The Portland daily press., 1868-06-02
IMPEACHMENT.
The Republican Press of Name ON the
Verdict.
[From the Portland Star Mau on

l.I
We sincerely thought the Senate would con.
vict and concientiously believe that the coun-
try would have been better off but we should
very much deplore party action as to the con-
duct of the members of the High Court The
cause of this adminstratiOnlwill never be turn
ed to account against any man who has acte
as he thought BEST and as we allow no man
to take charge of our cOncience we protest
against taking charge of other peoples. A
specific thing has been acted upon; and be-
cause some Republican Senators have. voted
as We are bound to believe hOnestly-against
the charge, it is simply harmless thunder to
denounce them as gone from the ranks. Ben
Wade, Butler, Sumner and some others have
been on trial, too, but that furnishes no sufici-
ent grounds for carrying the case up.
[From the Saco Courier, Nav 3Ol
Washington dispatch says that 'after yot.
ing on Wednesday, Mr.. Grimes left, probably
never to return. He will soon leave Washing
ton and give up public lite." We don't be-
lieve the report; for inefficient men rarely die
and never resign. Jim Lane of Kansas went
hopeIthat Ross or Grimes will follow his praise
worthy example, 1t was reported in Chicago
on Wednesday of the Convention that Mr..
Fessenden had announced his intention of re-
signing, but this is pure fiction. We do not
yet expect TO worthlly say OF either of John
Cawdor, however much we may wish to write
their monumental inscription, that
''Nothing in his life
Became him like the leaving it he died.
As one who had been studied in his DEATH
10 throw away the dearest thing he owned,
AS 'twere careless trifie."
[From che Lewiston journal, MAY 27.l
PRESIDENT johnson escapes, but only by one
vote. He remains under the humiliation of a
censure such as no nation ever before inflicted
upon chief magistrate. whom it consented
to keep in power. Guilty of high crimes in
the ludOmant Of fban ho1 I,
judges; guilty of fagrant violation of duty
and OF conduct unbecoming a magistrate in
the opinion of large proportion of the rest;
with the attention of the country fixed more
hrmly than ever on the acts which have made
his administration so much worse than fail
ure; distrusted even by those who have been
servlceable to him in his trial. and with no
party willing to unite its fortunes with his
own; If is difficult to see what comfort or hope
he can get from such an escape The few re-
manning months of his administration will
hardly be sufficient to tempt the soldiers of
fortune who under other circumstances might
hustle around him and give him Fictitious
popularity.
From the Oxford Democrat, May 22.]
PRESIDENT johnson, though technically ac-
quilted OF high misdemeanor, which would
have justified expulsion from office, has been
condemned by the voice of the highest branch
OF the government, sitting in the capacity OF
Jurors, under the sOlemnity of an OATH after
lengthy trial, conducted in fair and impair
tial manner, and with all the rights which he
could claim under the constitution tenacious
ly claimed by the ablest counsel in his behalf
The principle for which Congress and the peo-
pie have contended, has beeu vindicated-so
that, in our view, the proceedings of impeach-
ment are not without benefit, and are not to
De denounced as partisan measure which
has proved failure. 1t is true that the course
| of the seven Republican Senators who so sad
| ly disappointed their friends and constituents
| by voting for acquittal, produces some hard
feelings, and some vituperative language may
| be used; some bitterness may be shown, anG
possibly somebody may be hurt-but the nu
merical loss to the party will be small Il
| would be puerile, it would be mean, and gross
| ly unjust to impugn the motives of such mer
men who have been pioneers in the cause o.
| freedom, and statesmen of acknowledged abil
| ity-unless grounds for suspicion of the purity
| OF their motives appear.
| tFrom the Pennington Chronicle, May 21.l
The impeachment trial over, let us make
earnest preparation for the great campaign
about to be inaugarated. Let no unnecessar,
| and perhaps unjust ordinations or dissensOn
lessen the strength of that party on whose sue
cess depends the welfare and hopes of the ma
| ton.
