The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1868-04-30
THADDEUs STEVENS SPEECH ON
IMPEACHMENT.

1z:3O Mr.. Stevens mounted the Clerk
desk and read his arguments in pretty
firm voice from printed slips. After
about ten minutes he took chair and
read sitting. At five minutes before
one his voice showed signs of weakness,
aud Gen. Butler read the remainder Of
his argument.
Mr.. Stevens said he should discuss
only the article that had been adopted
at his earnest solicitation and which was
sufficient for his conviction.
When Andrew Johnson took upon
himself the duties of his Office he swore
to take care that the laws be faithfully
carried out. The duties of the legisla-
ton and the adjusting of law fall in no
way to his lot. To obey the sovereign
power of the nation, and see that others
obeyed these, was his whole duty. His
attempt to escape that duty will be sus-
picion Of perjury. 1 accuse him IN the
name of the House of Representatives
Of having perpetrated that foul offense.
Mr.. Stevens ridiculed the idea that
Stanton's case did not come under the
tenure Of Office act, because he was ap-
pointed by Lincoln. The Vice-Presi-
dent when called to the Presidency was
serving out the unexp,red term Of his
predecessor.
+" Nh. Stevens said the President assert
ed that he did not remove Secretary
Stanton under the Tenure-ot-O Office law.
This was a direct contradiction of his
own letter to the Secretary of the
Treasury.
Mr.. Stevens then referred to the
claim of the President to violate the
tenure of Office law because be consid-
cred it invalid, and considered the posi-
ton of the President in accepting the
oath to take care that the laws are faith
fully executed. He also detailed the
action Of Congress on the law, expound-
ed its provisions and criticised the claim
Of the President to disregard them.
He then took up the action of the Sem
ate on the message of tho President in
forming that body Of the suspension Of
Stanton, and afterwards it's action upon
the removal Of Stanton, and the appoint
ment Of Thomas ad interim, notwith-
standing the Senate declared that he
had 40 power to remove the Secretary
Of War and designate any other officer
to perform the duties Of the Office I'D
interim. He continued
'tThomas in Office, this offspring of
assassination" said Mr.. Stevens, "turns
upon the Senate who have rebuked
him in constitutional manner, and
bids them Defiance
~ He then briefly reviewed the whole
case, compared the services of Stanton
with those Of johnson, noticed the
claim Of the counsel that no removal
Of Stanton had taken place because
Stanton still held on to the Office, and
concluded by saying that if tho Presi-
dent is not willing to execute the laws
Of Congress, let him resign and retire
to bis village obscurity.
The following is the concluding par
agraph Of the speech of Mr.. Stevens :
After the death Of Mr.. Lincoln, in
stead of being content with the position
the people had given him, he sought to
become thereafter, as then, the Chief
Executive Of tho nation, This he
knew could only be done by changing
the principles on which he was nomina.
ted, and seeking a new party to sustain
him. After some little hesitation he
resolved upon that course and perpetra.
ted = betrayal Of the party that had
elected him and the principles he pro-
fessed, baser than the betrayal by
Judas for he, job nson, sacrificed
whole nation and host Of principles.