Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-03-12
Repuh. Union
! state
COMMITTEES.
The Consequence Of Impcacl mont.


The CensequcnceS Of Impeachment.
Among the many arguments advanced
by the supporters of the President in his
reasonable war against Congress as a
reason why he should not be impeached,
that upon which they dwell most is the
precedent which il would establish for
future Congresses TO act upon, they aver
ring that hereafter the President can be
removed from Office for simply differing
with the political views of the legislative
branch Of the government
This is sheer nonsense. The constitu-
ton provides only for the removal of the
President for :" treason, bribery, or other
high crimes and misdemeanors," and the
idea that political difference of opinion
can be regarded in the light Of either is
simply preposterous Such an argument
can have but little weight with the in
telligent masses, Of no matter what politi-
cal creed But no matter The dan
gerous precedent" is made bughear
against the removal of the President, and
tie timid are being frightened into the
belief that there is really something in the
warning which should be Needed just as
they have been from the formation of the
government down to the present time in
relation to every forward measure neces-
sary to be adopted for the preservation of
our nationality In each instance we
were told that the country could not sur
vive the shock yet the trials through
which we have passed have not been few
or light in Importance before the eyes of
the world, and we still live and flourish
the foremost nation of the earth.
The trainers Of the constitution, had
they not anticipated such an event as
corruption in the Presidential Office
would have made no provisions for the
impeachment or removal of the executive
and because it has not been found neces-
sary heretofore TO establish precedent"
in such cases, there is no good reason why
now, when President johnson has endeav-
ored to override the majesty Of the laws
OF the land, and refused to properly en-
force them, that commencement should
not be made, that he should not be pun
ished for the misdemeanors, and warn
ing given to future Presidential adventur.
ers to refrain from following in his foot.
steps
The constitution contains wholesome
safeguards against extraordinary events
and in all cases where such events have
arisen they have been treated according
to its provisions and disposed of in man.
ner satisfactory at least to the majority Of
the people---sufficient under republican
form OF government The war of the re-
bellion, growing out of the attempt of ten
or twelve States to throw off their right.
full allegiance to the general government
was among the most trying of these, ani
though the constitution contained NJ
direct provision for such ease, that in
strument, under the precautions taken b,
it for the national preservation. furnished
all requisite powers for the emergency
and under such provisions the country
passed through the dangerous precedent
of four years war, attended with vari
GUS successes and reverses from the frs
outbreak in Charleston harbor to tho fna
surrender of the rebel chieftain Lee a
Appomattox Court House, and as a resul
we now have government, under whicl
every human being is ''free" in ever,
sense of the word. and which would b
united more firmly than. ever before bu
for the intrigues Of President, for who's,
crimes he now stands impeached awaiting
trial at the bar Of the Senate
Impeachment, though it may be a new
thing as regards the removal of the Presi
dent, is not without precedent under the
government; for besides the cases alluded
to by US in former article, it will be-
remembered that some six years ago, Gov
Andrew johnson Of Tennessee procured
the impeachment Of lifelong persona
enemy, then acting as United State
Judge in that State, and also that that i'm
parchment was prosecuted to conviction
and sentence to removal from Office.
The country has outlived all the extra
ordinary events that have been crowde,
into its history, and compared with man,
of them the impeachment ola Presiden
guilty Of high crimes and misdemeanor,
is Of an Insignificant character, and on
which win be sustained by the popula
voice everywhere.