The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-03-09
Aner Impeachment, What Then
The New York Times, in view of tht

impeachment question, remarks:
1t is Of the utmost Importance to the
peace and welfare of the country, as
well as to the credit of republican in
stitutions, that the trial Of the Presi-
dent should be rigidly just and judicial
in its character. Every one will
acknowledge, in words at least, that it
would lie a gross and fragrant wrong to
commit it in any degree to the verdict
of party resentment OF to the attain
ment of party ends. And yet what else
are tie heated appeals of party organs,
the fervid exhortations of party ora
tors, the instruction of party majorities
in State Legislatures, and the resOlu-
tiOa of party meetings, but attempts ITO
use the forms of the most solemn ju-
dicial proceeding known to our Consti-
tuition, for the purpose of accom-
plishing party ends and anticipating the
result of next falls election! Ii Presi
dent Johnson may be thus elected from
otfice-nGt because heis guilty OF the
"crimes and misdemeanors" for which
he has been impeached, but because he
is deemed unfit" for the place, and be-
cause the country will be safer" i'll the
Senate's judgment-so may his succes-
sor; SO may any President who shall
come after him. And, under such y
precedent, whenever the President shall
belong to one party and Congress to
another, the former may be removed,
and the Senate may appoint one OF
their number to take his place. 1t
seems to be eminently desirable that no
warrant should be given in the trial OF
President johnson, for practices so
dangerous to the fundamental princi-
pies of constitutional republican gov.
ernment.
The Philadelphia 1ge comments as
follows;
Upon statement of these facts, we
repeat the question-after impeachment,
what theng A precedent will have
been set more dangerous than those
which undermined the ancient repub-
lies of Greece and Rome, and quenched
the light of liberty in those countries
by the flow of fraternal blood. If An
drew Johnson can be removed by a
party majority, because he will not
agree to a change by which that party
may hold the reins of power for all
csming time, than any other
IGeSluenl Will De aJ lhc iHcICy
of the legislative branch of the
government. Innovations upon the
fundamental law of the land, made by
one political party, like young chick
ems, will come home to roost." 1t is the
Radical party to-day trampling upon
the Constitution, defying the laws,
placing Congress over and above the
President and the Supreme Court, but
with the next turn of the wheel
another party may be in power, and
then will come "a fresh revolution.
Thus, instead of life, liberty, and prop
erty being protected by laws, they will
DO trodden under foot by petty despots
and brainless military leaders, as has
been the case in Mexico. Wade, carried
into the White House on the Surging
waves of partisan madness and fury,
may be followed by Grant, or some sol
dier equally incapable of administering
the affairs of the nation, placed there by
the bayonet, without even the forms Of
an election. It is we'll for the people to
okIbeyond the case 'OflAndrew John
son, and see where the impeachment
movement will land the nation at last.