The Van Buren press., 1868-04-03
Impeachment and Party TeohlC-The
Case II the Senate.

Impeachment and Party TeohlC---h,
Case II ths Senate.
ltscems rs though, from beginning to
end, it would be merely party question
whether Mr.. Johnson has violated, or st-
tempted 10 violate, o. had the intent oil
violating, snY law or nry constitutional
provision. The opinion and action oI
the House AGs bcnG divided directly snd
constantly by party lin,s. The eSpres-
sions OF sentiment throughout the coun-
try have t2on on strictly party basis
The ontirc Iscse, with one or two strik.
ing exceptions, have treated il only rs a
party matter, And tic & ars of Just and
patriotic men, ever since The question was
raised, have hcgn thHt tie Senate, in like
manacr, would give way before tho strong
currents Of party, and permit it's judg.
ment to be swayed by considerations and
/ feelings akin to those which affect the
popular mind.
/ ThadeTs Stevens, b. +. Butler, Wendell
Phillips Gad Others of the game stamp
evidently oeiieve that the Senate can be
made TO bend 20 party necessities They
threaten Senators with political ruin end
popular wrath IL thcy dare--if Mey dare,
as Thad. Stevens bitterly said--to treat
the case with an unbiased Judgment. M i
to decide i strictly on its legal aud con
stitutonal merit. They menace the
Senate as though they he'd no doubt it
would succnmb, aud seem quite uncon.
scious that they ale using language and
arguments as disEonorable and base as
could spring from dcpravity, selfshness
and madness. Their estimate Of those
they address may be measured by the
style they adopt toward them, and the
ends they wish to accomplish may be dis
covered by the motives to which they ap.
peal.
We conceive that nothing could be
more unfortunate for the peace and wei
fare Of the country than such a state of
things. Impeachment is matter ofsucH
gravity that if it is brought into contempt
BY being made an instrument for the ac-
complshment of party purposes. or a
measure upon which party lines are to be
drawn, it will not only result in damage
and disgrace to all concerned now, but
will cast SHADOW of evil upon the dis
tant future of the country.
We certainly do not think that the
mere fact Of 3fr. Johnson's conviction
would prove that the Senate was infiuenc.
cd wholly by party motives; aud no more
d we thin'; that his acquttal would
prove thst Il had acted with total disre.
.ard Of party feeling. We take no such
ground as this. The trial is upon charges
definitely made. These charges are of a
strictly legal nature, capable of being
proved or disproved upon such evidence
rs either side may furnish They refer
to violations Of The Constitution and laws.
They are based upon special actions Of
The party upon trial. They are not put
forth as Offences Of a party nature. They
should be adjudged by the strictest rules
of ofjustcc, without prejudice or passion,
nd without permitting the mind to be
influenced by any external considerations
whatsocycr-wiethar these relate to other
actions Cf hir. Johnson, or to his policy
or antecedents, or to anything that he
may have done, or that he may yet do.
\ trial conducted in this way, and YER
diet rendered on these principles, would
command the acquiescence Of the country
in any case; and whether conviction or
acquittal was the result, honorable men
would feel that the charges had been fair
" measured by the laws, and that the
Court was justified in its character and
jGj"ment
There certainly has been nothing in the
preliminary 9ction of the Senate thus far
open to suspicion or to accusations Of un-
fairness. on party or any other grounds.
Ir. Nadc Was admitted Yesterday as a
qualified member Of the Court of I'm
parchment, though there were efforts to
exclude hin on the ground that his
ia igment would be biased as an interest
ed party. But we really do not see on
wat grounds nc CO aid have been justly
c2cIloed, and we consider that the action
OF TIC majority in his case was necessary
TO tie proper constitution Of the court.
'ile other proceedings of the Senate in
The case Lave been altogether Of an un-
leach.ble character; and it will be
time enough % accuse members Of being
Influenced s. the menaces Of Thadeus
Stovcna ana the force of party prejudice
when they are guilty Of something thnt
gives color TO the accusation. New York
Radicol) Times.
81 DEss YoU FoIDoT ME "a certain
minister had promised l,uc boy Of his
that he should accompany him to church
! o., ,ho rollnwin, Sabbath Tho Ettlo cal