Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-05-13

pOrtant matters-as trivial In themselves as
the claim of President johnson. The re-
moval of Mr.. Stanton is minor event.
That statesman longs to retire. Sick,
weary, broken in the service of the coun-
try, he yearns for home and rest. In any
event, he abandons public life. We do not
impeach Mr.. johnson only because we de-
sire Mr.. Stanton, but because the claim
upon which his removal is made will, if
sustained, enable the President to assume
unlimited power. Permit it as precedent,
and we make the Executive of this nation
as absolute and imperial as Cesar. High
over the mist and gloom of this party pas
sion we see towering the ambition of abso-
lutte monarchy. Republicanism is strug-
Cling with Imperialism-the Ballot with
the Scepter. The laws of France were as
free under the first Bonaparte as the laws
of the United States. France permitted
him to ''construe" them, to decide upon
their ''constitutionality," to execute them
as he pleased, to govern according to his
'intent," and not according to the law.
He speedily mounted the throne in the
name of Liberty, and mancled France in
the interest of the Republic!
Therefore it is the wisest and most in
trepid craftsmanship to end this contest
now. If zoe adjourn it, or make conlpro-
mise or surrender. zoe are undone. Let Re-
publican Senators permit the President to defy
or eu1de the lao toith tmpuaity, and the Sen
ate may as ,oeu tarl the flag that floats ouer the
Capitol, and depart foreuer from its halls. If
President may doubt one law. he may
doubt all laws, and government becomes
the expression of his gracious pleasure.
The Supreme Court would be a reed in the
storm, a bank of sand, a breastwork of
snow. 1t would perish before his first
"breath," and with the execution of its
DEGREES left to his untram neled pleasure.
their DEGREES would be so much rhetoric.
The law is silent when the sword is held
by an unchecked hand. The Courts are
only strong when the Legislature can
compel the Executive to obey their
mandates. Call these branches coordinate,
II you please. The people are sovereign,
and the people speak through their repre-
sentatives. Remember, we are dealing
with man who does not recognize these
men as representatives. MIR. Nelson tells
us he doubts If Congress IS really a Con-
gress. 1t exists by Mr.. Johnson's compla-
cency, his suffrance, his mercy. Acquit
him, and the Senate and House which have
so long been changing upon the verge OF
the Government" may tomorrow be hurl-
ed into chaos and anarchy. We insist that
there is no middle course, no compromise,
no possible surrender Andrew johnson
is either Criminal or he is King. You must
either drive him from power or he stands
clothed with all the attributes of Royalty
Fail to remove him now, by the
gentle process of law, your next attempt
will be revolution. Instead of Mr..
Chase as Justice presiding, we may
have General commanding. A man who
has driven this country into every conceiv-
able agony and tumult needs only the ap-
proval of Congress to drive it into war;
Remember, all he has done has been under
the menace of Impeachment. Dissolve
that menace, and what may come? Look
at him, we are told He is nothing but a
quiet, placid, innocent, extremely consti-
tutional gentleman. Would he hurt any
body? Senators, 20 back to the fairy tales
of your childhood, and think how Snbad
was once induced to take an innocent old
gentleman upon his shoulders; or, passing
to a noble illustration, remember that this
man in the White House is the incarnation
of Treason and Slavery, and these Demo-
cratic voices are but the prayer of the baf-
fled Rebellion.
You take my house when you do take the prop
That doth sustain my house you take my life
When you do take the m ans whereby live
1t is therefore impossible to escape inpedch-
Daent. The Senate mast conUict Mr.. Johnson
or assume the responsibility of his succeeding
policy, and share ,oith him the odium of his past
career. The Republican Senators have
voted hundred times that the President
is an enemy of the country! Anv Repub-
licdn uote noao but one of impeachment is there
fore a lie. If it is well to sustain Mr.. John
son, then all the votes against him have
been partisan and factious. 1t is cowardly
to claim an additional responsibility of
an OATH" If the new oath c0mpels SEN
ator to change his mind, then every vote
under the official oath is a perjury
We could wish unanimous vote on I'm
peachment, but the partisauship of the
Democrats forbids this. So it becomes the
high and solemn mission of the Republican
party. We accept it, just as we accepted
the War, and Emancipation as a conse-
quence of war. We did not hesitate to
march million of white men into the val
ley of death, and to lift four millions of
black men out of the darkness of slavery.
We shall not hesitate to drive an infamous
ruler from power. Impeachment is loy7lty
patriotism, craftsmanship. The Republican
soho votes against it seeks lot aoih the men soo
haze e0arred and plotted for the destruction of
the ReDubLic.