Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1868-02-28

Gl.iulansf

sTN 4
| az stcseas Of nass closed dthc. 'dyla,e. III
said 4 ag'fc with those gentlemen, ALA hay,
i sonc,befofe ue ha,s lis is agrays suhjectay.
sLoqll DO grayely trsa.cds, leet.,'m .ucrcfay.
discuss -tlcss questions in no apartisap snisi'
. bqtwiil legal accuracy anl Impartial justice
ihc, people desire no s~icsim, and they VII
endure no nsnsper.a TIE charges 50 far7gs, !
shall discuss then. arc few and distinct. An.
drew Jphnson IL cLalgelyvnh attempting Il
usurp the powers of other branches Of sille
government with attempting to obs,ruct :an.l
resist the execution of the law III. 1, e.sw >,
In order t.. sustain impeachment un,ler on,
Constitution, l DO net hold that it is necessary
TO prove crime is an indctablc ottcnsc on
any aci ,aainn IL, Sc. I agree with the dis
'ingushed gentleman from Pa, on the othc,
side Of the House, who holds this % be a
purely political proceeding. 1t, is, intended
for remedy for malieasance in office end 10
prevent the continuance thereof.
Mr. Stevens after a fall discussion Of The
law regulating impeachment, proceeds to ans
wer the inquiry, ''what are the official misde.
meanors Of Andrew Johnson" Stevens
thercupon reviews the provisions Of the tens
urc of office act, and says, that when Andrew
Johnson assumed the Office of PRESIDENT lie
took the oath to obey the Constitution of, the
,tnitel States, and TO take care that the laws
be faithfully executed. This was solemn
and enduring obligation, nor can he plead
exemption from it on account Of his condition
at the time it was administered 10 him, to Oh.
struct the execution Of the law, and not Il
mere omission amounting to negligence.
which would have been misdemcanor but
conspiracy was attempted by him to induce
the General ofthe army TO aid him in defeats
ing the operation Of the law; and when he had
suspended the Secretary Of War he appointed
Gen. Grant Secretary al interim, with the
avowed purpose Of preventing the operation 0.
the law, so the Senate should decide in favo,
of the Secretary ." sSittE
81 He'said that the Government did not enter
into such conspiracy, to AID linn in OBJ.
STRUGGLING the return of the Secretary not
outstanding the Senate might decide in his
favor, thisis denied by the Government
Andrew johnson tells the truth then.
lie is guiity ola high official misdcmeanor,
for lac nvcws his effort to prevent The execu
| ton of tlc laws. If the General Command
ing tellssthe truth, then the President is gull.
I ty of high niislemcanor, for he declares tie
same thing Of the President denying only
his own camplicity to show his johnson J
utter disregard Of the law 81 bis country.
+ We%have only TO turn to his last annual
message, in which he proclaimed to the pub
Tic Chat mo laws Of Congress are -unconstin-
t'cnal and binding on the people. Mr.. sley
Fens proceeds to consider the second removal Of
Stanton, and the appointment Of Alj'ts Gen
Thomas as Secretary, of War, .ad, interim and
says il ilis act stood alone it would be an in
dcscribablc Official .mislelRra nor not .onl,
misdemeanor per- Sc --but declared to- be so ] y
the Act itself and the party made ,indictable
and punishable in a criminal proceeding. II
Andrew Johnson escapes with bare removal
from office; if lac be not finally incarcerated
in the penitehtiary afterwards under crimis
nal proceedings he may ihank .llc weakness
ofCongress and not his own.innqccnce. $50