The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-05-16
The Press on 1mpeaehment..

| The Press on Impeachments'
We give below expressions Of leading papers
on the present status Of the impeachment
question. The New York Times takes most
| rational view, and while generally the impeach.
ment project is regarded as dead, it will be
seen that the Tribune endeavors yet to sustain
hope among the ultraists by attempting to
cozen leading senators:
From the New York Times. Repl
impeachment has failed. The postpone.
ment of the vote until Saturday is q con-
fession of the fact; and the declaration, on
behalf Of the prosecution, that it will not be
taken even then, unless conviction be certain,
indicates belief that the whole thing must be
abandoned.
It is said that the Republicans intend to pass
the bill to admit Arkansas into the Union, and
| to bring her senators into the Senate, and when
the vote for conviction is thus strengthened, to
have the case decided. We are unwilling to
4 credit such q report, though 1t would be haz-
ardous to dismiss it as unfounded. When po-
ltical necessity is invoked as the ground OF rea-
son for action in such matter as impeachment,
it is not easy to say where those who invoke II
| Will stop.
The Republican senators who have indicated
/ q purpose to vote for acquittal have done 1T In
| defiance of the most formidable battery CT po-
litical denunciation ever brought to bear against
| the personal and official independence and In
teer1ty of men in high official positions. They
| have been threatened with personal infamy, as
well as political ostracism. The leading organs of
the Republican party have exhausted their inge-
| nuity in heaping upon them, In advance OF their
action, evcry possible form OF OF opprobrium and
obloquy. Their motives have been aspersed,
their characters blackened, and every possible
effort has been made to render them odious
and infamous in the public judgment. Yet they
are among the purest and ablest men In the
public service. These are the men who have
had most experience Of public hfe-who have
done the most to maintain Republican prlncl-
pies, and whose names are best known to the
people bf the whole country as the friends and
champions of constitutional liberty and equal
rights. That they have stood up against the
tempest OF denunciston and abuse which has
been poured sot pitilessly on their heads, is
another proof Of the courage, the self-respect,
and the independence which they bring to the
public service. These quahtes are not 30 com,
mon, in these days, that the country can afford
indifference to the display of them. The insti-
tutions of the country are stronger-lts hber-
ties are the more assured-for having such
men holding places Of trust and Of power In our
public councils.
|. The Republican party may have reason to
thank these men for having saved it from self
d d,struction before the contest is over. The
violent election Of the President, for political
rea sons under the forms OF Impeachment, was
never Republican measure. It never COM
msnded the approval and settled assent Of the
Republican party. It was the reckless device
Of the Radical section Of that party, intended
to put the patronage. OF the naaon INTO lts
hands, and to give it the absolute and com,
plete control of the Republican sentiment and
policy Of the country. It was forced upon the
party bv the unserupulous audacity OF the
Radical leaders, aided by the obstinate and
short-sighted presumption OF the Presldent
himself. Fit had been carried out it would
have added grealy to the weight the party
presidential contest. Repubhcanism would
have been only another name for Rsdicallsm.
Not. only would the party have been un-
der the absolute control OF the Radl-
cal leaders,, but it would have been
pervadsd by the intense and intolerant
malgnity Of the Radical temper; The
spirit Of Butler, Of Stevens, Of Chandler, and
Of Wendell Phillips would have ruled their
counsels, dictated the policy, monopolized the
the patronage, and sealed the fate OF the Re-
publican party. Everything like moderation,
everything which savored Of regard for consti,
tutional principles, for the rights OF States and
the limitations Of power, would nave sa 1esn
and Radical leagues which sit in secret and
p1oscribe sll moderate men OF liberal and con-
seryative tendencies, as remorselessly as the
Jacobins prescribed the Moderates OF the
French Reign Of Terror, would have held un-
disputed and absolute sway. Such state OF
things would not strengthen the Republican
party or contribute to it's success IN the presl-
Dental canvass. Nor would any use which
that party could make Of the executive patron
ape between now and November make up
for the damage which the predominance OF
suoh o temper would infict on the party at
large. -. -.
and reckless impeachment project over. The
mem who have it in charge put full faith in 'sau-
dacity" as the basis and strength OF statesman
ship, and they will leave nothing undone to
push 1t to consummation. II Messrs. Fessen-
dem. Trumbull, Grimes, Sherman, Henderson
and other Republicans, who are as much their
superiors in political experience, sagacity and
wisdom as they are in ability, caimness OF
Lie good, shall succeed in securing its defeat,
they will earn, what they will eventually enjoy,
the gratitude Of the Republican party, ss veil
as that Of the country at large.
Erom the Few York Tribune, Bsdical]
We do gee little reason for the anxiety e1-
pressed ty cur friends generally, and especial-
" by our Washington correspondent, In
reference to impeachment. We have assurances
that MIR. Trumbuli has made general speech
declining to vote for certain articles, and leay-
ing him free to vote for other articles. Mr..
Sherman has taken the same ground, probably
more explicitly. and yet he will vote to convict
on certain Of the charges. Mr.. Henderson's
speech only covers the first 3even articles.
The eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh, which
seem to embody the gravamen Of the proceed
ings against the President, are still open to his
Judgment, and he may vote to sustain either
or all Of them. We should prefer decision
on the second and third articles. They seem
to involve the principal at stake IN the I'M
peachment trial, and q vote OF conviction upon
any other points would not be as satisfactory
to us.
The only Republican senators who have COM
mitted themselves against the articles are
Grimes and Fessenden, and we are not without
hope, that Mr.. Fessenden may find it his duty
to vote s.yea" upon the last three. But even
conceding that these senators should vote
,snay" upon every article OF impeachment,
there still remain half dozen other gentle
men, every one Of whom may be counted In
favor Of the country. As for Mr.. Grimes, he
evidently made up his mind before the trial be.
gan; BE is one Of the unhappy curiositeS Of +
We confne ourselves to-day to the mere narra-
ton Of the progress Of impeachment. 1t is not
necessary for us to repeat the arguments we
have made during the last few months. Our
case ia closed. We have no new thought to give