Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-05-22

motives, intentions and purposes. Coming int
power he at once, in spite of the fears and pro
tests of the loyal men who had confded in him
entered upon policy that placed the conquered
rebel States in the keeping Of traitors, and put
loyal men ard the freedmen completely under the
authority Of men who had striven for years, on
bloody fields, to destroy their country, to per-
petuate the slavery Of the very men surrendered
TO their control, to tighten the burdens and par
| TALLY protect and defeat the endangered rights
of the freedmen. Congress passed a freedmen S
/ bureau bill; the President arrested it by veto.
! Congress passed another freedman bureau bill !;
the President endeavOred TO defeat il by another
veto; and when it passed he stroye to embarrass
and thwart its operations to protect the freed
men he had wickedly abandoned to the control Of
their enemies. Congress passed a civil rights
bill the President attempted to arrest it by a
veto, and falling in that he has neglected to en-
force it. -. Congress endeavored, by submitting
an amendment to the Constitution, to secure the
reconstruction Of the Union. The President met
1t by denial Of the authority Of Congress TO sub
NIT an amendment, and by an invocation 10 his
Governments in the rebel States to reject it. The
rebel States failing to adopt the Constitutional
amendment Congress passed the reconstruction
measures over Executive vetoes. Those measures
Of restoration have encountered in their execu-
tion the hostility Of the President. The faithful
Generals have been removed for their fidelity and
efficiency, and others have been rebuked and
thwarted. The history of the past three years
records it, and our personal knowledge attest 1t,
that the President has sought to prevent the en-
f0rcement Of laws passed lover his yetoes In every
form he has striyeu to prevent the restoration Of
the Union on a basis Of loyalty TO the country
and the equal rights and privileges OF the peo-
rla rbn bnfl bp 70
cords Of the country, the personal knowledge of
Senator's show the motives and intentions Of
President johnson. To accomplish his purposes,
he sought, by the use Of Executive patronage, TO
corrupt the American people To defeat the
will Of the people, the President, IN the interests
Of disoyalty, sought to use the corrupt and cor
rupting influences of Executive patronage. The |
Postmaster General made the shameless declara-
ton that the officers who ate the Presidents |
bread should support his policy. To maintain |
the country, As well as 10 protect honest public |
officers who would not betray their country, |
Congress enacted the Civil Tenure act; it met the
Executive veto, the Executive deEunciation Of |
unconstitutionality, and the Executive violation.
Mr.. Williams Of the House of Representatives,
who drew the proyiso to the first section Of the
BILL tells US that he intended that the bill should
protect Mr.. Stanton. The Senator from Oregon
[ Mr., " illiams, who originally introduced the
bill. and was on the Committee Of Conference
and the Senator from Vermont (Nr. Edmunds,)
who reported the bill from the Committee on Ju-
iciary, and who was, also, on the Committee o
Conference, claim that Mr. Stanton is protected
by the act. \ fair and logical construction Of
the language Of the act gives its protection to
Mr.. Stanton. \ large majority in Congress
voted for the bill in the belief that it threw its
protection over the great War Secretary, who
stood before the country one Of the foremost
champions Of Congress in its struggle against the
lisorganizing and unpatriotic action
# the Executive. Mr. Stanton was suspended.
In support Of the acts Of the President. claims
ire made and powers asserted by the President,
hostile TO the spirit and genius Of our institu
ions to the integrity Of the Government and the
ecurity of public liberty. The acQuittal Of the
resident will give the sanction Of the Senate to
he monstrous powers assumed and claimed by
he President, and will, in my Judgment, in
relse the lawlessuess, disorder aul outrage now
% prevalent in the States lately in rebellion. His
ouyiction and removal from Office viii rebuhe
awlessncss. disorder and crime, and inspire hope
nl courage among loyal and law abiding men.
Cannot contemplate without anxiety the fatal
fleets, the suffering and sorr0w that must follow
he acquittal Of the President Conscious Of the
responsibilities that rest upcn me, shall unhes-
atiug'y vote for the conviction Of the Presl-
ent, for hi. removal from office and for his dis
utilization from hereafter holding any Office.