Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-03-06

cat EXHIBITIONS OF Decency-A Com
mereiAI View.
The st. Lonis RPnblican makes this
comment:
"ltis stated that Mr.. Black, formerly
Attorney General, has advised the Presi-
dent that he has the right to &emur to the
court before which he is to be tried, upon
the ground that il is incompetent, ma
jority of the Senators having already pre-
judged the case. He has the same right TO
objectto the members Of the court that a
prisoner has TO object to members of a
Jury. Whether Mr.. Black or any other
person has so advised the President, is not
material. But the country is perfectly
well apprised Of the fact that the trial Of
the President Is to be had before body Of
men, sitting as judges, who are his pro-
claimed political enemies. Their hostility
10 him is more than political. It partakes
Of all the elements of personal spite and
hatred. Again and again have Sumner,
Chandler, 1rumbnll and others kindled
against him all the fires of their wrath,
denour cling not merely h,s opiniols auI
HE policy, but travelling beyond the bounds
ofsenatoriai decorum 10 attack his personal
character and motives vituperating him
as a bad man and traitor, not hesitating
to charge in their speeches in the Senate
that he merited impeachment, and that the
success Of the Radical party and its plan
Of reconstructien demanded that he should
be put ont Of the way And such men are
to SIT in Judgment upon the President, with
power to declare the sentence against him
which already they have Individually
passed upon him. There is not Radi-
cal in the land who would consent 10 try
cause involving the trifing sum of
fifty dollars before Judge who had
already pronounced an individual
opinion adverse TO his cause. And yet we
are to have the national spectacle Of trial
of the Chief Executive by a body of men
who are his enemies and preiudged against
him. When, few weeks ago, it was an
nounced that Judge Field, of the Supreme
Court, had intimated that the opinion of
majority Of the court was adverse TO pro-
posed measure of Congress, Senator Con-
ness with Incorporate violence denounced
it, saying that if any Judge had done what
was reported be had made himself "in-
famous" and that he ought to be i'm
peached Members of the House Of Rep
resentatives appointed a committee in hot
haste TO investigate the matter, and TO in
quire whether such Judge ought not to be
impeached. Has it occurred TO gentlemen
who we're so sensitive about judicial pro-
prety, aud 80 sensible of the indecorum in
in a Judge who in advance announced the
opinion OF a court that q sense Of decency
and aell-respect requires every Senator who
has expressed an opinion that the Presi-
dent should be impeached 10 decline
sitting in Judgment upon him? Some of
those Senators have enacted the part of ad-
vocates and special pIeaders against him on
the very points involved in this impeach-
Iment business. The statntes of many of
the States absolutely forbid Judges from
sitting in causes where they had been ad-
yocates, and there il not n Judge in the
land who, even if there were no statute on
the subject, would consent TO try a cause in
which he was interested, or in which he had
been an attorney. II there be no principle
OF common law which would enforce it.,
yet the sense of Justice, the very instinct OF
right in every man, prompts him 10 de
clare that every Senator who has publicly
proclaimed that the President is worthy ia
be impeached and removed, should not be
permitted TO enact the solemn farce Of sit
ting as a Judge in the matter. Before such
men there can he no trial, for they have
already tried the cause and rendered iudg-
ment. Not two weeks ago they passed a
resolution declaring adversely 10 the
President IN respect TO the very act for
which he is now 10. be tried before them
The majority Of the people Of the United
States, and people abroad, will attach very
| little importance to n sentence of condem-
nation coming from such body of Judges
| IL will not degrade or disgrace Andrew
| johnson, but il will be permanent iudg
ment against themselves and the party thai
applauds it, The verdict of history upon
it will be, a party losing power, and il
| peril of complete overthrow, in an hour o
desperation, resorted 10 the expedient o
removing the President az a means Of adj
verting expected party disasters, the ma
| jority of his Judges being emhttered party
opponents.'
The New York Dyygoods Reporter
the representative Of the commercial in
terest, takes a despondent view of tht
influence the impeachment movement il
likely to exert upon the business Of th,
country After referring to the fact that
until the events of the last few days
there had seemed to be no reason WHY
we should not anticipate a steady, faii
business during the spring months, tina
paper says
'In this condition OF affairs, however
there comes in a serious element of dis
turbance from the political action of Con
gress. The excitement attending an ordi
nary Presidential election, in times of har
mony, is found sufficient to seriously inter
fere with the course of business. In 1868
however, in addition to an unusually ex
citing election, we have the gravely un
settling tendency Of Congressional polio
which many, rightly or wrongly il matter
not 20 this purpose, coustrue as leading
steadily toward a revolution Of our gov
ernmentsl system, with the gravest danger
to the peace Of the country. 1t is paten
fact that all do not see through Congrsssion
al spectacles; and it ia therefore to be OK
pected that not a few should regar
the action of Congress a. tending t
political disruption and violence. Thes
fears must inevitably have certai'
effect ia checking industrial opers
lions. Many capitalists will prefer shoT
engagements, and will refuse to commi
themselves 90 enterprises or investment
which will mol admit Of their realizing a
wifi. IL is 90 be infinitely regretted thai
instead Of public affairs being allowed t
progress toward steady settlement, up0
constitutional grounds bespeaking the cou
hdence Of the country at large, We shout
have new source of disturbance by tn
initiation of measures whose legitimate rs
suit can only he total change al our mod
Of government, in which il il very doub
tai whether the several Staies will tinall
acquiesce
f" The really serious feature about hi
case is that the Federal Legislature shoul
be found capable OF determining its legi
lation relative 60 the weightiest nations
questions nPon strictly partisan grounds
and that Tor The. purpose OF securing ih
enforcement of its policy IL should tab
the bold siep Of removing the Chief Magi
lrAie Of the Raiion. When the preoeier
l. ouce established that the President ma
be- deposed from motives Of party oppos
ton and 20 carry cat party scheme. Ihel
il an end 90 that supreme regard for la