The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-07-29
Mr.. Fessenden on the Impeaehers.

Mr. Fessenden on the Impeachers.
From the National Inteligencer.
Now that Radicalism is about to to grief, and
all the Indications foreshadow its overwhelming defeat
in November every effort is made to unite the dis
ointed factions and to harmonise especially those in
Eterests which the impeachment trial had violently
estranged With this object in view, well doubtless
as to pay deserved tribute his high and honorable
character many of the leading Republicans OF Massa-
chusets, heaeed by the Governor and embracing the
foremost historical names of the State addressed
letter to Mr. Fessenden inviting him to public dinner
That invitation ordinary event. emanating as it
did from the State which had been Extensively con-
spcuous in urging impeachment, and which included
in its representation Sumner, Wilson. Boutwell, and
Butler who had taken the most active and unscrupu
lous part in advocating conviction It may be re-
garded rebuke to the conduct of these reckless
agitators coming from the highest and best men of
their own party, some of whom favored impeachment,
but not the employed to accomplish its success
After the harangues of the Massachusetts, Senators
and managers this subject and the threats against
all who differed with their arrogant dctaton this COM
! pliment to Mr.. Fessenden from their own home and
from the hot bed of that fanatcism which has been
SO mschevious in its meddlng, must be gall and worm
wood to their sel6sh and malignant natures. The man
is selected for honor and for special consideration who
resisted their policy who exposed their Weakness and
whose influence, more than that OF any other single
the scheme upon which Butler and Sumner had staked
their hopes of profit and promotion. No more signal
condemnation of Summer and his associates could be
expressed, and it is made donbly pointed because it
comes from those whom he has most courted in the
past and upon whose support he has counted in
seeking reelection to the Senate. Instead of honor
ing his much Wanted "loyaty, or recognising his
"devotion" they go out of the and outside of the
State to tender their highest homage to the courage
and conscentiousness' of the Senator who combated
his pretentious theories and defeated his ambitious
prations. Massachusetts has seldom administered
sterner merted punishment to her delegation
and if Sumner takes the broad hint thus given be will
discover in it an admonition to abate bis arrogance,
and prepare for another lesson quite instructive
though perhaps even more distaseful. The old Bay
State begins discover that he and kindred agitatos
have been working solely in their interest that
they have made politics trade; that they have done
nothing but disturb the public peace and that their
continued presence in Congress will only to pro-
mote dscord and prolong disunion The good name
and the interests of the State have long suffered from
this cause, and lkely to suffer still more in the
near future, when the people will sweep Radcalism
from power. They have excited the prejudice of the
West the Medle States and the South by an insoent
domneerng which has only been fruitful of mischief
It is but reasonable then that the reaction which has
strongly set in against Sumner Butler and that band
of canting conspators against the welfare and repose
of the country should take larger proportions and end
in RELOCATING them to the obscurity from which they
sprung This desirable result is likely to be consum
mated before long, and it is most promising sign.
Mr. Fessenden, in his reply to the invitation draws
faithful picture of the desperate means that were
employed to convict the President and of the venal
combination of influences that had enlisted in that
eprise The Summers, Buffers, and such like, whose
visions of Cabinet places and foreign embassies and
profitable plumber suddenly ''nipped in the bud
described with fidelity which cannot fail to strike
the most casual observer They may we'll vince under
an operation SO torturing and yet scientific. The
description of the so.called religious press like the
Independent, whose very Christian editor was hob
nobbing on the floor of the Senate during the trial
with the editor of the organ of the przering and in
fact, was the stakeholder of his bets is deservedy
eaustc. We commend the extracts as well worthy of
attention:
Recourse was accordingly had to the most powerful
enginery of party. The air was filed with living ru
mors which found their way to the public through
the appropriate channels. Denuncation vituperation
calumny threats of personal violence and of lifelong
infamy profusely hurled all who might dare to
dsobey the public sentiment. The most dreul conse-
quences were predicted in impeachment should
fail. Uuion men, white and coored TO be muir
dered driven from their homes and all the horrors
of another revolution, booder than the first were to
be let loose upon our devoted land.
1t is not to be wondered at that appliances like
these should have excited the public MUD almost to
frenzy. The men who resorted to them were accus-
toned to the use of such weapons and knew well how
to WELD them. Unscrupulous familiar with detracton |
believers neither in public private virtue or if be-
LEVERS considering both out of place in politics.
they could not resist such an opportunity, fail to
improve the occasion
The excitement elsewhere, however was triHipo
when compared with that which prevailed at the CAPT
tai. Here change of administration had long been
contemplated, and was counted on as certainty
That looked-for change had its usual attendants The
coming in of new President could have hardly warm
ed into life more numerous brood of expectants or
stimulated more extensive hopes of honors and profits
The city was filled with ready to jump into places
to be made vacant they hoped ard believed for their
benefit Gamblers thronged the saloons stalking more
than they were able to pay upon conviction acquit-
tai. As these hopes rose fell with the rumors of
the hour, as impeachment stock up down upon
the political exchange among the crowd of hungry ex
pectants, 50, for the me and fell the character
and reputation of those Senators upon whose votes the
result was supposed to depend; while the telegraph
was at hand to carry its wires to the homes and
friends of those Senator's every caumny which dsap-
pointed ambition could imagine, cupdity or maig-
nifty could invent; and while portion of the press,
claiming for itself character for decency and even
for Christian virtue stood ready to endorse and crcu-
late the lie"
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