The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1868-02-27

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ity, or influence, or patronage
Congress had so manacled him as
almost to overthrow the Executive
power, and it they did not succeed
in re.electing him to the Presidency
they would ct least immortaliZe
bis name on the pages of history
as the most glorious defender oi
liberty that ever lived under any
government what
ever. Laughter among the Re.
publican members.
Mr., SPALDING OF Ohio, said:
Mr.. Speaker, | feel myself to be
in no proper frame ofmIndo or heart
to attempt a rhetorical display on
this occasion. / can appreciate the
of the gentleman from
New York, Mr. Brooks, when he
says the question before US is filled
with solemnity; but he, with his
usual oloquencc, attempts to use
gasconade to drive members Of the
House from a conscientious dis
charge of thoir duty. / say to my
friend, he has mistaken his calling.
Sir. no more important duty can
devolve upon this House of Repre-.
sertatives than that of considering
the question whether articles Of
impeachment shall be preferred
against the Chief Magistrate of the
nation; and for long months-yea,
for years. have resisted with all
my personal influence the approach
to the crisis which is now before
ns. Tho President has done many
censurabIe things, but | would not
in my conscience, say the Presi
dent should be holden to answer
on the charge of the commission Of
high crimes and misdemeanors un.
Ill something could be made tangi.
Bile whereby he had brought himself
in conflict with tho laws OF the ma.
tion. it has seemed to mo for
weeks that high officers were court
ing tho very hour and very occa.
sion which is upon US, and the
consequence Of which will be upon
him. lie has thrown himself vic.
lently in contact with the act OF
Congress passed the 22d of March
last, by the vote ofthc consultation
al number of two thirds of tho
Senate and two.!hirds of the House
of Representatives, over his veto
assigning his reasons TO tho contra.
ry, and in nothing is tha. act more
clear than in this, that the Presi.
dent shall not remove any civil
officer who has been appointed
with the concurrence of tho Senate
ofthe United States, without the
concurrence oil that body whom in
session. 1t is truo that the righ,
of suspension was given to the
Executive during tho recess of the
Senate, but that right OF suspension
ceased SO soon az the Senate con
voncd and now, not only in face
Of the decision of the Senate, saying
that the suspension of the Sec'y ol
War, made during the recess, was
without good cause, but in tho fac G
of tho penalties of tho act of March
2, 1867, entitled AN act regulating
the tenure Of certain civil officers,
the President yesterday semitic the
Senate message declaring, in term,
that he had removed Edwin NJ
Stanton, socratary Of War. The
sixth section OF that act declare,
that every removal, appointment
or employment, made or exercised
contrary to ils provisions, shall be
deemed aud they are declared to
DO high misdcmcanors, on convic
ton of which tho offender may be
fined not exceeding ton thousa,.d
dollars, or be imprisoned not ex,
cccding five years, or may suffer
both tinc and Imprisonment in tho
discretion OF the court"
Mr.. BrNalIAM Of Ohio, then took
tho floor and spook as follows
"All rlght,minded mon must con
ccde that the question under con
sidcration is one OF suprem,
Importance to all the people Of
tho country. | protest for my.
self that ain utterly in
capable of approaching tho Ques
ton in the spirit of a partisan, anc
| repel tho intimntion of tho gen
tlemen from New York Mr., Brooks
that | am careless of the obligation
of my oath, or unconcerned abou
the supremacy of tho Constitution
and the laws, | look upon tho Con
stitution of the country as tho very
brcath of tho nations life. l lool
this day on the consideration o.
this great question, as did the gen
tleman from Now York, and asl
him Brooks in the consideration
OF tho matter, to ponder upoI
those deathess words of tho father
of our country when he declared
that tho Constitution, which at an,
time exists until changed by th,
action Of the whole people, is SO
crod and obligatory upon all-upor
all, sir; from the President to tn,
humblett citizen within the limit
of tho Republic, upon every human
being standing within tho ejurisdic
tion Of tho Republic. Washington
but re-cchoes tho words which
himself aud his associates had EN-
bodied in tho Constitution, tha
this instrument, and tho laws mad,
in pursuance thereof, shall be tn,
supreme law Of tho land, The is
sue Involved is not, as tho gentle
man from New York has said, tn,
question OF an office, but whether
tho supremacy Of the Constitution
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