West-Jersey pioneer., 1868-06-05
IMPEACHMENT FARCE.

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As we predicted in our last, this pro-
ceeding has reached the close to which
we stated it must necessarily lead. The
vote on the eleventh article was typical
of what was to come, and shadowed forth
Enthusiastically the pathway of the rest
Originally the defaulting senators would
fain have put the whole matter into the
tomb of the capulets, but their oppo-
nents were determined to make them
face their record, and so compelled vote
which was decisive in settling the matter,
so-that the whole affair was given up
On the question of postponement, Chief
Justice Chase gave the casting vote
against it, as it was certain that the Pres
ident would be acquitted, and the Chief
Justice was understood to be in SYM
pathy with an acquittal. In the abstract
it is of very little consequence whether
Mr.. johnson was or was not convicted,
because another year of mismanagement
cannot destroy the elasticity of the nation,
or kill its recuperative power, but it is of
great consequence to estimate the re-
suits which naturally must flow from this
decision of the Senate One of those
natural results is the increase in the as
sumption of power by whoever may be
President 1t has been gravely decided
that the chief executive of nation may
set up his judgment as to the propriety
of executing any law passed BY Congress,
against the expressed judgment of that
Congress itself. The question is not
whether the law was or was not good
one, but simply whether the President is
or is not obliged to execute it when it
has once received the legal forms. This
law, which the President avowedly broke,
was not only SO passed by the Congress,
but afterward, when the President at
tempted its violation, that same authority
decided that he must not risk it, and
stopped him where he was. In the face
of this solemn decision, Mr. johnson VIC
lated that precise law, and sufficient
number of the very men who voted for
the law, have voted for his acquittal,
thus securing the precedent, that vio-
lation of the law by the President is no
crime; and it will be difficult to prevent
a yet fuller exercise of despotism in the
future. Another sad feature of the case
is the accusation of bribery. 1t is true
that there is no direct evidence that any
senator received any money, but still,
some reason is needed for the sudden
changing of the votes of the seven recu-
SAINTS and none is given. Some OF them
have attempted defence, but none Of
these defences throw any light upon this
subject. From the testimony of Mr.. Thur
low Weed, it is certain thata private.meet
ing of people interested in securing the
Presidents acquittal, was held in New
York, that at that rnootins 10 was pro
posed to buy three Senators, that these
three Senators were named, that they
did all vote for acquittal, that thirty
thousand dollars at least were raised, and
that their agent is now confined in a
kind of prison, because be will not tell
what he did with the money. There
may have been no bribery, but it does
not look So But the case is ended and
the nation both demoralized and dis
graced, and there is nothing to do but to
bear it. Mr.. Stanton, of course, relin-
quished his office, and retired to private
life, carrying with him the confidence OF
the nation, for whatever may have been
his faults, all concede that it was prin-
cipally by his vigor that the war was
pressed to victorious solution.
The President feels, in certain sense,
that he is vindicated, and yet the major
Ity against him in the national council is
so overwhelming, that we presume that
be will hesitate before again deliberately
law of the land, not because
ne will fear to do it, but because all these
nfraetioDs operate injuriously upon those
classes who advocate his policy.