Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-02-27
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY %, lses.
The Nede OF Impeachment,

he ainiss u give lFlei lthtlh =" VA
forms necessary To h, rosart,l 10 IN ordr
"a effect the rrmo,al Of the President, d
any Federal officer by Impeachment i
view Of the mAuy different iie's eStn
regarding such process,
The power To- impcsrh T. derived trar
article ?, section I, # Tho constitution
which provide, tia, The President. Vic
President and al civil officer, 81 u
United States. ,hsll De- rznn,ial fgnm utie
on impeachment for ul conviction q
treason, bribery or other high rr'm, aa
miaismsaHarlF
Since the formation ~ thr government
bat four eases Of Impeachment, # fedora
officers have come before the United State
Senate for trial The first c,se wa- tia
OF William Bognt l., ; senator iruu
Tennessee, who was expelled irom IA,
Senate in l,99, by vote ot - 10 /, t.
"a high misdcmcanor entirely incou,i,tgn
with his public duty aud trust as Scua
tor" lie, though not convicted ON IA,
impeachment trial, was expelled from th,
Senate The second case was that o
Judge Pickering Of the United States Dis,
triot Court of New Hampshire, who Wa,
impcachcd, tried and convicted by III,
Senate and removed from Office in 1904
for drunkenness and profanity Tn IL,
bench and refusing TO enforce the revenue
laws. The third case was that Of Judge
Samuel Chase Of the L, ) Supreme Court,
who was charged with having ruled un.
fairly and oppressively at various trials,
relative - admitting evidence, and ex-
GLIDING iurymen and witnesses, Thi, oc-
CURED in 1906, and the Judge was ac-
quilted. The fourth and only remaining
case acted upon was that Of Judge James
II, Peck Of the L. s District Court Of
Missouri, tried and acquitted in 1881, for
arbitrary and oppressive conduct in cxcr.
eising the functions Of his Office
And now again theScnate is called upon
TO resolve itself int High Court, uff fru-
parchment, and this time for the trial OF
the highest executive officer in the Land,
whose arbitrary acts and oppressive
rulings have rendered necessary the pre-
sentation of impeachment articles by the
House of Representatives.
In all former impeachment trials, as in
this, the House has acted simply as
grand jury,-its duty being neither To
try or convict the official arraigned. but
simply to investigate the case sufficiently
to ascertain whether or not there is sufii.
Gent ground for the finding of a true bin
against the accused. In the present ease
one has been found and a resolution
adopted by, Tire ffUusr-Uff Representatives,
that Andrew johnson, President of the
United States, be impeached of high crimes
and misdemeanors." The next step in the
trial is the appointment by the Speaker of
the House Of Board Of Managers, prob I.
ably five in number, who will proceed to
the Senate, and in the name Of the House
of Representatives of the United States,
impeach the President at the bar of that
body, and ask it to appoint time for the
hearing of the case. 1t will then be the
duty of the Senate to organize as a High
Court Of Impeachment and upon the re,A
ception of Impeachment articles from the
House Board of Managers, issue its war
rant, taking jurisdiction in the case, and
requiring the President to appear and
answer To the charges preferred against
him by the House After the SEN
ate becomes a Court Of Impeachment
the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
of the United States assumes the func-
tions of presiding officer over its delibera-
tions, its members merely acting as jurors
and upon conclusion Of the hearing of
evidence render their verdict AS such, the
Board Of Managers of the House being
the prosecutors of the accused 1t is not
necessary that the President should ap-]
pear in person before the bar of the Court |
of Impeachment, and he will be, repre-
sented by his attorneys. The Senate
will establish rules regarding argu-
ment and evidence, and must decide all .
points Of law without debate The rules
for proceedings in impeachment trials are +
well established, as in 1881, in the case Of .
Judge Peck of Missouri. the Senate made
an elaborate investigation into all the pre-
cedents, and established a full code Of
rules for the government of such eases.
hence it will not be necessary 10 spend
any time in preliminary matters, further
than to organize promptly as court
While the Senate is holding tho trial, the
House of Representatives, through its
Board of Managers, is constructively pres
emit, and consequently no legislative bust
ness can be transacted by that body. AZ
ter the evidence in the case is heard a
vote is taken by the Senators sitting as
Jurors, and two-thirds concurring in the
charges presented by the House, the Chief
Justice presiding declares the President
forever disqualified to hold and enjoy amy
office of honor, trust or profit under the
of the United States, and
hence that the Presidential office must be
vacated by him. In this case the presid-
ing officer Of the Senate, Hon B. F. Wade
Of Ohio, succeeds to the executive chair,
and, upon taking the oath Of office, as
sumes the duties Of Chief Magistrate of
the Republic.
The spectacle of the President OF the
United States standing as criminal at
the bar of the highest judicial tribunal
under the government, is certainly a sor-
rowful one and one much to be regretted,
and though the enemies of the country
NAV declare republican forms OF rnvcrn-