Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-04-15
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The Effects Of Impeachment,


Il the Senats aouyicts the President, the differ
enee thonceforth between Androw johnson and
Teddy o Flalsry viii be that tho latter Is eligible
10 ofes whilo tho former can never again rise even
| TO the dignity Of alderman Of village An ex-
President s said 10 have been elected Of
biz toun. Tho rumor that Mr.. johnson would
again "swing round the circle in vindication of
his course may express his present intentions but
1 few speeches 70 empty houses would cure him of
that distemper. " The King is desd-Live the
King viii be the cry of the people. The public
interest will be Transferred 30 simultaneously 70 tba
| Hon. benjamin T. Wade and his new Cabinet, that
il will seem surprising that SO intFnsically insgni-
fcant m individual as Andrew johnson could have
occupied attention so long, or that such formidable
efforts were required to get rid of him.
Should impeachment succeed, Mr.. WAds viii
come into the Presidency By operation OF The Con.
stitution instead Of by popular election. He vas
virtually chosen for Tho Presidency by the Senate
since the contingency Of Johnsons removal was in
the mind of the Senate when they chose him for
presiding officer. he was elected moro from sense
Of his illness for the Presidency Of the United States
than from his superiority presiding officer of
| the Senate. Mr.. Wade would give the country a
vigorous administration, in harmony with the laws
and opinions Of Congress The vast benefits of such
an administration only be estimated by reflect
ing hov absolutely all the functions of Government
ble,ked, and the country left TO drift without
helm BY that symptom Of resistance 20 the laws and
attempted tyranny over Congress which johnson
has styled "my policy
Reconstruction is arrested Labor. the mother
OF ali wealth at the South s unsafe capital avoids
that region as q nation would fee from the plague.
The South is poorer BY millions Of dollars than
when The war closed It cannot return 60 order and
progress until the broksn-down aristocracy and
e1ancipated freemen fe0l the protecting and coere-
] ing hand Of 81 humane but vigorous government
/ This they would feel with Benjamin L. Wade ss
President. Rebols would abandon their hopes of
I Hfnk II.s1s1. IL,
up The strife over the suffrage question would be
superseded BY the quiet power Of universal ballot,
which is universal peace Tho whites would take
| an active part In reconstruction. State Govern
ments representing majority Of all The people,
and yet administered by loyal men, acting under
sound Constitutions would apply for admission to
| the Union and viii be admitted. The whole South
| would stop swearing bossting and wrsngling, and
60 TO work. Only il proportion as the South thus
works out It's salvation can Is ChiYalric nose
be lifted from the grindstons All that is needed
TO accomplish this Is the immediate and certain
turn 10 power OF those Republican principles which
were vindicated by the election, and betrayed by
| the recreant administration of Andrew Johnson.--
1 Mr. Wades accession TO the Presidency with the
certainty that he viii be followed By Gen. Grant,
would give the South the eeztainty il needs
1 Our systems of revenue and taxation are almost
in chsos. Mr.. Johnsons whole attention has been
devoted, no! 70 the appointment Of officers who
would enforce the laws and honestly collect the
revenues, but to securing satraps however rsscally
or incompetent, who would sustain OF pretend 10
| sustain his policy. As nobody but himself ever
sincerely believed in his policy, hypocrsy was the
first qualification for an efice-holdeE. Mr.. John
| son has had Tins nor disposition TO inquire
| whether our revenue collectors were licensed Gov
eminent thieves it has taxed all his energies TO
hunt up politicians who could be bought. he did
not stop 20 think that one whom he could buy with
an Office anybody could buy with money Hencs,
from end Of the land 10 the other, departments
Of ths revenue which were honestly administered
/ under Mr.. Lincoln have become 1inks Of corrup-
| tion under Mr.. johnson. This rottsnness in oface
spreads It's malaria among The people, for tax pay
ers who feel that their tax collectors are thieves
rush 10 the conclusion that they win stop paying
taxes and when as in the collection o. the Whisky
tax ths thieves pocket ave dollars whsrs the GoF-
eminent collects one, there is strong provocation
for such resolution. Hence Johnson's Official
patronags Of rNseslity Las direct erect to lower
| the credit of the Government snd invite repuda-
ton Hence every repudiatcr sympsthizss with
! him. Mr.. Wade is an honest man, and would purge
the Augean stables Of the Government of this lep.
rous horde Of political hypocrites and official scoun
drels.
The legislation of Cengress-in every respect ne.
esssary TO relieve the suffering financial condition
Of the country-is almost suspended, assailed by
vast army of ofce-holders whose leader seeks only
TO employ them in resisting the laws. Congress
has had hardly time 10 discuss other measures thar
those necessary 70 06lSnu us own FlghlB and II IL
discussion should really result in the passage o
laws it is of no use since they osEnot be executed
The country needs comprehensive financial policies
sound currency, safe system of banking retrench
ment and reform in many departments. Congress!
can give sven less attention to ali this with rsbe
in the White House than it could while the rebel
were merely in sight Of the Capitol but had not ef
fected an entrance But with Mr.. Wade's accession
Congress could devote It's whole attention to th
practical questions of finance revenue taxation, re
trenchment and reform
With reconstruction placed in course Of speed.
| contamination, and our revenue and finances Vigor
ously, economically and honestly administered
there is no remaining reason why the oountr.
should not enter at once on the highest degree 0
commercial and business prosperity. Labor an
capital would resume their wonted activity. In
terprise would succeed stagnstion Mines and fac
toriea now closed would be re-opened. EYerywher
the country would feel the salutsry effects of gov
eminent az harmony with Itself and with the ms
iority Of the people-cne which could be truste
and must be cbeyed.