
consideration. On the general
charter on Johnson's acts, General
Butler says:
"Do not all men know that soon
afterward he changed his course,
and only made treason odious, so
far as he was concerned, by ap-
pointing traitors to Office and by
an indiscriminate pardon of all
who "came in unto him ?" Who
does not know that Andrew John
son initiated, of his own will, a
course of reconstruction of the re- ,
bel States, which at the time he
claimed was provisional only, and :
until the meeting Of Congress and
its action thereon? Who does not :
know that when Congress met and !
undertook to legislate upon the :
very subject of reconstruction, of /;
which he had advised them in his !
which they alone had the :
power to do, Andrew johnson last
again changed his course, !
and declared that Congress had no y
power to legislate upon that sub .
iect; that the two houses had only !
the power separately to Judge of .
the qualifications of the members 7
who might be sent to each by re- !, !;
bellious constituencies, acting un -
ler State organizations which An
lrew johnson had called into exis-
bence by his late fiat, the electors r
Of which were voting by his per u
mission, and under his limitations 7? n
Who does not know that when t'
Congress, assuming its rightful al
)ower to propose amendments to u
he Constitution, had passed such o.
IN amendment and had submitted re
t to the States as a measure of \
Andrew johnson adj -
Used and counselled the Legisla- dl
ures of the States lately in rebel a a
ion, as well as others, to reject III
he amendment, so that it might re
lot operate as law, and thus es- th
ablish equality of suffrage in all 70
he States, and equality of right W
n the members of the electoral ar
ollege, and in the number of the TO
representatives. to the Congress of Ia
he United States 'lf" OF
Lest any one should doubt the ST.
orrectness of this piece of history m
r the truth of this common fame, m
re shall show you that while the m
legislature of Alabama was delib- eH
rating upon the reconsideration nl
f the vote whereby it had rejected nc
mis- constitutional amendment, the sa
act being brought to the knowledge az
f Andrew johnson and his advice ne
sked, he, by a telegraphic message, no
nder his own hand, here to be ca
reduced, to show his intent and Pr
advised the Legislature CIR
gainst passing the amendment,
nd to remain firm in their oppo-
tion to Congress. We shall show an
ke advice of Andrew johnson gr
pom the same subject to the Legis II
.ture of South Carolina, and this, an
70, in the winter of 1867, after the ph
,tion of Congress in proposing on
e constitutional amendment had shi
zen sustained in the previous cleo he
IN by an overwhelming majority,
hus we charge that Andrew John