The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-02-26
The Impeachment Proceedings Ia
the senate.

the senate.
The Washington correspondent OF
the New York Tribune had a converse
lion with a leading senator, one Of the
first lawyers Of that body, on Saturday,
and gives the following as the sub
stance OF the conversation:
Should the House decide 20 prefer the
articles OF impeachment, az they proba-
bly, will, how long, Senator, do YOU
thing the trial will last:
Well, that will of course depend on
the framing OF the articles and the
charges brought against him. II the
Representatives should rest their case
solely upon this recent act OF the Pres
ideut's, and perhaps one or two others
that might Oe mentioned, of course the
trial would be very short, because, the
commission of the deed admitted, the
question would rest on mere point OF
law. On the other hand, 10 the House
OF representatives. should 20 into those
other subjects which they had under
consideration before, involving DISPUTE
ed matters OF fact, 10 would take great
deal longer time 20 settle.
Well, could the defense not manage TO
fritter away time aud prOtract the pro-
ceedings by long arguments and gas
coinage.
on, no, that would be speedily stop
ped. You can see the mode OF pro-
cedure, by looking into Senator Ed
muud's bill. There are special rules
on the subject which have been lu force
since the beginning OF the Government;
these rules provide iOg the maintenance
A.. a r...
think they provide for the number OF
counsel who shall speak, bat they pro-
vide thatall questions shall be decided
without debate. The Senators sit a.
Judges. aud without consultation, each
has 10 act ON his own judgment and
answer yes or no, when bis name IS
called. This leads me 90 speak of Sen
ator Edmund's bill; there is not in DO
single feature that has not been Ina
practice in this country In all proceed
ings OF the kind. Aud as 90 the Tenure
Of-OMce law, al the time of the passage
ofthst Bill, the whole subject was very
carefully examined, and there caunot
be reasonable doubt OF the con-
ADDITIONALLY OF the measure. The
Democrats claim that under the
Constitution the President has the
power OF removing any body from Office
atany time. As the Executive power, the
President has the right 10 remove, but
he has no right TO appoint except by
and with the advice and consent
of the Senate Ii is difficult to
prove this from the Constitution,
but IL Is nevertheless the Jaw
though the practice has been n little
opposed to h. The National Currency
DIN contained In substance exactly
such prOvisOn-that the Controller of
The currency should not be- removed
except oy and with the advice aud CON
sent of the Senate. DoOlttle, who
makes such noise now, and thinks
that the President has the constitution
al right 90 do anything hs pleases,
voted Tor that bill ID WIS not until
after be had apostaclzed that he saw
that Congress had no powers and the
President had them all.
This correspondent had an Inter-
view with another prominent Republi-
can Senator who is considered one Of
the most expert of politicians. The
conversation began By remark on
the part OF the correspondent that
nearly all Republican newspapers were
demanding impeachment, and had de-
manded IL on Saturday morning.
eyes" he replied, "but 1 guess they
were rather surprised" Don't You
think Congress IS surprised to hnd
itself lu its present attitude2 TO that
l would answer both yes aud no. No
one could have thought that johnson
would have made such a fool Of him
self AS to violate the law In this man
ner. see In one OF the papers that
johnson calls impeachment bugbear.
But we have got him fast now. His
worst enemy could not wish him In a
worse plight. Impeachment is very
different kind of bugbear from what
he imagines. This fight will prove his
decentralization. ltls bugbear, but
Congress is the bear and he Is the bug,
and though 10 Is small thing 10
squeeze. the pressure Will be dreadful
But they say that he Will resist. ION,
that Is all nonsense. he bad better not
attempt anything OF that kind, ana 1
Az moi believe he Is demeuted enough
IN resort toauv violence. The fact Is
We have got sick aud tired Of his war
fare. his opposition 10 the laws, ana
his trickerv. The notion that he Is
suDerior 90 public opinion, 20 law, To
tbe Constitution, 90 every hing iu this
country. is absurd" Well, there IL "a
rumor that he shows some signs Of re-
pentancs, and that it allowed he would
withdraw Thomas name, aud send IN
Eying'S. In that event bow do you
think Congress would actr well, ~
he would make an unconditional sur
render 10 Congress, promise 20 cease
his eternal opposition, and give
us some quiet, Congress would
probably allow him 10 hnger
out he res, of his miserable admins.
tration; but have not much iaith That
such coun-els will prevail win hlm'
lie il not wise enough 20 do anything
of Inc kind. 1 know be hopes 10 De
MARTYR I'm this struggle, ana that ne eA-
pacted to secure the Democratic nolnl-
nation; but if he Is convicted ne VII! ue
rendered incapable forever OF hoidihE
office under the United STATES. 10 amy
..y.rt he is "A defeated man. The DEM
ocrsts won't touch him, anu nose PEI
ple who are gathering ar'unu hlu' u',,
better be very careful Nhtt IurN u"'
u,U sbout Thomas aud the Tenure oi-
-e;.aI.oS .Tbst has nothing whatever
t,d, with iureHChmrut. The point ~
,rtgtsrer DO b euious GH officer and appoint
rno,Ler nan TO M he place al iHte['n,
itLilf ne Senate lrGs ut session. ti.Ny"'
rs africe aud consent some OF lue
Precedence friends claim that the tHaI
viii last Tor the next 80 days, in case
impeachment shall be decided on Hnl
fbst IN the mean time the IenuTe-ol'
once law will have been declared uu-
constitutional" They are very nuch
mistaken. TIE Senate viii give MT
Johnson a irtrisl, allow bin counsel
and call upon the Chief Justice TO H'-
end. Wild denuuciations OF Congress
will not be for an instant permiued,
. NE senate can make its own special
niles. and will probably adopt the two
b1urs rule OF The supreme Court. lhls
rSsrge Is a very simple one, the law IS
vsry clear. and there Is not the slightest
,s,-,oin The world toprl,ract the thing
longer than 20 or 80 days.
TIVE will Of Sir Frederick Bruce, Ior-
,,erIV Minister 70 the United states
49, t,.-.-I.r,1 has been admitted 10