Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-05-29

only failed by one vote, and that vote OBJ
tanned by bribery, is fact OF no small
significance. The record will 60 into his
tory. not to the discredit Of those who
instituted the proceedings, but of him
who. by his high handed outrages made
them necessary. and of those who first
by their votes and resolutions declared Inn
parchment necessary and then stultifed
themselves by voting for acquittal Whether
such men as Trumbull, Fessenden, Grimes,
Henderson, Fowler and Van Winkle, voted
for acquittal from personal motives Of any
kind whatever, or from am honest conyic-
ton of right, time alone viii tell If from
the former. the disgrace viii be upon their
own heads for betraying country as well as
party If from the latter, twill be to their
credit, and at the same time demonstrate
the fact, that while the Republican party
had men. who could fairly and honestly try
the President and vote on the merits of the
case, independent of party and politics, the
copperhead party failed to show a single
Senator, who could so far forget party, as
10 vote guilty on a single article, but con
stantly and pcrsistendy voted solid for the
side which seemed to favor the party ON
every petty question from the beginning to
the end Of the trial
The honor, the integrity and the patriot
ism of the Republican party has been abun-
dainty sustained by its representatives, and
though the President has escaped convic-
ton, the country has been greatly benefited,
While the trial was progressing, the Presi-
dent at least desisted from obstrueting the
work Of reconstruction, which has been go
ing on quietly, peacefully and successfully
50 that now, one half the lately rebelious
States, are ready TO ask admittancc into the
Union, with new Constitutions, conforming
to the changed condition Of affairs. The
trial has also demonstrated that cur Reppb-
lican- government Is strong enough, in the
wisdom and common sense ofits people, to
bring to trial, even its highest officers, with
out internal tumult or revolution The de-
monstration to the world Of this fact alone,
was sufficient TO recompense us for whatever
suspense during the trial or disappointment
at the result, we may have, at any time,
felt As for its effect upon the party and
its prospects, our enemies are welcome to
all the capital they can make out Of it, The
Republican party Is stronger to-day for its
courage in attempting, by due course of law
and IN accordance with the letter as well as
the spirit Of the Constitution, to remove a
bad man and a miserable debauchee from
an Office, whose dignity he had shamefully
disgraeed and whose duties and privileges
he had outrageously abused Though a
single vote saved him from conviction and
removal by the Senate. he stands to-day
convicted and disgraeed by the verdict Of an
overwhelming mdiority Of his fellow citizens.
while the Republican party stands yindica-
ted and justified in its acts by the vote of
the Senate and the verdict of the people
1t could not have done less and discharged
its duty, and the country is safer and strong
er to-day for that act. The only cause that
can ever bring the blush ofshame to thecheek
of patriotic American citizen viii be, not
that the nation impeached its President,
but, that it had President that deserved
impeachment