The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1868-03-05

on lTlaI HUu COUFlCllOH lneTcOi
shall be punished by a fine not
exceeding ten thousand dollars, or
by Punishment not exceeding five
years, o, both taid punishments,
10 the discretion Of the court"
Now Andrew Johnson, Oh the
Dist DAY Of February. 1868. issued
his cpmmissionary letter Of author
ity 10 Lorenzo Thomas, appointing
him Secretary Of War ad interim
and commanding him to take pos
session Of the Department of War.
and 10 cjcc. the incumbent E NJ
Stanton, then in lawful possession
Of said Office. Here, If this ac,
stood alone, would be an nndcnia-
bic ofi;inl misdem oanor. not
only misdcmcanor per sc, bat
declared 10 be so by the act itself.
and the party made indictable and
punishable in a criminal proceed
ing.
"If Andrew Johnson escapes
with bare removal from Office; il he
be not fined and incarcerated in the
peniteniiry afieIward under Grim.
inal proceedings, he may thank the
weakness OF Congress and not his
own innocence. We shall propose
to prove in the trial that Andrew
johnson was guilty of misprjsion
of bribery by Offering to Gen. Grant
if he would unite with him in his
lawless violence. TO assume in his
stead the penalties and to endure
the imprisonment prescribed By the
laws Bribery is one Of the offenses
specifically enumerated, for which
the President may be impeached
and removed from Office by the
Constitution; Article 2, Section 2 -
The President has power TO nomin.
ate, and by and With the advice
and consent of the Senate, to ap.
point all officers of the United
States, whose appointments are not
therein otherwise provided for, land
which shall be established by law,
and fill all vacancies that may hap
pen during :as recess OF the Senate
by granting commissions which
shall expire at the end Of the next
session.
Nowhere, either in the Con.
stitution or by statute has the
President power to create d vacan-
cy during the recess of the Senate.
and fill i. without the advice and
consent Of the Senate, and set on
the 2lst day Of February, 1868,
while the Senate was in session, he
notified the head Of the War DE
partment That be was removed
frvm Office, and his successor ad
interim appointed.
"IIere is u plain recorded violation
of The Constitution and laws, which,
il it stood alone, would make every
honest and intelligent man give
his vote for impeachment. The
President had persevered in his
lawless course through a long series
of unjustihabie acts.
when the so.called Confederate
States of America were conquered,
and laid down their arms and
surrendered their territory to the
victorious Union Government, the
disposition OF the conquered coun'
try belonged to Congress alone
according to every principle OF the
laws of the nation Neither the
Executive nor the Judiciary had
any right to interfere with it, ex
cept SO far az was necessary to con
troll it by the military, or unit
the sovereign power of the natior
had provided the civil adminisIra
tions. ....
No power bu: Congress had an!
right TO say when they should b.
admitted TO the Union as States
aud entitled to the privileges o.
the Constitution Of the United
States; and yet Andrew johnson
with unblushing hardihood, under
took TO rule, and by his own powe
alone TO lead them into full com
I munion with tho L Union, direct theu
what governments to enact ant
= what constitutions to adopt, ant
send representatives to Congress
according to his instructions.
: when admonished by an ex
= press act of Congress more thar
( once, repeatedly he disregarde,
, the warning and continued hi
7 lawless usurpations. IIo is sine
= known TO have DISTRACTED the re.e'
tablishment of those government
by the authority Of Congress, an
g has advised the Inhabitants to re
sist the legislation of Congress.
e In my Judgement, his conduc
e with regard TO that transactlo
!. was a handed usurpation Q
8 power, which long ago ought t
have brought him to Impeachment
Y and trial, and TO have removed hiI
s from his position of great mischie
o He has been lucky in thus far e:
}, Gaming, through ialso logic an
d false law; but his are acts whic
r will on the trial be shown to b
!. atrocious, and are open evidence
o his wicked determination to sui
G vert tho laws of his country.
Y ~ trust that when wo all com
e 10 vote upon this question, we sha
e remember that, although it is ii
+ duty of the President to see thu
G the laws bo executed, the sovereig
Y power of the nation rests on Col
G gross, who have been placed arouu
is the Executive as monuments
e defend his rights, and as watchme
y TO enforce his obedience to the Law
and she Constitution. His oath
e to obey the Constitution, and it