The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-04-24
THE IMPEACHMENT CASE.
WILL THE SENATE CONVICT ?

Forney's paper, the Washington Chronicle,
which is the special mouthpiece Of the extreme
Radical faction, and is supposed to reflect, in
measure, the views of the impeachment mana
gers, thus expresses itself concerning the
final result Of impeachment 1.-THE articles
will be voted on separately in open court, and
the general result will be in nowise affected by
failure to sustain any single article, the sus-
tanning of any single article being equally as
effective as though all were sustained. II is
believed that the question Of conviction or ac-
quittal will be finally decided by the middle Of
next week."
The Baltimore Sun, having editorially ex-
pressed grave doubt as to whether two-thirds
OF the Senate could 30 ignore reason and JUS
tice as to declare for verdict Of guilty, quail
ties it's opinion by the following remarks:
1t must be admitted, however, that the votes
of the majority GU Saturday overruEng the de-
csions Of the Chief Justice. in regard to the
admission of testimony, showing that the
President had acted on the judgment OF his
Cabinet In connection with the Tenure-of-oitice
bill, we're in fat contradiction to the rulings OF
Friday, and looked as if the majority feared
that BY those rulings they had let in too
much, and that some secret influence had been
at work to narrow the question to one OF O
mere technical infraction OF the law, and e1-
cude altogether the vital element of intent.
The constant current Of the rulings OF the
Senate for some days had indicated O wiling
ness to let in all the facts showing the motives
aud objects Of the President in his re-
moval Of Mr.. Stanton, but when the majority,
on Saturday last, refused to admit testi-
mony that the President had acted under the
counsel Of his constitutional advisers, and that
at the meeting of the Cabinet, MIR. Stanton
being present, when the Tenure-of-ofice bill
came up for consideration, the question was
asked and the opinion expressed that MIR.
Stanton and other Cabinet officers appointed
by Mr.. Lincoln did not come under its restric-
tions, the inconsistency Of ruling out such
facts, with the previous equitable rulings, was
abrupt and unaccountable, and tended to dis
courage the hopes which their liberal course
which have been suppressed in Senate are
before the country, and will exercise their le-
gitimate influence at the bar Of public opinion.
It will be found that the popular heart is con-
cerned only with the great principles of justice,
and has no sympathy with the attempt at con-
viction Of the President upon mere technl-
cality.
The Senate consists of ffty-four members
two-thirds Of whom are necessary for cony1c-
ton. Twelve members Of the Senate being
known to have considered there was no ground
for ever entering upon the work of impeach.:
ment at al-includlng the Democrats, and
Messrs. Doolittle, Dixon and Norton-it may
be assumed will vote against impeachment.
This leaves forty-two Republicans, or forty,one
if Mr.. Wade does not vote, as the New York
Tribune says he is expected not to, because of
the fact that he will succeed to the Presidency
if Mr.. Johnson is deposed. If seven OF these
forty-one Republicans vote with the opposition,
MIR. johnson will be acquitted, it only requir-
ing nineteen votes for that p9rp1se The T
den. of Maine, Anthony and Sprague, OF Rhode
, Island Sherman, ] Of Ohio, Van Winkle and vii
Ley q West St yGns FOws5 ra OF rennefse anS Rass
of Kansas. who. it SAYS, have been counted on
with more or less confidence 70 vote for acquit-
tai though it believes of the ten barely three
will vote that way, if so many. 1t ought to be
very difficult to believe, however, that two
thirds OF the Senate can be found to say, on
their oaths, that the President is guilty OF high
crimes and mlsdemeanors in connection With
ANYTHING that has been charged.