Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-04-30
MNemlNNINN. NnlIIN..


yumCut Manager Stevens said Ia should I
discuss but a single article, the ono that
vas finally adopted upon hi, earnest soli' .
.itation. and which, if proved, he CON
,idrr,-l "a, quite sufficient for the eonvic-
ion Of the distinguished respondent. Hc
desired to discuss the charges in no mean
,pirit Of vituperation, but 70 argue them
IN a manner worthy OF the high tribunal
before which he appeared, and Of the en-
lltcd position Of the accused,
The trial ofthe Chief Magistrate Of the
nation which was intensely interesting 90.
millions Of men could not be hclittled and
reduced To mockcry Mr. Stevens, after
comparing the system Of Impeachment in
England with that described in the Amer
can Constitution, passed on to the only
question 10 be considered Was the re-
spondcnt violating the law The single
charge which he, Mr. Stevens, had the
honor 10 suggest, he was nov expected TO
maintain The duty was . light one, but
he apprehcudcd the respondent would
find il difficult To cvade When Andrew
johnson took upon himself the duties OF
office be >wore to take care that the laws
should be faithfully executed. The
duties OF legislation and adjudication
Of the laws fell in no way to his lot.
To obey the commands of the sovereign
power Of the nation, and TO see that othcrs
obcycd. was his whole duty Hi, attemp,
to escape that duty would be misprision
Of perjury. Mr. Stevens said, | accuse
him in the name Of the House OF Repre-
sentative, Of having perpctratcd that foul
offrnsc. Mr.. Stevens then reviewed the
question Of the Sccretaryship of Warand
charged that the President had plainly
and willfully violated the law, which he
had sworn to ,ec faithfully executed.
Mr.. Steven, ridiculed the idea set up 10y
the respondent, that the case did not come
under the t,uure-uf-otiice law, hccauS,
Mr. Stanton was appointed by Mr. Lin
coin. IL claimed that Icy the constitu'
ton the Vice-Pre,idont, when called Ia
the Presidency. va, not serving ont q
new term Of his own. but only the uncN.
pired term Of hi, predecessor, In rcla-
zion To- the matter OF interest, Mr.. Stevens
said i'll impeachment-, more in indictments
the fact charged carried with il all that
was necessary 10 say about intent.
He went further than some and con
tended that no corrupt or wicked motive
need instigate the acts, for winch i'm
pcuchment i brought 1t was enough
that they were official violations Of the
law. The President justified himself by
asserting that all previous Presidents had
exercised the same right Of removing Off
GERS. but there was no express laws
against it, 50 the eases were not parallel
The President said that he removed Mr.
Stanton to test the constitution of the
law. He had already seen il tested and
decided by votes twice given by two.
thirds of the Senators ana House Of Rep
rc,entatiye- II stood as Law upon the
statute book Instead Of enforcing that
law, lie took advantage Of the name and
funds Of the 'uitcd States 10 resist ii and
to induce othcrato resist The President
asserted that he did not remove Mr.. Stan
ton under the tcnurc-0f-office law. This
WAS a direct contradiction Of his own let
ter to the Secretary of the Treasury
How necessary that man should have q
good conscience or good memory
The President denies that he ATTEMPTED
to prevent the execution Of the tenure 0
Office law, and yet in the correspondence,
with Gen. Grant, he rcproachcd the Gen,
eral by the assertion that the Genera
knew that his the Presidents object wa,
! to prevent Edwin NJ. Stanton from forth.
with resuming the functions of his office
notwithstanding the Senate might docid,
in his favor. Mr. Stevens then referred
to the claim Of the President to violat,
the tenure-of-oflice law, because he con
sidered it invalid and at length consid
cred the position of the President in &C
cepting the oath to take care that the law.
are faithfully executed. He also detailed
the action of Congress on the law, ex
pounded its provision and criticised tn,
claim Of the President to disregard them
He then spoke of the action Of the SEN
ate on the message of the President in
forming that body of the suspension O
Mr.. Stanton, and afterward its actor
upon the removal of Mr.. Stanton and the
appointment of Mr.. Thomas nd interim
Notwithstanding the Senate decided that
he had no power to remove the Secretary
of War and designate any other officer tC
perform the duties of the Office nd interim
he continued Mr.. Thomas in Office Thi,
offspring of assassination. said Mr.. Stevens
turns upon the Senate, who have thus re-
buked him in Constitutional manner
and bids them defiance Mr.. Steven.
then discussed the article charging the
President with usurping Legislative pow
ers, and proceeded TO show how he had
interfered with the work OF reconstruc.
tion. He then briefly reviewed the whole
case, compared the services of Mr.. Stanton
with those of Mr.. johnson, noticed the
claim Of counsel that no removal OF MIR.
lal tnIr ,1ara haPansa Mr