The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1868-03-05
Congressional.

Washington, MARI.
Mr. Stevens, ofPenn., sitting at the
Clerks desk, proceeded to address
the House, the members having col
lected around him. He said:
Meyer was o great malefaotor so
gently treated as Andrew johnson.
The people have been unwilling to
blot the records Of this country by
weighing his crimes with their shame
shame for their endurance for so
long time of his great crimes and
misdemeanors. The committee have
omitted entirely his reckless abuse Of
the patronage OF the government; his
corruption of the morals Of the ma
ton by seducing them with offers OF
offices, and intimidating by threats
Of expulsion, tor the purpose of maxi
ing them abandon honest principles
and adopt the dastardly ones
which he had just conceived.
Mr. Stevensreviewed Andrew John
sons attempt to reconstruct the South
ern States, charging him with assum-
ing to establish an empire for his own
control, and to deprive Congress Of
its just prerogative. These Mr. Ste
vens characterized as monstrous
usurpations, worse than sedition and
little less than treason. He said the
committee had rested only on the
most trifling crimes and misdemean
ors which they could select from the
official life of Andrew johnson.
In concluding, Mr. Stevens offered
an additional article, which he deem.
ed ofvast Importance, and which, he
said, was by some unaecountable mis-.
understanding dropped out of the
original report. The article states
that Andrew Johnson formed the de.
liberate design to keep Edwin M.
Stanton from resuming the Office OF
Secretary Of War after his first re.
moval, while the Senate was consider.
ing the efficiency Of the reasons re-
ported, and that he was defeated by
the integrity of the Secretary ad in
term; also that he sought the same
end by giving letters Of authority to
the Adjutant General of the army,
and severely censured the former
Secretary Of War ad interim for not
yielding to his efforts to make him
betray his trust.
Mr. Boutwell, offered an amendment
to strike out tho article entirely
Adopted.
Mr. Jenckes offered as an amend
ment an additional article charging
the President with attempting to get
possession Of the military power, &c,
which was rejected.
Mr. Wilson, of Iowa, opposed the
amendment, saying it had been voted
down in the Committee, by vote of
"A to so; so the amendment was re.
jected.
AS the Clerk indicated the hour of
4 o'clock the committee, in accor..
dance with an order of the House.
rose and Mr. Dowd reported the
action of the amendment supposed to
be offered by Mr. Stevens, and all &C.
ton On the amendment was excluded
from being offered.
Mr. Eldridge rose and said, l am
instructed by IS members Of the
House of Representatives to present
Q communication from them to the
House and ask that it be read.
Objections being made Mr.. Eldridge
asked the Committee to have the
communications printed in the Globe,
which was also objected to.
Mr.. Farnsworth made It'll point Of
order that, under order, the House
could entertain no proposition-but
should proceed to vote on the bills of
impeachment.
The Speaker sustained the point
The communication sought to DO in.
troduced protests against the tyranny
and injustice practiced by the major
ity of the House, and complains Of
tho manner in which, under the op-
GRAFTON of o previous question, the
are prevented from debating
the most momentous questions-all
Of which tends to strip their consyit-
lents Of representation or voice in |
The councils Of a Republican Govern.
nent.
The House proceeded to vote on the
articles. The first article was adopt
'd-yeas l26, nays II; second-yeas
l22, nays Al; third-yeas 121, nays
2; fourth--yeas ia, nays 80; fifth,
ixth, seventh and eighth--yeas 1876,
20, nays II; ninth and tenth--yeas
O8, nays 46.
Messrs. Cory and Stewart were the
My Republicans who voted eNo."
The House proceeded to vote for
he mana oers TO Conduct the impnaeh |