Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-02-27

States would have pronounced that Act un-
constitutional. Evidently, the Impeachers are
getting alarmed that they cannot after all,
their foul conspiracy.
Taxes Refunded.
How the people would rejoice II an ap-
preciable amount Of their taxes were re-
funded. For them there is no such good
news. Instead of their taxes being made
lighter. they are made heavier. To the
National Banks taxes have been refunded.
It appears, from q statement furnished US
by the County Auditor, that the amount
of taxes collected on the tax duplicate for
the city of Columbus, and refunded under
TIE decision of the Supreme Court, In re-
gard to the taxation of Stocks held by the
National Banks In this State, made about q
year since-made by o Republican Supreme
Court-was Estate taxes), for Sinking Fund
$1,2A 76; Revenue $l,043 Sc; Schools ST.
356; Total State $3,572 81. For county
tAxes-General Expense $1,000 IS; Poor
STA A; Road $306 10; Veteran Bounty
$51 O3; Township Expense $6l2 SO; Town
ship School $5,l03 IA; Corporation ST.
500 55; Total County $1s,775 81. or this
amount $26s u was refunded in conse-
quence of errors made by Assessors-leav-
ing slS506 80 refunded as Franklin conn-
ty's share of the bounty paid to National
Banks in this city.
Now. this may be all right; but to a
plain apprehension it looks anything but
right. Making money hand over fist, and
yet there is nothing derived from the stocks
held by these banks to sustain any part Of
the State Government = nothing to
support our common schools-nothing to
maintain the poor-nothing toward the
general expense OF the country-nothing
for veteran bounties-nothing for city pur.
poses. Eighteen thousand five hundred
and six dollars and eighty centsl That's
big sum in these days of unusual tight
ness in business, and yet the people who dc
not enjoy the luxury of having money in
vested in these stocks have to make ap the
deficiency. Put the question to yourself
us this right?"
The People Speaking Against Inn.
5 parchment Through the Ballot
box.
News comes from Cairo that most ex.
citing charter election came off in that city
on the 25th, and that it resulted in favor
of the Democratic candidates, by an
average majority of six hundred and thir-
ty-eight. The gain is ousr three hundred
Previous to the news from Washington on
Saturday, local causes were favorable to
the election of the Opposition ticket. That
news settled matters. Democrats threw to
one side their prejudices, united and made
such fight as they had not made before for
years. The result is laundering protest
against impeachment. That's the way for
the people to talk out-through the ballot
box.
The New York Times and Inn
peachment.
The Ne,o York Times, which Is partisan
Republican. does not view with favor the
Impeachment blunder into which its party
in Congress has blundered. 1t, like the
Cincinnati Commercial, denounces 1t with
vigor as movement for which there is no
justification. and which must necessarily
result in shame, modification and injury to
the Republican party. The motive that
prompted this foolhardiness is thus prop
erly set forth by the Times:
PARTISAN FRENZY CLAMoRoUs FOR I'M
PEACHMENr.-We do no violence to proba-
bility when we assume that President John.
son might, with impunity, have adopted his
present method of testing the Constitution
slity OF the tenure of office act, ad there
been no other cause of quarrel with Con-
gress. The conviction would have pre-
vailed, that by no other course could the
point in dispute be SO quickly or so prop
erly settled. There might be a difference
of opinion as to the taste and manner OF
Mr.. Johnson's proceeding; but, were il
judged strictly on its merits, only malig-
nant enemies would dream of making it a
cause of impeachment. 80
This, however, is not the present state Of
the question. That which, standing alone,
would he regular, and, not necessarily
an unfriendly. mode of determining TIE
binding force Of an act which the Presi-
dent holds to be unconstitutional. is re-
garded by the great majority of Republic
cans as one of long series of offences
which, In the aggregate. call for condign
punishment. The removal of Mr.. Stanton
and the appointment of q successor is a
<t8P " nhSu eA1Sy AOioS0 W COu6lQ6E UY lGs
self with exclusive reference to its own
merits. They pounce upon it, rather, as an
occurrence they have eimpatientlywaited for
TO give color to q measure they have long
desired, but have hitherto been un,
able to carry. They will not stop
to argue the pros and cons of Mr.
Johnson's action. They spurn the sug-
gestion that they shall wait until the Su-
preme Court has decreed the constitution
o1ffv nf tho q uv thou O Poan1uo6 70 x,v,
hold. The opportunity has come, and they
will run no chance of missing it. They
have for many months looked upon Mr.
johnson as an obstacle in their path, and
they are determined to set him aside with.
out more ado. It must be done now OF
never. It would have been done sooner
had tangible conflict between the Presi.
dent and the law before occurred. Theil
committees have searched persistently fol
pretexts, and the failure to find anything
which afforded decent excuse for inn
peachment has added bitterness to the f. nd
and imparts intensity to the passion which
at length controls the House of Represen.
tatives. Reason, judgment or patriotism
has nothing to do with the purpose now
proclaimed. In its inception and in it,
exercise it Is partisanship, worked up tt
personal hate, of which many who yester
day voted for impeachment will shortly b,
ashamed. -
The country meanwhile looks te tn,
Senate as the break-water standing be-
| tween partisan violence and the Govern.
ment Of which 1t would secure absolut.
control. Impeachment is now fixed fact
But 1t Is for the Senate to decide whether
the unseemly precipitancy which has char
q terized the action of the House shall als(
mark Its method of procedure, or whether
the trial shall be suspended until the Su
preme Judiciary shall either decide as tf
the constitutionality of the law or declare
it beyond the Jurisdiction OF the court
lawful way. If the constitutional authori.
ity of Congress is to be maintained, let i,
be in q manner that does not outrage thu
national sense OF right or tend to wider
the area Of the conflict and introduce ele-
ments at variance with the peace and well.
being of the country. We look to the Sen.
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