The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-04-28
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The counsel for The President occu-
pied two weeks in Offering testimony.
Butihe moral evidence was already in.
For three years the country has had
the Executive in full view, and we pre-
sumo no one who seriously wishes that
the legitimate results of the war shall
he secured, has supposed that such "a
result would he possible while "a man
who Is dOggedly bent upon committing,
the political power in the late rebel
States exclusively to the late rebels is
III the Executive chair. Yet he ingen-
iously avoided committing the techni-
cal overt act which would bring him nv
the letter as well as by the spirit wholly
within the constitutional conditions Of
Impeachment. Consequently hecou
try, willing to impeach, did not de-
mnnd impeachment. 1t was felt to be
better to endure to the end OF his term,
and then replace him by loyal, intel
ngent Magistrate, who would cooper
nte with the representatives of the
people, instead of thwRrting them upon
every opportunity. But, as often hap
pens TO men in his position, the Presi-
dents cunning sophisticated and
betrayed him. lie deliberately violated
the law. Instantly public opinion
assented to the constitutional remedy.
The dominant party in Congress, which
In December had emphaticallY refused
to impeach, In February promptly and
unanimously presented articles Of i'm
parchment.
The public Interest in the trial h,s
been unhaGHiuG. Its daily progress has
been most carefully studied, and its
significance cannot be overestimated
That amidst the profound agitalions
acrimOnies, and party heats that neces,
sRrily follow civil war, the Chic
Magistrate OF the nation can DO tran.
Frfa
his part. and with entire conformity &c
the fundamental law, is the most sig,
nal illustration of the advance OF civil,
ization. There Is nothing that would
so mark the actual gain of political so
ciety in the perfect supremacy OF law
and nothing, consequently, that would
so essentially weaken every govern
ment resting upon privilege and force
after trial and conviction, the peaceRbl,
deposition of the President and thI
quiet progress of the Government.
would then appear that whether tbs
head of the Government be assassina
ted or legally removed, the politica
structure does not rest upon a person
but upon all the people, and that the
system is not even Jared by any per
sonal fortune.
The Presidents defense has beer
wholly conducted by Mr.. Stanbery, Mr.
Curtis and Mr.. Evarts, and with dec
Drum and dignity equal to their ability
and betiItinR the gravity of the cause
The case for the Managers has been
intrusted to General Butler. His skill
GOODNESS, promptitude and knowledge
have been conspicuous; but. unhappily,
his want Of tact and courtesy and his
peculiar training in the courts have not
been less so. Inevitable as we believe
the result of the trial TO be, we can not
but think 1t has been often harmed both
by the manner of General Butler and
by the method OF conducting their case
adopted by the Managers. It WAS de-
sirnble, within proper limits, to allow
in 50 exceptional a case and
before so exceptional a tribunal, TO
take wide range, and it was therefore
a mistake TO contest every point with
the pertinacity of a criminal lawyer in
a doubtful trial. The Senate, however,
wisely resolved not to make any strin-
gent rule upon the subject, deciding
that II was better tosettle each question
of admissibility as it arose.
The effort of the defense was to