Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-03-03
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
,ial Correspondence of the Spectator.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Goth. 1868

WASHINGTON, Feb. Goth, 1868.
One Of the most pitiable spectacles ever wit
messed in the United States Senate transpired
in that very questionable body on Tuesday last,
when Old Mortality Stevens came tottering into
the Rump leaning on the arm of the whipped
In, Rhetorical Bingham, and delivered himself
of the following high sounding obedience Of
orders"
''In obedience to the order of the House of
Representatives we appear before you, and in the
name of the House of Representatives and all the
people of the United States, do impeach Andrew
Johnson. President of the United States of high
crimes and misdemeanors in Office and we fur
Their inform the Senate that the House of Repre-
sentatves will, in due time, exhibit particular ar
good the same and in their name we demand
that the Senate take due order for the appear
ance of said Andrew Johnson to answer to said
impeachment"
When Stevens gave vent to the foregoing, in
the name of 'alI the people of the United
States,' he not only was guilty of uttering a
falsehood knowingly, but of taking an unwar-
rantable liberty with the opinions and judg-
ments of millions of people of the United
States who certainly do not endorse such an
iron-cad Radical, and whom he daily misrep-
resents in the Rump House of misrepresenta-
tives Now, here was frail specimen of po-
litical depravity, lettering on the verge Of the
grave, venting his partisan spleen and personal
malice, vindictiveness, hate and rage On the
President of the United States lin the vain en-
deavor to depose him from his high office,
simply because, under a sense of his oath of
Office he disagreed with him in political meas
ures. Old Mortality and his Radical co-adju-
tors have shown to the world in their crusade
against the Chief Ruler of the nation, that they
are unprincipled men; without honor or shame
in their depraved natures; the most contempt
ible Jeremy Diddlers;' loathsome and cor
rupt demagogues rushing headlong with fire
and fury, to destruction
The heretofore independent, Rhetorical Bing-
ham, but now the great ,ohipped an, when he
made his appearance in the Senate with Old
Mortality leaning on his arm, not unaptly re-
sembled high melted Tom-cat that had been
very unexpectedly soused in a tub Of dirty wa
ter. ''Phancy his pheelins!" He looked in
his strange position considerably crest-falen,
and hadn't the courage to look the Chevalier
Bayard of the Senate, Senator Dooittle,) in
the face nor that important Pickwickian look
ing gentleman, Reverdy johnson, with one
hand under his coat tail and the other in the
if not in words, the silent interrogatory-
"Avast man who comes here ?"
''What fall IS there my countrymen~
In case of the impeachment of the President
or Vice President of the United States, the
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court always pre-
Sides Below is the Constitutional provision in
the premises:
Article l. Section II The House of Repre-
sentatives shall choose their Speaker and other
officers, and shall have the sole power Of i'm
parchment. -
Article l. Section III. The Senate shall have
the sole power to try all impeachments. When
sitting for that purpose they shall be on oath or
affirmation. When the President of the United
States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside,
and no person shall be convicted without the
concurrence of two-thirds of the members pres
ent Judgment in cases of impeachment shall
not extend further than to removal from office
and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office
of honor, trust or profit under the United States,
but the party convicted shall nevertheless be liza
BILE and subject to Indictment trial. Judgment,
and punishment according to law;
Article 2. Section ". The President, Vice
President, and all civil officers of the United
ment for and conviction of treason, bribery, or
other high crimes and misdemeanors.
As case of impeachment is very rare oc-
currencee specially so In the person of the
Chief Magistrate of the nation, and one OF vi
tai importance to the American people, and the
forms and usages therein are new to your
readers, l give the following condensed pro-
ceedings in the momentous trial about to come
off:
A select committee on the part of the Senate
is appointed by the Chair to hear the report OF
the committee of the House upon the subject
The committee on the part of the Senate then
reports to that body, and their action is COM
munlcated by the Secretary of the Senate to
| the House of Representatives The Speaker
] then appoints board of probably five mana