Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-03-22
A FOREIGN VIEW OF IMPEACH.
MENT

|
French politician of liberal republican
views, and an acute and highly intelli-
gent observer of American affairs, has
written the following letter, which ap-
pears in the Courier des EtaB Unis of
New York. 1t forcibly expresses the
fears entertained by the ardent European
admirers of the American system of gov
eminent, that it will be unable to stand
the experiments to which Radical excess
is subjecting it He pereeives clearly
that the Congress of the United States
has attempted to absorb in itself all the
power of government, and that its sue
cess in the scheme of deposing the Presi-
dent and overthrowing the authority of
the Supreme Court, will destroy the bali
ance of the system, and leave us in the
condition of France under the Convena
ton-in other words in a despotism of
the most atrocious Descriptions many
headed monster The comments of this
disinterested and impartial critic are al
together just and should arrest the Sc
rious attention of the men at Washing
ton in the present pause for elaboration :
"PAR1s, Feb. 2S, 1S6S.-Of all foreign
news, nothing has produced greater SEN
sation in France than the dispatch from
Washington of February Goth, announcing
| H. ,-ff~ III ~ Of
dent johnson were brought before the bar
| of the Senate by a committee from the
| House of Representatives. This is not
only of considerable concern TO the Presi-
dent personally, he is almost Indifferent to
the mass of the public; but what alarms
the friends of American institutions is the
confusion caused in these institutions by
the indefinite extension of the legislative
power at the expense of the executive and
judiciary. What is admirable in the Con-
stitution of the United States is the inge-
NOUS balance which seems established be-
tween the three powers, one of which, it
is believed, cannot permit any usurpation
without Immediately encountering check
in the resistance of the other two. On ac-
count Of this arrangement, the American
republic appears TO be safe from the dicta-
ton OF = Bonaparte or a Cromwell, and
from that Of a no less ruinous conven-
ton.
"But il appears to-day that this admira-
ton is too hasty, and that the American
Republic is no more free than others from
usurpations. The Constitution, bequeathed
by the founders Of independence TO their
descendants as a holy ark, exists no longer.
except in name. We no longer under
stand that Congress, which limits itself
alone the constitutional prerogatives of
the President and the Supreme Court, in
order 10 make them the docile instruments
Of It's own will. We cannot acknowledge,
as a veritable Magistrate, a chief of re-
public who has no longer the light TO
choose his counselleFs-a Commander-in-
Chief Of armies who is withstood and
abused by Generals legally placed under
his orders. We are painfully astonished
at seeing a Supreme Court, especially
charged with pronouncing on the consti
nationality of the laws, declare itself in
competent when two States appeal to its
decisions on the subject Of law which
they believe unconstitutional. This timid-
ity Of the Supreme Court is sadder than
the temerity Of Congress, because there
/ aAN AZ AAN AaiANA an NAANANnAdHAA anu a NNul
age which do not exist in the former
Mr.. johnson becomes almost grand amid
these usurpers and deserters from the law !;
he becomes great by his calmness aud per-
severance, which can have their source ouly
in profound conviction Of his right and
bis duty. The Radical majority Of Con-
gress is probably quite as much convinced
that il serves the interest Of the country
in dissrming the Executive, and in tying
its hands. But then, let it have courage
Of mind; let il abolish frankly the ancient
Constitution, and replace itwiih new one,
in which there shall no longer be three
powers, but one only. This pure and
simple return TO the system OF the French
, Convention Of 1898 will be more dignihed
and more rational than these out-of the-Way
usurpatioBs, which dishonor the head Of