Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1868-04-08
GENERAL BurLER's SPEECH,

'"' Gen. Butler, the opening argument
n.y. the impeachment trial, will be read wi
lot interest:
" Gen. Butler commenced his speech
IN spying that it had fallen to his lot to pr
10 sent the general propositions of fact al
is the law upon which the House OF Rep
OF sentatives will endcaYor to sustain L
g. clusc of the people against the Preside
a. of the United States, now pending ut Il
10 bar of the Senate Now, for the first tin
T. in the history of the world, has matte
II brought before its highest tribunal i
chief executive magistrate for trial an
possible deposition from Office, upo
y charges of maladministratiOn of the DOW
J ers and duties Of that office Other ID
= tons have found it difficult to rid them
selves of tyraunical. imbecile or fa:thles
rulers, but our fathers in founding on
!. government provided conservative, eff
ectual and practical remedy for such anc
: similar exigencies. The House of Req
re'entativcs shall solely impe,ch. the Ser.
ate shall only try, and in case of convic-
ton the judgment shall alone be removal
from office and disqualif cation from
Office, one or both.
The Constitution has left the offences
for which impeachment may be restored
to be defined, and an impeachable high
crime or misdemeanor may be thus defn-
ed. 1t is one in its nature or conseouen.
ces subvcrsive of some fundamental or
essential principle of government, or high
ly prejudicial to the public interest, and
this may consist of violation of the Con.
stitutioS, of law, of an official oath, or of
duty, by an act committed, or omitted, or,
without violating positive law, by the
abuse of discretionary powers from i'm
proper motive, or for any improper purpose.
After some citations explanatory of
this definition of an impeachment offence,
MIR Butler proceeded to argue the ques.
ton whether the body now sitting to de-
termlne the accusation of the House of
Representatives against tie President of
the United States is the Senate of the
United States or Court. He introduce
cd references to previous State trials, both
in England and this country, to show
that the body now sitting in judgment
IS the Senate of the United States, con.
'ened as a constitutional tribunal, to in
Iulre into and determine whether An.
rev johnson, because of malversatiop
Office, is longer fit 10 retain the Office Of 0
resident of the United States, or here. 5
tier to hold any Office Of honor or pro.
I. One OF the points principally dwct .
pom to esta blish this position was that C
'ers Is no right of challenge by either P
srty to any Of the Senators for favor. or q
alics. affinity or interest. The proceed t
g being an inquest of Office, and almost II
ways partaking more or less Of political |
it would be impossible II
lat Senators should not have opinions II
convictions upon the subject matter P
ore or less decidedly formed before the f(
sc reaches them. And if challenges n
uld be allowed, as in the case of Jurors. d.
cause of such opinions, no trial could g,
forward, because every intelligent Sena- 1
could be objected to upon one silc or d'
G other. III
The frst.eight articles of impeachment u,
ege that the acts of the respondent in hi
moving Mr.. Stanton from Office. and an.
hitting Mr.. Thomas ad inter i'm were ..
contravention OF bis oath of Office, and /,
disregard Of the duties thereof. The =,
~
csldent may have the power, under the 8,
=, to do acts in contraveDtion of his D,
ciai oath, but, when they are SO done. 49,
~ are acts Of official misconduct, and !.
impeachable. In support of the Or
lrges made in these eight articles, the an
timoDy of Hon. Mr.. Van Horn and of ~;
n. Mr. Burleigh will be introduced, al. 81
that Of persons who heard Gen. Thorn. !,
boast at Wizards Hotel that he ob
'uld call on Gen. Grant for military %,
&C to put him in possession Of the Office, 90
also the fact that the President g..
mally notified the Secretary Of the no
'asury to answer Thomas acquisitions Ia,
money. The respondent admits both -;
facts and the intent charged in ar. v;o
g 6rst. but claims the power under the v;o
'stitution of removing from Office an IL,
cutlvc officer on his own Judgment of tv,
unds, and the question then, upon M,
ich the first eight articles must stand dec
TALL, is simply this Has the Presi. da,
IT. under the Constitution. the more CO,
n kingly prerogativc at will to remove eve
N office indefinitely, all executive eff. q,
J Of the United States. either civil. nm.