Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-03-19
Wendell Phillip. Howl, Again.

I
The perils which surround the republic
have never been Of 0 graver character
than they are to-day. The President has
been tardily impeached on purely tech
meal grounds, which present opportuni-
ties for lengthy and plausible defense,
Conducted, as that defense is TO be, by
the abest special pleaders in America.
The devices invented TO curb and check
the President will, / fear, return 10
plague the inventors. He can now plead
in his defense an invasion by Congress
Of a prerogative which, whether 'consti-
tutional or not, has been sanctioned
by the law and custom Of the
republic for over half century.
The opportunity to assume this
position should never have been
given him. The moment he was
proved to be dangerous to the extent that
he could not be trusted with the usual
powers of his Office, the proper remedy
was, not to pass laws of doubtful and
unusual character, but to draw the
weapon from the constitutional armory,
placed there for just such an emergency,
and with it to strike off his head. This
was again and again urged in these col
umns; but timid and,half-awake Con-
gress allowed the golden moments Of
opportunity to pass by, the indignation
of the people, raised to fever heat IN
the fall Of 1866, to cool; and now a rude
buffet from the hand Of the despot they
have vaiuly tried to fetter, rouses them
to the spasmodic cry of impeachment
and thus we confront the issues of to-day.
That the President is technically
guilty on the indictment framed, and
that the law violated is constitutional,
though of an unusual character, seems
easily proven. But that the skillful
| lawyers who conduct the defense will be
| able to raise clouds of doubt around the
whole subject is very certain. This,
however, is the least of the dangers
which threaten to balk the purpose of the
loyal people determined that Mr.. John
son shall no longer protect treason and
punish loyalty in the Presidential chair.
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
| is his ally. Salmon P. Chase, mad with
the Presidential fever and desperate in
the consciousness ofbaffied plans, meanly
jealous of Wade, and, perhaps, cherish
ing the forlorn hope Of Democratic
nomination, joins forces with the enemy
and stands as the Presidential ally. 1t
has been known for long time that the
relations between the Chief Justice and
the President were more cordial than
was made necessary by the mere Off
cial relations of, the parties, and, last
Wednesday night, the rooms of the
Chief Justice, filled with the gay and
fashionable winter society of Washing
ton, were startled as by an electric
shock when the doors were flung open,
and the usher, in a loud voice, an
nounced "the President of the United
States and daughter" Few who were
present with me will soon forget the sig
nifcant looks which passed from face to
face through those brilliant and crowded
rooms, as the unusual event of the Presi
dent of the United States attending an
evening reception of the Chief Justice
was fully realized. His carpng letter
to the Senate-his refusal, at first, to
obey the mandate to appear as its
presiding officer-and his decisions
of the following day, are but the
unfolding of plot to obstruct and de-
feat, as far as possible, the conviction of
the President. How far he may be able
to work harm depends, of course, on the
frmness of the Senate but, in any
event, he is a serious obstacle with evil
intentions only limited by his courage,
which latter, fortunately is not great
He seems determined to maintain the
consistency of public career which may
be summed up in these words: He never
had an opportunity to serve his party
that he did not betray it,
The Senate itself is the next great
danger. There is reason to believe that
serious detection exists among the Re-
publicans on this question. Ross, of
Kansas, and Sprague, of Rhode Island
(Chase's son-in-law), are already counted
secure as two of the seven Republicans
it is necessary to win over to prevent a
conviction. The more than probable de-
fection of Fessenden would carry at
least four more gentlemen who hang on
bis skirts. The folly of Congress is not
providing for the suspension OF the Pres
ident during trial will soon be evident.
The boundless opportunity this gives the
culprit to corrupt his judges will not re-
main unimproved.
The most meuacing danger of all,
however, is the probable decision by
majority of the Supreme Court in the
case of McCardle, that the reeonstruc-
tion acts are unconstitutional. Con-
gress has failed to pass the law requiring
a two-thirds vote for a decision (Trum-
bull stiAed the bill in the Senate), and
we are thus Fastening to point where
everything we have gained for loyalty and
the negro is to be undone by judicial fiat.
The situation is alarming, and the peo-
ple must be aroused, or all is lost There
should be voice from the North, deep
and loud enough to make the Senate keep
its integrity, and awe the Supreme Court,
with its equivocal Chief, into silence.
Meetings should be held everywhere, and
the country awakened to its peril My
feeble pen can do little. What | say here
is in the minds and mouths of all who
know Washington society or politics at
all. Yet you will hardly find it in the
editorials or correspondence of single !
Northern paper. The special dis
patches" which SO largely affect public |
opinion, are all carefully moulded by |
crafty politicians here or venal editors
there, in the interests Of some candidate,
never caring to speak the exact truth
once; and so the good ship, with the |
passengers all unwarned, drifts on an.
unknown and dangerous shore.
II the President comes out OF that Sen |
ate Chamber Triumphant, aud armed with |
the pronounced decision Of the Supreme
Court on the uncoustitutionality Of re-
construction, what Law in the interest Of
freedom and loyalty will be thenceforth
regarded Prescription Of loyal men,
rehabilitation Of traitors, the trampliug |
down Of the negro in blood, and his ovn
recollection By the combined diabolism Of
the country, north and south, to all Of