| From the Winthrop Bulletin, May 29.l
This will probably be the last time we shall
have occasion to speak of the trial of Presi
dent johnson for "high crimes and misdemea
nors," as the high court on Tuesday last &C
quilted him on the second and third article
and afterwards adjourned sine die. If we con
tinue as we have been going for the pas
twelve or fifteen years we shall become ruin
ed nation. Our republican form of govern
ment will cease to exist, and we shall be gov
erned-perhaps by a military dictator. Th'
| American people are easily governed and the
| can sustain their present form if they will on
| ly do their own thinking; but if the affairs O
our country are entrusted to selfish men, meal
enough to destroy the liberties on which W.
dOte, for twenty pieces of silver, We may ex
pect the worst.
From the Bath Times, May 19l 7a
Forney has formally read Fessenden an
Grimes out of the Republican party, We sus
pect that neither the Senators named nor th
Republican party will take Mr.. Forney's jude
ment as final on that particular question.
Nor will the party thank Mr.. Forney for al
tempting to thrust out of its ranks men who's
whole lives have been the best illustrations O
Republican principles, simply because diff
ering from the great majority of the party o.
this one question-they have thought iI bette
to bear the ills we have, than fly tn others tina
we know not of.
| [From the Gardiner Journal, May 2Ol
The question of impeachment has been sui
mitted to the arbitration of the only bod
which has power to decide it, and constitr
tional minority have in accordance with th
fundamental law determined Andrew JOhr
son to be "not guilty" But the verdict canno
change the opinions of the people. A larg
| majority of them believe him to be guilty 3
| high crimes and misdemeanOrs, and the large
portion of the remainder regard him as polit
| cally dishonest and treacherous. He may O
forth nominally acquitted, but he will never
theIess go forth a "blasted public functionary
with none SO poor as to do him reverence.
is not surprising that this result should Great
much excitement through the country. To
deserted by ones friends in the hour of peri
| when they are most nee0ed, savOrs not only {
inhumanity but treachery. That in the pas
sion of the moment we should be unduly ex
cited with partisan zeal is not strange, and q
such time we may misjudge the motives an
overlook the circumstances which controlle
the action of our friends. We scorn to adm
that bribery or mercenary motives have influ
enced or prejudiced the action of those Sens
| tors who voted for acquital but have hereto
fore been true to freedom and Justice.
[Fro.n the Gardiner Reporter, May 30l
For the last time we have to record the pre-
ceedings of the Court of Impeachment; an
although many of the American people are di,
satisfied with the verdict, yet all will be gla
that the veil of uncertainty no longer hang
over the result Now that this exciting an
disturbing element is removed from the min
of the national legislators, they will have tin
to attend to other very important matter
that have been awaiting their consideration
The present state of business demands the
closest attention, and we trust they may
able to devise means to relieve, in measu
at least, the present depression.
[From the Kennebec Journal, Nav 27J
The feeling seem to be gaining groun
throughout the country that while the Sen
tors who voted for conviction were fully Just
, fed by the law and the testimony and repl
sented the honest Judgment of the loyal pc
pie, it would be unwise to make the vote OF t
minority party test against them. The Ii
ing and future issues should animate the
publcans and carry them successfully to v
tory at the ballot box in November.
[From the WatervilIe Mail, May 22.l
! Impeachment has probably reached its C
max in the acquittal of the President on O
of the main articles embracing the chars
against him. He is saved by one vote only
and yet in the great jury of his countrymen
!. stands convicted, with hardly a dissenti
= voice if we except those who were banded.
gether in the rebellion. The American peol
It pronounce him guilty-guilty from the n
>. meDt he made his drunken speech at the j
= = auguration of President Lincoln; guilty
every insane speech he made while "swingi
:. round the circle;" and doubly guilty in
y systematic efforts to defeat the plan of recC
struction urged by the representatives of
people, He may be allowed to hold his of
for the few months yet remaining in his tel
but he is virtually both impeached and d
eal 81 81.