The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-04-02

The last number of the Saturday Review has .
glance 1T American affairs, and dscourses az fol-
lows about impeachment Il will do Us ali good
to know what uninterested and lmpassionaoa
writer's at a distance think of Us s..t
The Republican party in the American Congress
finds that 1t is compelled, by logical necessity,
70 adopt more and more exceptional measures a.
fs successive experiments prove to be abortivo.
Having imposed numerous restraints on the con-
stiiuiional power Of the president, the majority
would willingly have avoided the dangerous inno-
vaton OF political impeachment; but NJ. John
son is an obstinate man, and he feels that be 10
defending the spirit Of the Constitution against
the epcroacbments of Congress. IL Is only Of
late that the right of the president to dismiss his
ministers has been called in question; nor has it
ever before been doubted that the executive au-
thority was entirely independent Of the legislature
In dismissng Mr.. Stanton, the president has clearly
Violated the act of last session, but he has kept
within the limits Of the Constitution it has been
universally understood and interpreted Even IL
it is true that every act of Congress must be
considered valid until II is declared by the
supreme Court to be unconstitutional the
charge Of high crimes and msdeme anors con-
sissing In the dismissal OF an ins1bordinato
nlnisIer seems to be absurdly frivolous. A
The House Of Representatives has thought it
TO present articles OF Impeachment. the Senate,
under the presidency Of the chief justice must try
The case The American Constitution has 10 this
respect closely followed English practice. although
impeaehms nts have at all times been the most un-
sixty years the form OF proceeding has, by gene
raj consent. been abandoned Ia England, and the
senate " Il not b more competent tribunal than
The House oil i, rds. Tho only penalties which
cen, in the event of q conviction, be imposed on
the president are deposition and disqualification
from holding Office in future. AS IL seems not
Improbable that Mr.. johnson may be selected a.
4 candidate BY the Democratic Convention
n the approaching presidential election, tbs Rs
publicans perhaps hope TO embarass their sdger-
2aries by rendering him Ineligible. Itissurprising
hat they should fail TO appreciate the inc ,nve-
nience Of president which can At any time be
followed By majority. In substance Mr.. John
son Is impes ched for differing from the dominant
patty in CODgreas, and The 'same course may be
adopted against . Republican presideot when
ever the balance Of poxer is altered. II the
Senate declines TO enter into the constitu-
iioDal character Of the act Of Congress, it
would sstm that Mr.. johnson mast be inevitably
convicted. The great increase Of the. power Of
Congress may perhaps have been legitimate and
necessary, for Il is impossible TO regulate the
whole government Of great country forever By
the terms Of any written document. bat criminal
prosecution insti pted by the innovating payty
against the chief adherent Of the ancient doctrine
Is intrinsicaly harsh and unjust The most impor-
tapt question which will be raised By the ifapeAoh-
mest relsies to the probab3e demand for the pre-
risionsl suspension Of the president from the ex1V
else of his functions l