The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-05-27
IMPEACHMENT ENDED.

battle was not fougnt out, anu the uuCWen1
impeachers, instead of falling with their feet
to The foe, suddenly capitulated before they
had been driven from their positions. The
defeat on the eleventh article was generally,
and, it appears, with reason, considered con-
elusive: but the radicals did not seem to give
up all hope of carrying their point at last
Their adjournment of the verdict to the 26th
was a tacit admission that they desired con-
viction only for the sake of getting rid OF the
President, and not because they really deemed
him guilty of punishable crimes and INSIDE
meanors; and it was viewed by the public
only as one of those political stratagems by
which beaten parties sometimes attempt to
extricate themselves from positions of hope
less embarrassment If it had been sue
cessful they might have congratulated
themselves on their dexterity. It has failed,
and they have only added ridicule to the
odium which the popular judgment has visited
on their Intellectual attempt. All their weap-
ons have broken in their grasp. All their de-
vices have Ieeoiled themselves The vio-
lence of party hatred degenerates simply
into bathos after their sudden retreat
from their threatening attitude. The
denunciatory resolution Of the Chicago Con-
vention looks like piece of superfuous
sound and fury, signifying nothing, now that
the High Court of Impeachment has adjourned
without day. Party pressure, private remon-
STRANGE, threatened expulsion from the Re-
publican ranks, have failed to move. the re-
cusant senators from their position. The
scheme has been thwarted, and it IS defeat
the more important and decisive because it is,
in every respect, a party defeat. Separated
from the political character which it had
assumed, impeachment was merely nom
sensical As Mr. Trumbull said, the ar
ticles would not stand in a Justices
court Yet these articles, so lame
and impotent and misshapen as to be repul-
sive to every we'll balanced mind, received
the support of every radical member of the
House. and of all but seven Republican sena-
tors; of almost every Republican newspaper,
and of the great council of the Republican
party Their failure is a party overthrow as
well as a victory of law and justice and COM
mon sense; and thus the radicals commence
their great campaign for the presidency with
a defeat more signal and disastrous than has
ever before been encountered by aSominant
party in. this country. For the last three
months impeachment has been the life and
aliment of radicalism. But it has been an
aliment like that of the reckless and unhappy
people who feed on poisons-death if they
give them up, and death if they continue to
use them.
Nothing could have been more disastrous
to the Republican party than the acquittal of
the President, except his conviction. If the
impeachment plan had found its climax and
consummation in the conviction and removal
of Mr. johnson, the recoil would have been
such as to sweep the Republican party from
existence as a political organization. But
even the certain reprobation of the country
could be risked by men who had already
dared so much to maintain their supremacy
and their power. The failure of the project
leaves them without hope, and without even
a consistent plan. Instead of having Grants
strength as the head of the army, acting
under radical commander-in-chief, they
have only the waning prestige of a soldier
have counteracted all the weight of his mill
tary reputation.
1t il, then, not without reason that the
final defeat of the impeachment programme
is regarded as the augury of peace and as
guarantee against an imminent revolution
in the government 1t is not only that law
and justice have triumphed, but that the
downfall of radicalism by the peaceful agency
of the ballot, is assured beyond a reasonable
doubt Whatever may be the future course
of the seven remembering senators -whe-
ther they accede to the Chicago nominations
or withdraw from the party which denounces
their conduct and questions their motives
the country will not soon forget the inestima-
bic service which they rendered at a moment
when a service like theirs was equivalent
to the salvation of the government, and the
perpetuation of republican institutions.
CITY NOTES RECEIVABLE FOR DUES TO THE
ClTY.-The following communication has been ad-
dressed TO tue sheriff by the finance committee,
in accordance with a resolution adopted by said
committee:
"F.NANCE COMMITTEE Room.
NO 80 City Hall,
New Orleans, 26th May, 1868.
Geo W. Avery, veg Sheriff Of the Parish of Orleans:
SH-The finance committee. at their session
last evening, revoked the instructions issued to
you on the 18TH Of April last, concerning the re-
ception OF particular currencies from delinquent
tax payers; consequently, you will not object to
the city notes offered for the satisfaction of judg-
ments obtained by the city.
al presume the board does rot extend this
| privilege to the case nov on appeal to the So
| preme Court from the decision Of the Judge of
the Third District Court, as the result of it may
| guide future sction. Respectfully
"JOhE A. ROB- RTS, Secretary Finance Committee. A"