Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-04-02
Northumberland Butzsr's
Speech.

The following Is synopsis OF General
Buffers opening spe ch i. the Impeach-
INIT trsl, ss reported by telegraph;
Mr.. Butler spoke at great length. pre-
senting 10 the Senate The several PROPOSE
tions of fact and Law upon which the
House OF Representatives would eDdeavor
to sustain the cause OF the people against
the President The speaker reviewed the
impeachment trials OF other countries, IN
order to show in the light of those pre-
cedenfs. what really constituted impeach-
able offenses. He defined an improbable
high crime or misdemsanor TO be one, in
its nature or const quences, subversive OF
81 me fundamental or essential principle OF
government, or highly prejudicial TO the
public interest; and this might consist of
q violation OF the Constitution, of the law,
of an official oath. or OF duty, by an act
committed or omitted, or, without violat-
ing positive law, by the abuse of discre
tionsry powers, from improper motives, or
for any improper purpose. Mr.. Butler re-
ferred TO the Impeachment Of Lord Dandy,
a case, he said, which went q great way
toward establishing the principle that no
minister could shelter himself behind the
throne by pleading obedience to the orders
of mis- sovereign. He was answerable for
the justice, the honesty, the utility OF all
measures emanating from the crown, as
well Is for their legality, and thus the Elk
ecutive Administration was, or ought TO
be, subordinate in all great matters of
policy to the superintendence and virtual
control of the two houses of Parliament
The speaker then reviewed the ques
tion whether the High Court OF lmpeach
ment was really the Senate or not, and
passed To the matter OF the competency of
one of the triers, on account OF .fi Iity 70
the accused. We believe it Is his right,
nay, his duty to the State he represents, TO
act upon the tIial as he would upon any
other matter which should come before the
Senate. HIS seat and vote belong TO his
constituents, and not tn himself, to be used
according TO his best judgment on every
grave matter that comes before the Senate.
Mr.. Butler then recited the articles of
impeachment, and said the House of Rep
resentatIves and the people have joined
issue with Andrew johnson as TO
his right to act as he has. This bill,
which he has violated, received the
requisite sanction of both the Senate
anu House of Representatives, after full
C consideration of his objections. If he is 20
be allowed 10 exercise his dangerous pow
er of removal. where Is it To endg Does
the Constitution Invest the President with
all the executive power which Is er Eyed
by Kings and the rulers of other nations?
Ii SO, il has been much more liberal to him
than 10 the legislative branch of the Gov
eminent. The executive power of ap-
poiptment is clearly limited by the
words of the Constitution, which
orders the consent of the Senate
necessary. The power which he
has assumed to exercise is kiDgly. The
power of removal was very deliberately
debated in the First Congress, on the bill
TO create State Department 1t was de-
bated for four days, and finally was 30
framed as TO imply the power of removal
in the President but the triumph of its
supporters was short lived. When 1t
came to the House, on motion of Mr. Ben
ton, the provision implying the powers of
removal N the President, was stricken out
1t went to the Senate but as the debates
there were in secret session, We have no
means OF knowing wis at Cid take place. But
We learn from the journal that this provis-
ion, implying the power OF removal, was re-
strained by the casting vote of John Adams,
the Vice President. Alas! most all of our
Notwithstanding this, the facts show that
the Presiden. made no removal without
notifying the Senate. President Adams
removed Mr.. Pickering by nominating
successor 10 the Senate. None of the early
Presidents had ever attempted TO exercise
the unlimited power of removal now as
sumed by the present occu pant In that
chair. Congress has always asserted q
legislative power in reference 10 removals
from Office, sometimes in one way and
sometimes IL another. Never until now
has the exclusive control over appoint
ments to Office been exercised by the Pre-
sident
In 1926 the powers OF the President were
canvassed in Congress, and q committee
was appointed on the subject, who re-
rorted that it was necessary to trim down
his power by statutory Enactment, and re-
ported no less than eight different bills on
the subject One of them vacated within
certain time all Offices pertaining TO the
COLLECTION of revenue. Here was a Tenure
Of Office act reported by one of the greatest
minds of the country. Ii did not seem To
occur To Congress then that il had not
power to regulate appointments to and re
movals from flee
Mr.. Butter cited further acts of Congress
in support of his position, and after stating
the events of February, the removal of
stanton, the app nIntment Of Thomas, the
interview with General Emory, he con-
cluded his argument as ,fsll0gs: "WhO
does net know that from the hour the
President began his usErpations of power
he everywhere denounced Congress, the
legality and constirutionslity OF It's action,
and defied its legitimate powers. and, for
that purpose, announced his intention, and
carried out his purpose, as far as he was
able, OF removing every true man from
Office who sustained the Congress of the
United Statesy And il is to carry out this
plan of action that he claims the unlimited
power of removal, for the Illegal exercise
of which he stands before you to day.
Who does not know that, In pursuance of
the same plan, he used his Veto power in
Discriminatory 10 prevent the passage of
wholesome laws, enacted for the pacifica-
ton of the country, and when the laws
were passed by the constitutional majority
over his vetoes, he made the most deter
mined opposition, both open and covert, to
them, and for the purpose Of making that
opposition tffectual, he underworld to
array, and did array, all the people lately
in rebellion TO set themselves against Con.
gress, and against the true and loyal men,
their neighbors, so that murders, assassins.
tions and msssacres were rife all over the
Southern States, which he favored, by his
refusal tn consent that q single murderer
should be punished, though thousands of
good men have been slainr And, further,
that he attempted, by military orders, TO
prevent the executions of the acts of Con-
gress by the Military Commanders who
were charged Herewith.
"These, and his concurrent acts, show
conclusively that his attempt to get con-
rol of the military forces Of the COVER
ment, by the Selling Of the Department
Of War, was done in pursuance of his gen.
eral design, if it were possible, to over
throw the Congress Of the United States
and he now claims, by his own win, for
the execution Of this scheme, the control Of
4oo IF he q a v,d b, ,;xv.l