Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-03-04
Congressional.
or NH POLAND OF VERMONT,
rnr 1FE1dInEST QUESTION.

~ fEbht AM ~ 1000 L.
Mr. Speaker ] desire to say q few words in eN-
rlanation of nv own position, and Of the vote
which feel compelled 10 give upon the important
proposition now before che House.
N is well known to the members Of this House.
TO my eonstmnts. and V The country, that vot-
ed aqaiutt pteierririg the Articles OF impeachment
of the President which were reported by maori
w of The Judiciary Committee az me commence,
nent of the present session. IL is not neediui
Mai enter into any detailed statement of the rea-
sons npon Which The vote was given. But Will
saw Mst from q careful examination Of all the ey-
ilenoe taken and reported to us by the Judiciary
Committee was not satisfied that the President
had been guilty of any such express and specihc
violations Of law, OF Of any such willtu and cor
rupt official misconduct as would legally authorize
a conviction by the Senate. The President and
The Congress Of tho United States were diametri.
cally opposed ia their views to the proper poll
cy 10 BE pursued In the restoration Of the States
hteiy in rebellion The political party in the
country opposed to the majority in both Houses OF
Congress had rallied to the support Of the Presi-
dents policy, and in opposition to that oil Con,
gress; and the President had joined his political
fortunes with the party in opposition TO that which
itd id moi appear to me that any such special
and definite oifensc could be proved against the
President as 10 giye bis impeachment or convection
any other appearance or character than political
one, and greatly feared that we should thus cs-
tablsh precedent which might seem to justify
ans future Congress in removing from office any
President on account Of mere political differences,
It's known, too, shat very great differences eN-
isted upon the law Of Impeachment, and whether
the President could legally be impeached for cor
rupt misconduct in Office when no law bad been
passed declaring such misconduct to be a crime
and onacting penalty against IT,
In the feyerish evaporation existing between
n.. md | ilOuult IL pgupplnlly
unfortunate that we should be called upon to es-
tablsh a precedent that would have the force of a
law upon that subject. Tue country had just
emerged from a terrible war for the nations life,
Which laid upon US staggering debt which re-
quired al our efforts TO meet our national imam
ces were u a precarious situation the reaction IN
the business Of the country, caused by the change
from the immense demands Of war to the lesser
ones of peace, had created a general depression
in all the industries of the country, which were
laboring inder heavy but necessary burden OF
taxation, .......I..
Under these circumstances when every effort
and energy of every department Of the Govern
ment was needed in aid OF the business and in
dustry Of the country, il seemed to me unwise TO
add a new element of excitement to the financial
eddies and whirlpools and another cause to dis
tract the attention Of Congress from proper effort
% ameliorate tho condition Of die country
was not, perhaps as much affected by the pc
litical aspects and consequences Of the question
as some other persons, here and elsewhere but |
Could not resist tbe belief that under the circum-
stances prosecution Of Impeachment against the
President would be regarded by the people as a
political persecution, and prove disastrous to the
party upon whom must rest rs responsibility.
Besides these reasons, ] desired, if possible, to
avoid the disgrace and obloquy which such pro
ceeding would bring upon republican institutions
and government among other nations and peoples
n IN a.
have moi been able to approve the course Of
the President Tor the last two years more than 9th
er members OF my political party. ] considered
that in Congress, as the law-makng department
Of the Government, rested the power and duty OF
prescribing the forms, terms, and conditions upon
which the seeding and rebelling States should
again be restored to their places in the Uhion and
when he determination Of Congress had been ex-
pressed on that subject by the constitutional ma
iority over the objections of the President that it
was his duty to forego bis own private views and
in good faith to execute their law the will Of the
people. That he did not do so, but, on the con-
trary, 80 far as in his power without express
ly violating the law,) desired and designed that
The legislation Of Congress should prove futile and
pnayailing, | was forced to believe. Notwith-
standing this believed it safer and wiser to en-
dure the evil far the short remainder Of the Pres
iden.s term than to risk the perils incidental to
this new trial Of our system OF government by an
attempt to remove the chief officer of the nation.
| was gratihed that my own view Of the proper
action to be taLan proved to be in harmony with a
majority Of my political friends in this House.
have reason to believe, too, that nv own immedi-
ate constituents lyery few of whom are admirers
Of the President or Of his policy concurred in
the Judgment by which was governed.
am still fully satisfied with the reasons ant
conclusions of my own mind and feel neither com
punciion or regret even when gentlemen who tool
the opposite view somewhat triumphantly and com
placently yaunt their superior wisdom as demon
STATED BY more recent events.
aid most earnestly hope that no new cause o
irritation would arise, and that at least no justei
and more imperative reason for Impeachment pro
ceedings against the President would be afforded
But in this hope / have been disappointed. TIT
President has openly and purposely defed and Sc
at naught a law passed by ourselves according t,
all the forms aud requirements Of the Constitu
ton. III attempting The removal OF the Secretar,
OF War and the devolution Of the duties upol
another without the consent Of the Senate, he ha
committed an act which we have declaredby a lay
Of Congress to be a high misdemeanor, to be pun
shed by severe due and Imprisonment, | do no
understand that this has been done by the Presi
dent upon any claim OF doubt or doubtful inter
probation Of the law, upon which different mind
might come honestly 70 different results as to hi
right and power under and by the law but upo
the broad ground that the law itself is invalid q
cpAIANtunlB .lhe Iiosluflllal power 70 felnpV
persons from Office under the Constitution.
iance this discussion has been pending, | hay
heard it suggested by friends Of the Presider
that he claimed and had been advised that til
SECRETARY OF Wax was not within the provisions
the tenure Of Office" act of March, 1867, becaus
he was appointed to that Office and confirmed b
the Senate during Mr. Lincons first term in til
presidential Office, and had never been formal
reapppinted and confirmed since the commence
ment OF bis second term, ! have not examine
the question sufficiently to satisfy myself whethe
there IS any reasonable ground to make such
question. hak it clear that the President ha
not IN fact acted upon any such ground, but fc
the reason set forth in his veto message-that III
Law itself was invalid. The President treated tn
Secretary Of War as within the provisions Of til
act and suspended him for alleged cause as Il
might properly do, aud submitted his reasons 70
tle suspension to the Senate. / have seen notl
ing from the President himself either in bis oflcii
utteranees or those OF more private character
wh,ch have become public through the press, whic
claim any other Justification for his recent actio
than that the law itself was not binding upon hin
feel very sure that il his action in this respect
allowed to pass unrehuked it will be claimed b
him and his friends as a triumph over the law il
self, and a surrender by Congress to the Presideu
Of the constitutional question involved in the pa.
sage 81 the law. ] cannot, therefore, allow IN,
SELF to treat tins question Of honest diiTerenc
OF opinion between the President and Congress
on the construction Of the law, which acre
wopldnot, in my judgment, be good ground q
impeachment. ] treat it as ! think the Presidep
has treated it, as involving the question whethe
the President is bound by the laws enacted b
Coagress by the constitutional majority over hi