New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-03-01
Popularity of the Impeachment Move
ment,

Popularity of the Impeachment Move
ment.
The impeachment movement is popular
everywhere among those who make any
pretensisns to loyalty. The Washington
correspondent of the Chicago Tribune
says
The resolution to impeach the apostate
gathers strength and solidity every hour.
The echoes from the press and people are
rolling in, and serve to intensity the pur-
pose of congress. Doubtful and dubious
senators are beginning to realize that
Johnson has flagrantly and wilfully violated
the law, and that it is impossible to ignore
or pardon his offeRse. He has committed
the overt act. He has fred upon Fort Sum-
ter, and out he must go. Such is the uni
versal sentiment of Union men.
The Cincinnati Gazette says of impeach-
ment, that:
1t is a regular, constitutional proceeding.
1t is as strictly legal trial as any by the
supreme court. 1t is simply the highest
tribunal in the land trying case for which
il was ordnined by the constitution. And
If the president is iMpeached he will go out
of Office as quietly as a lamb, and that will
be the end Of him.
Even many Democrats favor the impeach-
ment of Mr.. johnson. One OF the most
prominent Democrats of the East, who
never voted the Republican ticket, writes
to bis correspondent in Washington that;
The peace, and even the salvation of the
country depend upon bold, prompt, and
decided action in the present trial; that the
escape OF Andrew johnson through any
leniency or failure to go to the full extent
OF the constitution and laws with him, will
constitute final victory for him over the
Union party, and the utter overthrow Of
that party.
We might reproduce columns of extracts
from Northern and Western papers to the
purport that the Republican press and the
people urge impeachment, and that the
leading Democrats sreindiferent about the
fate Of Johnson, and will make no decided
opposition to impeachment. That the
Democrats are disguised with the course
pursued by johnson there is abundant evil
dence. One extract Of a Washington dis
patch gives an idea of the extent to which
this disgust has reached.
Although the majority of the prominent
Democrats were in entire ignorance eff the
presidents intention, It now appears that
he advised with several who stand highest
among his supporters, and they earnestly
protested against any direct action against
Mr.. Stanton, but instead to send the names
Of men of acknowledged standing and
ability to the senate as fast as It rejected
them, and in that way it was argued, be
would make the most capital before the
people. These men are now greatly dis
gusted that their advice was ignored.
Another dispatch says Of johnson:
The Democrats make a show of defend
ing him, but their speeches are hollow and
heartless, and resemble the plea of an at
terney appointed by the court to
defend, without fee, q self-oonfeased felon.
One Of our Western exchanges says:
The Chicago Times, which is gifted with
more sense than belongs to Democratic
Journal, sees that the Democratic party
have no alliance with johnson in the mat
ter OF impeachment, and that their heat
policy Is TO lei him and congress fight ID
out. The Times is too sharp 10 fall into
the Democratic simplicity Of making John.
sons cause theirs, at the risk of having rim
as Democratic martyr, forced upon them
as their candidate for president, only to be
beaten.