The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-05-07
Pungens stricturss on Congregational Usur.
pations.

pasioas.
In his last letter to the Cincinnati Commercial,
Mr. Halstead, the senior editor, writes:
The impeachers have not made good case.
They have shown that the president desired to
remove Stanton. and gave a letter Of authority to
Lorenzo Thomas TO act as secretary OF war dd
intefl-that is to say, until the president should
nominate and the Senate confirm secretary OF
war. There is not particle of evidence Of any
conspiracy on the part Of the president. There
was no force used. No guilty intent Is made
manifest.
The people have not been prepared, by the
precedents OF our history for the exercise OF the
supreme power by the Senate. They certainly
lock upon the president as the executive, and as
an officer of some consequence. whatever may
high regard for the dignity Of the office Of the
first magistrate. They see plainly that II johnson
is removed it will be upon technical Casa
case that il the tenure of Office act Is constitu.
tionsl, it is extremely difficult to show that that
act has application to the present occupant OF the
war Office, who was appointed in Mr.. Lincoln's
first term. =
Taking the case as 1t stands, do not believe
the conviction Of the president, and his removal
would, on the part of those responsible for that
action, be good subjectmatter for the presiden-
tial campaign. The whole impeachment business
10 blunder, and the easiest way 70 get rid OF It
is for the Senate not to convict. IL the Senate
upon the testimony that Is before the country,
convicts and removes the president; empties the
presidential Office and fills it with q senator, 1t
will be found an ugly load to carry. And there
are q plenty of persons here, about whose Re-
publcanism there is no question, unless belief in
Benjamin F. Wsde's superior patriotism and wis
dom is the one great test OF sound Republican
ISM who are decidedly Of this opinion.
That there should be some degree OF protec-
ton from the "one.man power T" afforded civil
officers, is probably true. l believe 1t is true.
But the president should at least rule in his own
house, and have something to say as 70 whom he
shall associate with In confidential relations; and
he should also have ample authority to deal sum.
marily with officers shown to be incompetent and
dishonest. 1t will be observed that am not here
| speaking Of Andrew johnson, but OF the presi-
| dent Of the United States.
| That the country may have the benefit OF the
good there 10 in the regulation OF the tenure OF
civil office, Congress must not undertake to crush
| out the chief magistrate himself. He Ia neces-
| sary part Of the machinery Of the government,
and, though the servant OF the people, not the
tation of the tenure-of-ofce act that 10 necessary
| to Q conviction of the president was not enter
| tanned by the Senate when the law was upon its
passage, but was expressly dsclaimed In that
body, and that by those most active In the adop.
ton Of the law and best informed as to its true In
tent and meaning.
Before this letter is in print I presume the con-
| diton Of the atmosphere here will have reached
the country by telegraph. Stated briefly, tits that
| the conviction Of the president and his removal
| from office, is not certain. Some Of those who
| have been most emphatic in the expression OF
their opinions that his doom IL fixed, are just now
| wanting in confidence.
| This change In the atmosphere arises appa'
| rently from the fact that the argument, upon thu
| whole, has gone against the impeachers, and upon
the fact that fair analysis OF the case does no,
show q strong one for them-and upon the tact
,hat it Is evident, from the bearing Of the Senate
that there are senators enough who are really try
ing the case or seem to be- 10 decide u either way
Then there is an impression that the outside
pressure" has been overd1ne. and become gros
and dsreputable. Senators like Fessenden ane
Trumbul do not like to be impertinenty IN
structed. by mere office and job hunters, ina
they must take particular view OF case which
they are specially sworn to try according to the
testimony and the law, or that they will be hell
to be traitors to the party. Senator Fessendel
has said, within day or two, that he did not In
tend to perjure himself to please any body, ant
he also remarked. pleasantly, TO q friend, that n
| expected before long to be the most unpopula
| man in New England. So much Importance
| attached TO his course that these observations o
HE, perhaps not Of any serious moment. ar
| caught up and widely and seriously discussed.
Upon the whole. l must say that now think
not quite certain that the president will be cor
| victed and removed from Office and that there ar
| questions to come before the Senate after the al
| gument and before the determination Of the cas-
| that will consume week at least.
The finest assortment Of sewing machines ca
be found at the Office Of Grover d Bakers, Is