The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-05-23

81. St2ss .s:i.t- .viaHiah5OH.
AN ELDGIHNT AND rtWEHfIL APPEAL
SpnntmS-wHS There ever a more q.
Lortive attempt to maze {, case for the
Impeachment OF 1lsr President under tins
Constitution! This iHn ling Of i'm.
prac!imcnt, from H." tiI>-, shaved few
signs ii u a,ity. Ih"w WAS lever any
real lite in it.. Ii has i"rn nnrSrd by the
managers with the greatest care, cSu"ci.
ally by tt"t honorable manager who's,
business i, was fl st to bring it to tn,
notice of Tia Srnrtc. He dautl!r1 the
bantling il his aims with consummatc
skill. lie 1'iuchel i $ p"r wan cheeks
for some show IF life. but even then it
was too evident that it was IN a~rtculo
moytis. The nur>e WAS SkiIlnl, but the
subject, with all his care, was beyond his
art. Long since this show Of vitality
vanished, and ROW it lies, berett Of life,
a shapeless mass which gives no sign,
scarcely of lie, under the galvanic touch
of high party excitement. II
Senators, it was moi at all necessary
for the defense of the President that, in
the exercise of that discretion which the
law allows to him, he should be put to
prove that lis intentions We're all right.
He has gone far beyond the necessities
of his case. Never were good intentions
and honest motives more thoroughly
proved than they have been in this case.
I repeat it, that if everything else
we're made out against him, this great
exculpatory fact must sab solve Lin
from all criminal liability. And now,
Senators, | have done with the law and
the facts of the case. There remains for
me, however, a duty yet to be perform
ed-one OF solemn import and obligation
duty to my client, to my former
chief, to my friend. There may be those
among you, Senators, who cannot find a
case Of guilt against the President.
There may be those among You, who,
not satisfied that a case for impeach-
ment has yet arisen, are fearful Of the
consequences of acquittal. You may EN-
terrain vague apprehensions that flushed
with the success Of acquittal the Presl-
dent will proceed to acts Of violence and
revolution. Senators, You do rot know
or understand the man. | cannot say
that you wiliful!y misunderstood him,
for 1, too, though never an extreme par
ty man, have telt more than once, in the
heat of party conflicts, the same bitter
and uncompromising spirit that may
now animate you. The time has been
when I looked upon General Jackson as
the most dangerous of tyrants. Time
has been when, day after day, | expect
ed to see him inauguratc a revolution !;
and yet, after his administration was
crowned with success and sustained by
the people, I lived to see him gracefully
surrender his great powers to the hands
thai conferred them and under the soft
ening influences of time | came to re-
gard him, not as a tyrant, but as one Of
the most honest and patriotic of men.
Now, listen for a moment to one who,
perhaps. understands Anlrew Johnson
better than most of you, for his opportu-
mites have been greater. When nearly
two years ago he called me from the pur-
suits OF professional life to take a seat in
his Cabinet, | answered the call under a
sense of public duty. I came here al
most a stranger to him and every mem
Der of his Cabinet, except Mr.. Stanton.
We had been trieudsfor many years.
Senators, needI teilyouthat allmy tenden-
ciesare conservative ? You, Mr.. ChiefJus-
tice, who have known me for a third of
century, can bear me witness. Law,
arms, is my profession. From the
moment | was honored with a seat in
the Cabinet of Mr.. johnson, not a step
was taken that did nQtP come under my
observation, not a word was said that es-
capped my attention. [ regarded him
in Cabinet. and in still more pri-
vate and confidential conversation. |
often tempted with bad advice.
Bw that evil counsellors We're more
IAN once AROUND him. lsobservs@him
with intense az Fly BaehevesAword,
y: y: !: q = =! :! !! !! =! :! !!
lial IVY powers, o. ta, ex-
f.: a.: ;'::, ::
. D3scntempta'ion were stroog,
he f6os71 only to the Constitution of his
country ana to the people. Yes, Sena-
tors, | have seen ~thadpman tried as few
have been tried. | have seen his conf
ience abused. | have seer him endure
day after day ~provocations such as few
have ever been called upon to meet.
No man could have mt them with more
patience. Sooner OF later, how
aver, l knew the explosion must come,
and when it did come my only wonder
that it had been SO long delayed.
Gopo&orc with nll his faults tho