Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-04-10

unOer LQe tenure OI-OLlCC law uAi' oS'
Ter informed the Senate that the case on
the part of the House of REPRESENTATIVES
was Substantially closed, although they
might call on few more witnesses, whose
testimony would be only cumulative. On
motion of Mr. Curtis, on behaltoof the
Presidents counsel, the Court adjourned
until the 9th-yeas 81, nays lO.u49w sFs9d
observation-disclosures Ksufler's
-.....s speech. q, xrtaq v7as
= The following is synopsis of General
Buffers opening speech in the Impeach-
ment trial. as reported by telegraph: - g
: Mr.. Butler spoke at great length, pre-
senting to the Senate the several proposi-
tions Of fact and law upon which the
House of Representative would endeayor
to sustain the cause of the people against
the President The speaker reviewed the
impeachment trials of other countries, in
order to show in the light of those pre-
cedents, what really constituted lmpeach-
able offenses. He defined an impeachable
high crime or misdemeanor to be one, in
its nature or consequences, subverslve of
some fundamental or, essential principle OF
kOVcTuueut, VI uiShly piSJuStiSibi W oac
public interest and this might consist of
of an official oath, or of duty, by an act
committed or omitted, or, without violat-
ing positive law, by the abuse of discre-
tionsry powers, from improper motives, or
for any improper purpose MIR. Butler re-
ferred to the impeachment OF Lord Dandy,
q case, he said which went q a igreatfway
toward establishing the principle that no
minister could shelter himself behind the
throne bysp pleading obedience to the orders
of his sovereign. He was answerable for
the justice, the honesty, the utility OF all
measures fenanating from the crown, as
well as for their legality, and thus the Ex-
ecutive Administration was, or ought to
be, subordinate in all great matters of
policy to- the uperintendence and virtual
control of the two houses, of Parliament.
e The speaker then reviewed the ques-
ment was really. the Senate or not, and
passed to the matter of the competency of
one of the triers, ON account of affinity to
the accused. We believe it is his right,
nay, his duty to the State he represents, to
actlupon the. trial as he would upon any
other matter which should come before the
Senate. His seat and vote belong to his
constituents, and not to himself, to be used
according to bis best Judgment on every
grave matter that comes before the Senate.
d Mr. Butler then recited the articles of
impeachment, and said the House of Rep
resentatives and the people have joined
issue with 8 Andrew johnson q as to
his. right, to. act as he has. This bill,
which he has violated, received the
- 81 lx/.sI Ia N
and House Of Representatives, after a full
consideration of his objections. If he is to
be allowed to- exercise this dangerous pow
err of removal, where is it to end?, Does
the Constitution invest the President with
all the executive power which is enjoyed
by Kings and the rulers of other nations ?
If so, it has been much more liberal to him
than to the legislative branch of the Gov
ernment. The executive power of APP
pointment is clearly limited by the
orders the consent of the Senate
necessary. The power. which he
has assumed to exercise is kingly. The
power Of removal was very deliberately
debated in the First Congress, on the bill
to create State Department. 1t was de-
bated for four days, and finally was so
in the President; but the triumph of its
supporters e was Short lived. s When it
came to the House, on motion of Mr. Ben
tom the provision implying the powers Of
removal IN the President, was stricken out.
Itlwent to the Senate; but as the debates
there were in secret session, we have no
means of knowing what Gid take place But
We learn from the journal that this proyis-
ion
strained by the casting vote Of ohm Adams,
the Vice President Alasl most all Of our
woes have come from our Vice Presidents.
Notwithstanding this, the facts show that
the President made no removal without
notifying. the Senate. President Adams
removed Mr.. Pickering by nominating a
successor to the Senate. None of the early
Presidents had ever attempted to exercise
the unlimited power of removal. now as
sumed3 by the present occupant qinf that
chair Congress has always asserted a
legislative power in reference to removals
from office, sometimes. in one way and
sometimes in, another. Never until now
has the exclusive control over appoint
msnts t s' office been exercised II ~ the Pre-
In 1926 the powers Of the President were
canvassed in Congress, and committee
was appointed on the subject, who re-
norted that it was necessary to trim down
his power by statutory enactment, and re-
ported noless than eight different bills on
the subjectasi One cof them vacated within
q certain time all offices pertaining to the
collection of revenue. Il Here was Tenure
minds of the country. 1t did not seem to
occur. to Congress then that il had not
power toregulate appointments to and re-,
movals from Office. Pc l,''7..'e ''''s ~
I Mr.Butler cited further acts of Congress
in supporter his position, and after stating
the events of february, the removal Of
Stanton, the appointment of Thomas the
interview with General Emory, he con-
cluded Ibis argument as follows aWho
does not know. that from the hour the
President began his usurpations of power
he everywhere, denounced Congress, the
legality and eonstitutionality of Its action,
and defied its legitimate powers, and, for
that purpose, announced his Intention, and
carried out hts purpose, as far as he was
able, of removing every true man from
Office who sustained the Congress of the
United Stsees? And it is to carry out this
plan of action that he claims the unlimited
power of removal, for the Illegal exercise
of which he stands before you to-day
VINO doesnot know that, in pursuance of
the same plan, he used his veto power in
Discriminatory TO prevent the passage of
wholesome laws, enacted for the pacifca-
ton of the. country, and when the Lar, s
were passed by the constitutional majority
over his vetoes, he made the most deter
mined opposition, both open and covert, to
them, and for the purpose Of making that