The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1868-03-05
Speech of Hon. Thaddeus Ste
vens, Closing the Debate.

Mr.. STEVENS, OF Pennsylvania.
closed the debate. He said IL
agree with those gcn,iemon who
have gone before me that this is a
grave subject aud should be grave.
ly treated. 1t is important to the
high official who is the subject of
these charges, and it is Important
to a nation of forty millions OF peo-
pie now free, and rapidly increas.
ing 20 hundreds of millions. The
official being thus involved, the
charge, if falsely made, is a cruel
wrong. If, on the other hand, the
msdemeanorand usurpation charg
ed against him are true. ne is gull.
" of as atrocious an attempt TO
usurp the liberty, and destroy the
happiness Of this nation as were
ever pcrpetratcd by the most de.
testable tyrant who 'evor oppressed
his fellow-men. Let us, therefore.
discuss these questions in no parti-
san spirit, but with legal accuracy
and impartial justice. The people
desire no victim, and they will
endure no usurpation. The charges,
so far as | shall discuss them are
few and distinct. Andrew John
son is charged with attempting to
usurp powers of other branches OF
the Government, ard with attemp.
ting to obstruct and resist the eX.
ocution OF the law; with misprision
o! bribely,'and in the open viola
tion of laws which declare his acts
misdemcanors and subject him IL
fine and imprisonment; with re-
moving the Secretary Of War dur
ing the session of the Senate, with,
oct the advice or consent of tho
Senate; and with the violation o
the sixth section of the act entitlcc
an act regulating tenure of certain
civil officers. There are other of
fenscs charged in the papers, refer
red to the committee, which l may
consider moro by themselves. Ii
order to sustain impeachment un
der our Constitution, / do not holC
that it is necessary to prove Grim
us an indictable oficnse, or any ac
mdIum in Sc.
1 agree with the distinguished
gentleman from Pennsylvania, OIL
tho other sido of the House, who
holds this to be purely politica
proceeding. 1t is intended for
remedy Tor maIfeasanco in office
and to prevent the continuanc
thereof. Beyond that tits hot in
tended as personal punishmen
for past offenses and for future ac
tion. Impeachment under ou
Constitution is different from i'm
parchment under the English law
The trainers of our Constitution
did not rely for safety upon th
avenging dagger of u Brutus, bu
provided peaceful remedies whicI
should prevent that necessity
England had two systems ofjuris
prudence-one for trial and pun
ishment of common offenders, an
one for the trial of men in highc
stations, whom it was found diff
cult to convict before the ordirar
tribunals, This latter proceeding
Was by impeachment or bills Of Al
taiudcr, generally practiced to puI
ish official malefactors; but til
system soon degonerated into p'
Ii;ical and personal persecution
and men were tried, condemne
: and executed by this court fro
!. malignant motives.
"Such was the condition of ii
r English laws when our Constitute
8 was framed, and the ConventiC
q. determined to provide against Il
abuse of that high power, SO th
= revenge and punishment shou
). not be inflicted upon political
: personal enemies. Hencothe who
j.. punishment was made to consist
z removal from o6ice, and bills ofs