Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-02-28
Am Ass I'm N Lions Skim.

In judging of the recent performances
of Andrew johnson it should be borne in
mind that he never acts without motive.
He has offered himself as martyr to the
rage of Republican Congress for some
reason. 1t was perfectly easy for him to
get rid of Secretary Stanton by nominal
ing successor, and sending his name to
the Senate in the constitutional way. At
least it was easy for him TO try. 1t will
stand upon the record that he has not, up
to tie present time, sent to the Senate any
nomination Tor the tffice of Secretary of
War. He first suspended Mr. Stanton, but
he never nominated General Grant for the
place. The Senate decided that the rea-
sons for the suspension were insufficient.
After waiting until the Copperhead Ma
tional Committee had assembled to decide
several important questions relative to
their forthcoming Convention, heassumed
the extraordinary and unprecedented
power to GUST an officer Of the Govern
ment, and to install his successO without
consulting the Senate. There must have
been reason for this, for Andrew John
son, though desperate, is not altogether
fool
The Constitution of the United States
provides in Article 2, Section 2, Para
graph g:
HE Uhe Presidency shall have power, by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make
treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators
present concur; and he shall nominate and BY and
with the advice and consent of the Senate. shall
appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and
COnsuls, Judges Of the Supreme Court, and all
9th, officers of the United ates. whose appoint
ments are not herein otherwise provided for. and
which shall be established by law. But the Con-
gress may by law vest the appointments of such
inferior officers they think proper in the Preei-
dent alone, or in the heads of Departmental
It will be seen that the Constitution con-
fers upon the President the power "to
nominate" and, "with the consent of the
Senate, appoint" The President has no
power TO, "appoint" any person to Office,
without the previous consent of the Sen
ate, except in the cases of vacancies hap
pening during the recess, and then only by
granting commissions which expire at the
end of the next session of the Senate.
There IS no case on record in the history of
the Government of President making an
appointment to office and installing the
appoiptee while the Senate was in session,
uatil that body had approved the nomina-
ton.
But Congress, in execution of the power
vested in them by the provision Of the
Constitution we have quoted, has declared
that no person, whose appointment is
made by the advice and consent of the
Senate, shall be removed from office until
his successor shall have been nominated
and confirmed The law provides that if
any person shall assume such office and at
tempt to exercise its functions contrary to
law, she shall be deemed, and is hereby
declared to be, guilty of a high INSIDE
meanor, and, upon trial and conviction
thereof, shall be punished therefor by
fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars,
or by Imprisonment not exceeding five
years, or both said punishments, in the
discretion of the court"
The law provides further, shat every
removal, appointment, or employment
made, had OF exercised, contrary to the
provisions of this act, and the making,
signing, or issuing any letter of authority
or commission, shall be deemed q high
misdemeanor," and the party, upon con-
vlction shall be liable to the same penal
ties imposed for attempting to exercise the
| office.
n x x = x
The President assumes that the Office
| Tenure bill is unconstitutional, and that,
I therefore, he is at liberty to violate it;
but his criIninality is not dependent upon
the validity of the law. The Constitution
| prohibits him from making an appoint
iuCnts WltuUub. tAC piSFAOoS oPPAOFoA "
the Senate, unless that power has been
conferred upon him by law. There Is no
pretence that Congress has granted such
power, and his assumption that the law
withholding from him the power Of arbi-
trary removal and appointment is uncon-
stitutional, is nothing but sham.
| Andrew Jobnson's sole object since he
has filed the Presidential office has been
to secure the votes Of the rebel States in
the Democratic Convention and the Elec-
toral College for re election. His 'pol-
icy +" has had this end and aim from the
first to last. Of late the strength of Pen
dleton has so alarmed him that he finds it
necessary toget upan excitement of which
he shall be the centre, and he chooses the
time when the Copperhead committee are
in Washington, for the purpose of getting
the Convention called at some place like
New York, where the local Copperhead
influence will be favorable to him and
aga INST Pendleton. lie has put On lions
skin, this ass of President, and trotted
himself up and down Pennsylvania ave-
neue to be admired by the assembled Cop
perheads at Wizards Hotel. He violates
the law openly and publicly, wilfully and
designedly; he does this knowing that it