Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1868-05-01
Impeachment.

This question has been of all others.
the one of absorbing interest ever since ii
commenced IL earnest. This interest does
not arise from any fear that the country
will suffer any shock, at all. let the verdict
be what it may, as we may learn by watch
inr the stock market. but it arises from
he flcs thai all selSiblc people. or all rca-
sonable people, not especially interested,
reel and believe that Mr.. johnson has de-
serted the p. rty that place d him in power,
and to ASSUME powers not delegated to
aim by the constitution for the pu pose Of
heinz the leader of 4 iIew party. The old
Democrats have 10 confidence i'll him,
have 10 ia'erest in him further than
he can be used to divide and distract thu
Republican party. Ne!thcr does this par
II. at heart, approve of his acts. for it is
| lahuriug to attain power. and it it ever
! should. il wants no Johnson nor Johnson
men on is hands 20 divide lis spoi.s and to
| distract lis party councils. Therefore the
Democrats are rs much interested in thi,
trial as are the Republicans. and watch il
as narrowly. bat for a very different rca
son; the Republicans hopin- to see the
President removed. for the common g0oi
Of the country. and the Democrats to see
aim removed to get him OF their hand>.
ana also ii the hope that his impeachment
will III SOME way assist them. They dis
Ike The man that has betrayed his party
rb,u.rj, tiny lkp ;lp trp.tSon
: But aside from tEese considerations i
the fact t,las II is something new. THAI
theye la, eve. been in the history OF the
Government an Impeachment triad OF ma
j tional Importance. like this, therefore nj
the proceedings are new and novel, and
therefore interesting. The Senate Instead
, Of spending It's time II making laws il sit
! ting rs Judge and jury in the tri of til,
Executive ofthe Nation; and the listeners
instead of hearing speeches on c1rrcn'
Icgi latiye topics, watch with eager inter
est the progress of Il great trial, and listen
to law arguments. Is it any wonder then
y that the nation is deeply Interested in the
: .risl. though it does not anticipate any
national troubles, either political OF linau'
cial, let it terminate as ii may?
Perhaps before this issue of our paper
reaches It's readers the telegraph will have
I carried the news all over the land, Of it
| final termination aud its verdict.
The speculative reader will ask the
question: what will be the party effect o.
:. The impeachment a4d consequent remoya,
OF the President q No doubt the Repu6
leans will be greatly strengthened by it
a for this reason, that Mr.. johnson is doing,
4 and has done, all he could to bring into
repronch the entire legislative action Of /
d Republican. Instead Of obeyihs the laws
y he has been doing hi' utmost to aHnul and
d make them obnoxious to the people; and
d instead of doing as President Incola rec
: commended all the people to d. in his lnau,
o gural Address, in the following passage
5 he sat himself up rs the judge Of the law,
; and plays the part OF the rebels over
i again:
. Il take the OH ,ial oath to-day with no
:, mental reservations and with no purpose
= to coustrue the constitution o. idtcs by ANY
E lypercrtical rules; and While 90 no
i choose now TO specify particular acts %
of Congress as proper to be enforced, d.
suggeS, that it teU be mach sqfsr 'or al both
in official and private stations, to coat0rn
It to and abide by all those acts which stauC
unrcpealed than TO violate any cf them
trusting to find immunity in having thcM
Il held TO be unconstitutional. y
l. These are wise words. and if PreSlen
~ Johnson had spoken and acIed with The
honest integrity OF Mr.. Lincoln, the couH
= try now would have been in peace, ant
:, Mr. Johnson the h0nored and respected
i Ruler OF The nation.