The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-04-29
InnpeachmeuL.

,.v face upon the impeachment busi-
most. Ii is rumored aud, by many, be-
r.red that GRANTS prospects will be
,,,p,ir.d should WADE take JoHNsoN's
or,,e before the meeting of the Chicago
conventions. Some think that sturdy
DIV woulh use the Executive influence
., f,rcc himself into the first place up-
~ the Presidential ticket. Others are
sors that he would succeed in securing
,h,. Vice Presidential nomination, and
that his name coupled with. GRANTS
would add a sinksr to q dead weight,
and make the assurance of defeat doub-
IL sure.
Reasoning thus, some of the friends
ot GRANT are inclined to '4et up"
m Johnson, for the present AT
,,,y. Rather than see their can
Iidate's prospects spoiled py the
,.nporary Presidency of WADE, they
migbt even be willing to forego
,,DyIctioD entirely, especially rs COLI
vietion will be just as disastrous to
them a. acquittal. If they were sure
If, GRANT man in the War Depart
m-nr their way would be still clearer,
and ,Fr. Aomination of SCHOFIELD, an
uIonh'cd friend Of GRANT, 10 that
place, Suggests that JOHNSON is not in
i,.ro;ed To Use the most suitable argu-
mruts for convincing them. ......
We cannot doubt that some new
obstruction has been placed in tue way
,l impeachment. 1t is equally certain
that the obstruction is III no way con-
pqeted with the merits Of the case. 1t is
entirely an extraneOuS influence, . po-
l.tical power, and will prevent im-
yrachment entirely, if acqnittal shall
De deemed most propitious 10 tho
shvmcs oi the ring. s..
Nothlss could show more clearly the
famous character of the entire im-
pearhment proceeding. 1t is not a
vlestiOn whether JOHNSON has iOlated
tie law, perverted his office, or trampled
uyJu the Constitution, but simply wheth-
er bis removal will injure or advance
tie interests of the Republican party.
When these interests seem to demand
bis displacemvut;S then Impeachment
rusheS aud the Managers are buoyant.
Wheu il seems probable that his re-
moyal will hurt more than il will help,
then Impeachment lags, and the Coun-
sci are confident. Aud thGs the trial
has proceeded from time to time, Not
takin. shape aud Indicating results by
iuc evidence adduced, the law cited,
Og the pertinent argument advanced,
bar osc!Iiatiug with prospects and
events OF purely partisan character,
aud ioreshadowing the end just as
light or shade may fall upon the move
me3t, from the political SKY.
Impeachment has long been absurd,
and it has now become disgracefRl. 1t
Were a matter of small moment if its
effects were confined simply to the rnin
Vi lts movers, but it is affecting the
national character. 1t is degrading the
lation in the eyes of the world. The
American Republic presents the specta
"le Of its highest tribunal trying its
highest officer, % party measure, upon
PARTISAN grounds, and determined to
ldge him without the slightest refer.
rnce to his actual guilt or innocence,
t.r simply iu view of the interests OF
dsnagOgUes aud designing politicians.
Sach proceeding would disgrace any
nation, as it surely disgraces our own.
a Radical cOtemporary, the Pitts
turGh Dispatch, is disgusted with the
spirit in which the trial is being con-
ducted. 1t concludes a sensible article
apOn the subject as follows:
First, the HOOd-gates were thrown
Open, 50 that all the managers and all
!be counsel might infict the country
with deluGe of speech, and now we
bear that each Senator is to be allO wed
fifteen minutes speech upon each
specification of each of the articles OF
impeachment, which, being reduced to
arithmetic, means that each Senator
may speak in the aggregate nearly four
hours! There are tifty-four Senators,
more or less: therefore, by this little
arrangement, the "Great State Trial" is
heightened ont two hundred and six
'ern hours, or eleven working days,
or as Congress counts time, about
twenty-five working days! The more
'he trial is heightened the more are the
Pietexts and the opportunities of delay
me prolongatiOn increases in ge0metri'
caI Progression. So that that happy con,
summation, the end of the trial, is like
'he shore of Italy 10 the pious Eneas
ever Tying before" Or to use q math'
ematical fgurs, it is like that hyper.
O'!leal curve which always approaches
certain straight line, but never gets
"h. 1t is said, indeed, that many Re-
pe0!Ican Senators do not wish the
fial to end yet awhile. They wish to
LGe 1t over at least until after the
meeting of the Chicago Convention;
sley wish to ? know what the
people really think Of it. II
.ls Is the case-as it is well known
sIat the President is anxious for delay
,,Hso|they as might as we'll drag it out un-
III the Presidential election in the fall,
tnd fd then all parties would certainly
.aoW what the people think Of the mat.
, II Impeachment mast be made q
we're matter of politics, and if the Sen.
as a.Cfs saths, the judicial ceremonies
.uu The taking of testimony are mere
Saipty formalities, surely it would be
SSeHer to let the November election
,e'ue 1t than an irresponsible par.
~ ~ gathering. But perhaps the
"Vpie think these things are
ns. mere formalities; perhaps they ex
YVet ~ The Senator's to be. something more
tS- puppets; perhaps they expect
h 10 press this impeachment through
n'sPeedily and with as little expense a
tSosaNlei perhaps they believe thai
e IS other business quite as impor