The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-05-03
.Reiling .Aeot,s.ations.r

trial, Mr.. Stevens said. that "railipg]
accusation would ill become this oc-]
pasioa," which heSpro5ee3ed to iiius.a
trate afterwards by intimating that
the President was a liar, and calling
him "wretched man" and the s'cffs
spring of assassination" 1t is pos
.sible that, nnder oil the circum-
stances, Mr.. Stevens may consider
the application of such epithets to
the President of the United States
quite complimentary and even Ches-
terfieldian. Most people, however.
will think differently, and, in fact.
q review OF all the impeach hment
charges and speeches thus fur win
impress the public with the convic-
ton that. If the impeachment pro-
eeedings against MI. Johnson were
purged OF the railing accusations"
nothing would be !s!t. Csc &c ..:o .l::o
impeachers likens the President to
Charles the First, and another to
Cronwe almost as curious q combi-
nation Of opposites as if one of the
Presidents counsel, not given to
trailing accusations, "shonld say that
General Butler, in his impetuous
courage, reminded him of Charles
dashing general of the horse, Prince
Rupert, and another should say that
he reminded him of that eminent op-
poser of. the king, Hampden, who is
described by Lord Clarendon as '.of
o most civil and affable deportment;
his reputation for honesty was uni
versal,, and his affections seemed so
guided towards the public good that
no private ends could lead them
estrsy." Even Manager Williams,
of Pennsylvania, whom no one before
suspected Of being historical or po-
etical, or Of dealing in aught but the
material and substantial, said that
this was the old struggle which had
long gone on between the Comm ons
OF England aud the Crown which
is very strange if it is true, and not
much to the credit of American pro-
gress. If it we're not thnt the speech
OF Manager Williams was too ponde-
rous production to be lightly spoken
of, we should have to say that
nothing could we'll be more chaffy.
The Commons of England long ago
came out victors in their contest with
arbitrary power, aud no such contest
ever did or. could exist in America
Still, after uttering this appalling
nonsense, and gravely alleging that
''it was the settled purpose on the
part of the Executive of this nation
to assume to himself royal preroga-
tives," Mr.. Williams intimated that
Johnson was in fair way to become
Cromwell. "He has not yet (says
Mr.. Williams) played the role of
Cromwell, by coming in here boldly
and saying you are no longer Con :
gress, but he has done it outside. ~
First, the poor President is Charles
the First; and, presto, lie is Crom-
well, rs it suits the zigzag purposes
and logic of the impeachers to de-
scribe him. What sane man sees the
faintest resemblance in Andrew John
son to either? What possibility ex-
lists, under our institutions, of his
being like Charles, even if he were
an idiot, or of his entering Congress,
like Cromwell, with an army of iron
sides at his back, and addressing
them thus: "You arc no longer a
Parliament; the Lord has done with
you; He has chosen other instru-
ments for carrying on his work" All
these charges of usurpation and
royalty. are mere trailing accusa-
tons, which is all that the impeach-
ment consists of. TO any human
being capable of reason, and who
cares to inquire what faculty Andrew
Johnson possesses to make him dan
gerous to liberty, nothing can appear
more preposterous than such charges.
A Republican President, shorn by
Congress long ago even of his consti-
tutional prerogatives, is held up as IL
usurper and aiming at kingly power!
a commander-in-chief of the army
and navy who has not control Of his
own War Department.. and whose
subordinate officers avail themselves
of every opportunity to display their
insnbordinations, is denounced as q
would-be Cromwell. The truth is,
that Andrew johnson has less power
at this moment than any President
Of the United States ever had, whilst
Congress has n great deal more than
any of its predecessors. Which is
the more likely to- be injurious to the
public liberties? Most people will
say the latter; and the only danger
of n Cromwell, is that increasing