The Shasta courier., 1868-03-14


of sex was developed between the age Of
fifteen and twenty years.
IMPEACHMENT The Sacramento Union
advances the following opinion on the ques-
ton of impeachment
1t does not appear to be essential to i'm
parchment that an actual violation of law
should be alleg d or proved. The President
and other officers of the government are
sworn to faithfully execute the laws. They
may fail in this by omission rs well as com
mission. The Pres mt may hinder and
prevent the execution of the laws by appoint
ing subordnates who will wink at their vio-
laton. He may himself encourage disobe.
dience and resistance by continually de-
nouncing legislation rs unconstitutional, and
holding his pardoning power over law-break
ers as Il protection. This conduct would be
just as guilty and just as injurious on the
part Of the President as would actual viola.
tion of the law, and it constitutes a high
crime and misdemeanOr in the meaning of
the Constitution. 1t is he object of i'm
peachment to deal with precisely this sort of
official misconduct which does not amount to
a positive criminal act, but which equally
units the officer for his position. johnson
has clearly been guilty of this species Of mis-
warp the laws from their true and Obvious
meaning. lie has put construction upon
them tp suit his own purposes, and in con
tradiction to his own previous interpretation
lie has openly and constantly denounced
them as unconstitutional. and thereby en-
couraged diSobedience OF and resistance to
them. lie has removed faithful officers and
appointed others with view to frustrate
them. And this course of conduct has no
toriously had the effect to hinder the exeeu-
tion of the laws. This alone, in our view, is
ample cause for impeachment Such con
duet is in clear violation of the oath of Office
1t tends to public decentralization, to bring
the legislative body into contempt, and to
revolution. All this may be effected with
out positive criminal breach of any particu-
lar statute, and it is to prevent this that the
process of impeachment is instituted.
IIIsroRIc PARALLELs.-The Oakland News
has the following:
Charles | endeavored to rule England
for period OF eleven years without the aid
and in defiance of, Parliament, Just as john
son now tries to defy Congress Charles
like johnson, was bv nature inclined to in
trigue. to dissemble, and to deceive. His
subjects, soon after he mounted the throne
discovered the insinceiity of their prince /:
they soon lost all confidence in his profes.
siens. johnson was not long in the Presi-
dental chair. before he inspired like dis
trust. Charles tried to carry on the Govern.
ment of his country by forced loans and ex.
pedient undeaiable illegal as the were odious
to the people of England. Finally, when
the King had no money in the treasury, he
had no resource left but to co-eyoke Parlia-
ment. The first act of that body was to i'm.
peach the monareh's two chief supporters.
Stafford and Laud, and they were condemn
ed and executed. In fact, Parliamenv as.
saulted the supreme authority of the nation
and the result was to arms
The King set up his standard in Noting
ham some time during 1912, but the Parlia-
ment was ready for him. The stern Iron.
sides, under the leadership of the great
Cromwell, met and defeated the Cavaliers.
1t johnson and his Democrat adherents
should take the field, Congress can find a
man OF Gromwellian powers, who will over.
come and rout them. That historical drama
known as the Great Civil War of Eng.
land, lasted seven years. 1t was contest
between Charles and the aristocracy on one
side, and the people on the other and the
people trfumphed there. as they will triumph
here Charles was executed and his adber.
ents exiled from the Kingdom. Fortunately
under our mildest system of government
the penalty for misdemeanor on the mart of
the Executive only provides for his removal
from ethee and disqualification 10 hold
positions OF trust in the future. But aj,bo,
johnson will not lose his life "a chorIos
stuart did, there is little doubt but that be
will be politically decapitated