Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-03-07

by the removal of an unworthy public
servant from an official position which
| he has dishonored by his perverse dis
regard of duty. and his unjust con-
tempt of the supremacy of the law.
WOOD addressed the House again on
| the impeachment resolution. He said
that the proceeding was as unwarranted
as il was unprecedented. The Presi-
dent has been guilty of no legal crimi-
nal offence under the constitution and
laws. The grounds on which the reso-
luton of impeachment is sought to be
maintained are all frivolous, technical,
and utterly unworthy of any attempt at
refutation. If any branch of the gov
eminent has been guilty of high crimes
land misdemesnors, it is that which
would usurp. all power, aud make tae
J CO ordinate branches subservient to Its
will and its selfish partisan desires.
The President has been careful
To maintain his oath of Office,
| which requires him to preserve, pro-
tect and defend the constitution to
the best of his ability, aud this Is the
extent of his offending, and no more.
IF the House aided by like spirit aud
for like motive In TIE Senate, shall
lconsummate the matter and dlsplace
the chief magistrate of the nation I'M
der so slight pretext, it will commit
an offense greater In effect than that
attempted by the leaders of secession
in 1861. Their effort was to accom-
plish territorial disintegration; this
effort is to disorganize the Government
itself. If carried through, the public
credit receives fatal blow, because
the instability of our public institu-
lions becomes manifest, and this basis,
iupon which now rest all monetary and
proprietary interest, will be shaken. AS
a consequence, the great industrial In
terests will become paralyzed, taxa
ton will become materially enhanced,
the currency further deprecated,
trade and commerce destroyed, and the
people, taught by the example of Con-
oress, will learn 20 disrespect and dis
regard the authority OF the official
power so necessary for the protection
of life, liberty and property. Thus
would social and political evils follow,
lalike, subversive of the pride and pub
lie good. Will the necessity for the
removal of the president justify the
probability of such experiments at this
time? Is our national condition in
that square position to warrant an ex
pertinent SO fraught with possible dam
persP If such considerations have no
weight with the majority OF this House,
can that party bear the responsibility
thus incurred? Can it take upon itself
1.-The odium of all extraordinary and
Revolutionary proceedings? Can it
escape from the consequences incident
to so violent a remedy for imaginary
wrongs, when no motives of public
good will sustain it? L implore the
gentlemen OF the House, before these
Impending calamities, let them reflect
upon the personal consequences of
the step they are about to take.
If the danger to their country
and to the existence of their party
can excite no alarm, let them RENE ~
Der their oath of office, the constitu-
ency to whom each must render his
account, and the individual liability
thus incurred in our positions as mem
bers of this House. We are not our
own agents; we are here In repre-.
sentative capacity. Nor do we reflect
alone the voice and wishes of pollti-
clans at home. Under the theory and
laws Of our country we are all the ser
wants of the whole people, whose wants
and wishes we impersOnste on this
floor. To their happiness and pros
perity let us devote ourselves. To their
best interests let us be faithful, and 10
their bidding let us bow, so that We
may hereafter meet them without fear
and without reproach. The day will
speedily come when all of us must
render an account of our stewardship,
not only to our friends and neighbors,
but to God and our country. Let us
try so to discharge this duty that.
whether living or dying, in public or
private life, in the presence OF our
families or of our Maker, we can jusii-
fy and maintain our conduct.
| ELDREDGE addressed the House in
opposition to the resolution. He asked
whether the gentlemen on the other
side believed or expected that 1T was
possible for this Government, of sew
eral co-equal departments to exist,
when they were not only warning with
each other, but wien the one had not
only one of the confidential counselors
of the other, but a known and deter
mined enemy, holding his position
against his own pronounced conviction
of constitutional right and duty.
AT twenty minutes before five o'clock
the House proceeded, amid great
but suppressed excitement, to vote on
the resolution, as follows:
Resolved, That Andrew Johnson,
President of the United States, be i'm
peached for high crimes and INSIDE
meanors.
| During the vote excuses were made
| for the absence of Messrs. Robinson,
Benjamin, Washburn, Williams, Van
Horn, of Missouri, Trimble of Tenn,
Pomeroy, Donnelly, Koontz, Maynard
and Shellabarger.
The Speaker stated that he could not
consent that his constituents should be
silent on so grave an occasion; there
fore as q member of the House he voted
''aye." .au.
The vote resulted-yeas 126, nays AZ,
as follows:
YEAs-Messrs. Allison, Ames, Anderson, ArnelI,
| Ashley Of Nevada, Ashley, of Ohio, Bailey; Baker,
| Baldwin Banks, Beaman, Beatty, BENZ on, Bingham,
Blaine, Blair, Boutwell,, Broomall, Cromwell, Buck
land, Butler. C.ke, Churchill, Clarke, Of Kansas,
Clarke, Of Ohio, Cobb, Coburn Cook, Cornell, Co.
| vode, Cullom, Dawes Dodge, briggs, Eckley, Eg-
glestOn, Eliot, Fsrnsworth, F,rris, Ferry, Fields,
/ tirAveIy Grswold. Halsey, Harding, Highly Hill,
Hooper, Hopkins, Hubbard, Of Iowa, Hubbard, of
West Virginia, Hulburd Hunter, Ingersoll, Jenckes
judd Julian, Kelley, Kelsey. Ketcham, Kitchen,
Latin, Lawrence; Of Pennsylvania, Lawrence,
| of Ohio, lincoln, Loan, Logan, Laughridge,
| Lynch mallory, Marvin, Mccarthy. McUlnI z,
| Mercur, Miller, Moore, Moorehesd, morrill,. Mul
len. Myers, Newcomb. Num-. O'Ntel, orth Perham,
| Peters. PIKE, Ri Poland. Polsley, Price, Baum,
Robertson. schenck, Scbofeld, Seelye, Shanks
smith, spsIding, starkweaIhrr, stevens of N H
Stevens Of Penn. stOkes. Tale. Taylor, Irow-