Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1868-05-21
Impeachment---Verdtc on the Eleventh

Impeac hment--- on the Eleventh
Article.
| The Senate, sitting as Court of I'm
parchment, came to vote on the eleventh
of the impeachment articles against the
President on Saturday last, and the result
was decision of mot guilty. upon that
article by the constitutional vote. The
eleventh article, in addition to the allega-
ton of the denial of the authority of Con-
gress by the President, and the attempts
to prevent the execution of the civil ten
uro act, as we'll as the military act of 1867,
also charges the President with obstruc-
ton of the reconstruction laws. On this
the vote was IS to 10, as follows, the
names Of the Republicans, seven in num-
Der, voting mot guilty." being in italics :
Gulty.-Messrs. Anthony, Cameron, Cat
tel, Chandler, Cole, Conkling, Conness, Cor
bett, Cragin, Drake. Edmunds, Ferry, FIRE.
inghuyseD, Harlan, Howard, Howe, Morgan,
Morrill, of Maine, Morrill, Of Vermont, Nor
ton, Nye, Patterson of New Hampshire.
Pomeroy, Ramsey, Sherman, Sprague. Stew
art, Sumner. Thayer, Upton, Wade, Wiley,
Williams, Wilson and Yates-35.
Not GuiHy.-Messrs. Bayard, Buckalew,
Davis, Dixon. Doolittle, Fessenden, Fovzer,
Grimes, Henderson, Hendricks, johnson, Nc
Creery, Norton, Patterson of Tennessee, Ross,
Salisbury, Trum6ml, Fan Winhle and Wick
ers-19. =~
The test of strength on this article,
which was believed to be able to command
the largest number probably on the i'm
parchment side, disclosed the fact that,
putting forth their greatest strength. the
impeachers lacked one Of the two-thirds
necessary for conviction.
At this moment, with shameless au-
dacity which is utterly without parallel
in judicial annals. the impeachers, having
submitted their case to the ordeal of YER
dict, having consented that that verdict
should be rendered, flew the track and re-
fused to permit final decision as soon as
they discovered it would be against them
selves. The expedient resorted to by the
defeated party was one which instantly
disclosed the desperation alike of their
cause and of their charSter,. The same
motive which, in the first of last week,
led to the motion to adjourn when it was
supposed vote was about to be taken,
led them now, without the assigning of
any excuse whatever, to postpone the case
once more till Tuesday, the Goth instant:
The previous failure to come to vote
meant that conviction could not then be
carried, and his last postponement was
because that 'act was actually domonstrat-
ed by test vote. What is to be gained
by the postponement is not very clear,
but as the National Nominating Conven-
ton Of the Republican party is to meet at
Chicago the present week, it was probably
thought advisable, with reference to party
purposes, to leave the question open till
after the adjournment of that body.
The first postponement gave time to the
|impeachers to put forth their utmost ener-
gies to intimidate and browbeat the doubt
full, and truly such a display Of maniac
wrath, throwing off not only all semblance
of judicial purpose. but of reason and
decency. has seldom been witnessed in the
political conte.ts of any land or any age.
The most illuarious members of the Sen
ate, men whom their present maligners
have themselves asst gned the first position
for craftsmanship and integrity in their
party, have been denounced as guilty Of
crimes far crater than those for which
Andrew johnson has been impeached,
and threatened with infamy if they should
vote accordingto the requirements of their
oaths and consiences.
With this second postponement. the
change of impeachment from a judicial to
a political measure not only becomes ap-
parent, but stands confessed and avowed
by its own friends. Assured that YER
dict of guilty .annot be had. the majority
which has the power to adjourn, though
not to convict. takes time to make anoth-
er effort to develop all its resources Of
party machinery, intimidation and clamor,
to control the decision. Once more the
passions of the party will be invoked, and
all the influences of persuasion and terror
brought to bear upon those members OF
the court who are not willing to sacrifice
the first principle of justice and of law
for the purpose of conviction. The coun-
| try has no reason to fear that such appli-
ances will be more successful in the future
than in the past. The seven Republican
Senators who, with such moral heroism,
have faced the bowling storm of partisan
denunciation heretofore, may be relied
upon to stand firm in the sublime position
which they now occupy in the eyes of the
world and will surely hold in the pages Of
history. The noble temper and frmness
which the Republican Senators who stood
upon their consciences and oaths have dis
played; the admirable calmness and
strength of will with which they have re-
sisted the fury and insolence of the attacks
upon their integrity and independence,
will win them higher place in the respect
of the world than any official station could
bestow. AS to the fate of impeachment,
the vote of Saturday cannot but inspire
the hope and belief with the people that
the President can never be removed by a
fair verdict of the court as at present con-
stituted. When the case ends, if it ever
does end, the trial Of the judges at the bar
of public opinion will begin.
Meantime, however, it will be seen that
limitations are made of the dark purposes