Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-05-20
Senator Wilson ON Impeachment.

have pressed Tor action aud our deliberations
have been distracted by the diverse opinions
of Senators learned in the law, ! have striven
to discharge my duty by giving whatever
doubts couded my judgment, or embarrassed
my action, to patriotism, to liberty and to
justice--to the security Of my country and
the rights of its citizens. In CHANGING back
over these years find few votes | would re-
call by following this rule of action.
The trainers of the Constitution well knew
the seductive, grasping aud aggressive nature
of executive power. High misdemeanors may
or may not be violations Of the laws. High
msdcmcanors may in my Judgment, be mis-
behavior in office detrimental TO the interests
of the nation or dishonoring to the Govern
ment. entertain the conviction that the
trainers of the Constitution intended to inn
pose the high duty upon the House Of Repre-
sentatvcs to arraign the Chief Magistrate for
such misbehavor in office as endangered the
nation, and to impose upon the Senate the du-
ty Of trying convictng and removing the
chief magistrate proved guilty of such misbc-
havior Believing this to be the intention of
the trainers of the Constitution, and its true
meanings believing that the power should be
exercised whenever the security of the couu-
try and the liberties of the people Imperative
ly demand il and believing, by the evidence
adduced 10 prove the charges Of violating the
Constitution and the Tonurc-ol-oihcc act aud
the confessed and justified act. of the Pres-
dent, that he is guilty of high misdemeauors,
mhostatmgy vote for his conviction and
removal from his high Office. The assump-
tions Of power put forth by the President ia
his defence cannot but startle and alarm all
men who would maintain the just powers of
all branches of the Government Had the
President inadvertently violated the Constitu-
tion and the laws--had he urged in iustilica-
ton misconstruction of the Constitution and
the laws-I might have hcstated to vote for
his conviction; but he claims the right to re-
move civil officers and appoint others ad IN
term during the session of the Senate. If
that claim Of power is admitted by vote Of
acquttal the President can remove, during
the session of the Senate, tens of thousands Of
civil officers, with their millions of compensa-
tion, and appoint his own creatures to GIL their
places without the advice and consent Of the
Senate, and thus nullily that provision of the
Constitution that empowers the Senate to give
its advice and consent to appointments. Not
content with this assumption Of power, the
President claims the right to pronounce law
of Congress unconstitutional refuse to ox-
ecute it, although he is sworn to do so, and to
nopenly violate it with a view of testing its
constitutionality in the courts--although no
means may exist for months or years to come
10 test the consttutionality Of the law in ju-
licial tribunals of the country. The Presi-
lent claims and has exercised the right 10 de-
carc Congress an unconstitutional body, IN
fapab2e of enacting laws or of proposing
amendments to the Constitution TO hold the
avs in allegiance to refuse to execute them
md TO defantly violate them in order to test
heir constitutionaity These are the posi-
ions assumed by Andrew johnson. These
assumptions change the character OF our gov
Prnment. If they are sustained by verdict
IF acquittal, the President ceases to be the
|ervant of the law and becomes the master Of
he people, and law-nonexecuting power, a
aw-defying power. A law-brcaking power
5 created within the government, instead Of
IN executive bound to the faithful execution
the laws of Congress The nation has IN
Executive bound only to execute the laws ac-
|ording to his own caprices, whims and SOW
reign pleasure, Never can | assent by a
(ote Of acquittal to Executive assumptions so
unconstitutional, so subversiye of the govern
hent, so revolutionary in their scope and ten
ency. Criminal acts raise the presumption
wrong motives, intentions and purposes
oming into power he at once, in spite Of the
ears and protests of the loyal men who had
onfded in him, entered upon policy that
laced the conquered rebel States im.the keep
hg of traitors and put loyal men and the
freedmen completely under the authority of
ben who had striven for years, on bloody
|elds, to destroy their country, to perpetuate
he slavery of the very men surrendered to
heir control. To tighten the burdens and par
Tally protect and defeat the endangered rights
# the freedmen, Congress passed freedmen's
bureau bill (; the President arrested it by a
Feto. Congress passed another freedmen's
bureau bill the President endeavored to de-
eat it by another veto ; aud when it passed
be stroye to embarrass and thwart its opera
ions to protect the freedmen he had wicked
y abandoned to the control of their enemies
Congress passed civil rights bill the Pres
dent attempted to arrest it by veto, and
Failing in that he has neglected to enforce it.
Congress endeayored, by submitting an amend
IHtbi 10 Ant NohHlltutloH, 70 SECURE inc ftcnu-
struction of the Union. The President met
liz by a denial of the authority Of Congress
to submit an amendment, and by an invoca-
ton to his Governments in the rebel States to
reject it. The rebel States failing to adopt
the Constitutional amendment Congress passed
the reconstruction measures over the yetocs.
Those measures Of restoration have eneoun-
tered in their execution the hostility of the
President. The faithful generals have been
removed for their fidelity and efficiency, and
others have been rebuked and thwarted The
history Of the past three years records it, and
pur personal knowledge attests it, that the
President has sought to prevent the enforce
ment of laws passed over his vetoes La every
form he has striven to prevent the restoration
pf the union on basis of loyalty to the coun-
Try and the equal rights and privileges of the
eople. The evidences legally before us, the
ecords of the country, the personal knowl-
dye of Senators, show the motives and inten-
ions of President johnson To accomplish
is purposes, he sought, by the use of Execu-
i've patronage, to corrupt the American peo-
lie. To defeat the will Of the people, the
resident, in the interests of disloyalty, sought
. use the corrupt and corrupting influences
Executive patronage. The Postmaster
ieneral made the shameless declaration that
nc officers who ate the Presidents bread
hould support his policy. To maintain the
ountry, as well as to protect honest public
Ulcers who would not betray their country,
congress enacted the Civil Tenure act it
net the Executive veto, the Executive denun-
Siation of unconstitutionality and the Execu-
i've violation. Mr.. Williams, of the House
bf Representatives, who drew the proviso to
the first section of the BILL tells us that he in
tended that the bill should protect Mr.. Stan
ton. The Senator from Oregon MIR. Will
liame,l who originally introduced the bill,
and was on the Committee of Conference
and the Senator from Vermont MIR. Ed
munds,l who reported the bill from the Com.
mittee on Judiciary, and who was, also, ON
the Committee of Conference. claim that Mr.