Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-05-22
senator Wilson On impeachment .
During the deliberations Of the Senate on Mon
jav senator Wilson said

During the deliberations of the Senate On Mon
day, Senator Wilson said
Whenever the high duties imposed upon Sena-
tors by the exigences Of the country have
pressed for action, and our deliberations have
been distracted by the diverse opinions Of Sena-
tors lc-,uel in the law, have striyen to dis
charge my duty by giving whatever doubts
clouled NV Judgment. or embarrassed my action,
to patriotism. to liberty and to justice-to the Sc
curitv Of my country and the rights OF its cit-
zens In glancing back over these years | ind
few votes | would recall by following this rule Of
action.
The trainers Of the Constitution well knew the Sc
ductiye graspng and aggressive nature Of execu-
tive power High misiemeanors may or may not
be violations Of the laws High misdemeanors may
in my Judgment, be misbehayior in office detri-
mental to the interests Of the nation or dlshonor-
ing to the Government. | entertain the conyic-
ton that the trainers Of the Constitution intend
ed to impose the high duty upon the House Of
REPRESENTATIVES to arraign the Chief Magistrate
for such misbehayior in Office as endangered the
nation, and TO impose upon the Senate the duty
Of irving. convicting and removing the chief
magistrate proved guilty Of such misbehavior.
Believing this To be the intention ofthe trainers Of
the Constitution, and its true meaning; bellev-
/ ing that the power should be exercised whenever
the security Of the country and the liberties Of
4 the people imperatiyely demand it; and believ-
! iur bv the evidence adduced TO prove the
/ charges Of violating the Constitution and the
Tanure-of-office act, and the confessed and justl
! feel acts Of the President, that he Is guilty Of
| high misdemeanors, | unhesitatlngly vote for his
conviction and removal from his high office The
assumptions Of power put forth by the President
IN his defence cannot but startle and alarm all
- .l,a iftst of all
branches of the Government. Had the President
| inadvertently violated the Constitution and the
laws-had he urged in justification Il miscon-
struction of the Constitution and the laws-l
might have hesitatel to vote for his conviction;
but he claims the right to remove civil officers
and appoint others I'D interim during the session
of the Senate If that claim Of power is admitted
bv n vote Of acauittal, the President can remove,
dnrinp the session Of the Senate, tens Of thOus-
anis Of civil officers, with their millions Of com
pensation, and appoint his own creatures TO NIL
their places without the advice and consent Of the
Senate. and thus nullify that provision OF the
Constitution that empowers the Senate to give It's
advice and consent to appointments. Not con-
tent with this assumption of power, the Presl-
dent claims the right to pronounce law Of Con-
gross unconstitutional-to refuse to execute 1t,
although he is sworn to do so, and to openly vio-
late II with a view Of testing its constitutlonalIty
in the courts-although no means may exist fol
months or years to come to test the constitution
atv of the law in Judicial tribunals of the coun'
try. The President claims and has exercised tn,
right to declare Congress an unconsututona
body, incapable of enacting laws or ofproPosln1g
amendments to the Constitution to hold tn
| laws in allowance to refuse to execute them anC
e TO defantly violate them in order to test thel
= constitutionality These are the positions as
sumed by Andrew johnson. These assumption
change the character of our government. II the
are sustained by verdict of acquittal, the Pres
= ident ceases to be the servant of the law and be
: : comes the master of the people, and law-non
( eyecutinr power, law-defying power. A La"
, I 6resI,ing power Is created within the govern
II oent instead Of an executive bound to the faltl
e full execution of the laws of Congress. The n;
d ton has an Executive bound only to execute II
a laws according to his own caprices' whims an
l sovereign pleasure. Never can | assent py
y, vote OF ac1uittal to Executive assumptions 50 u
* constitutional, 50 subversiye Of the goyernInen
&. 50 revolutionary in their scope and tendenc
Criminal acts raisc the presumption oil wroi