Des Arc weekly citizen., 1868-06-20
Letter from Senator Trumbull
 OGOy. kOernsr.
WASHINGTON, May 20. lS6I


 Gov. c. KoERNER--My Dear Sir Your telegram, and also your letter of the 17th, wer duly received. l thank you for the letter and the kind spirit in which it is written. No words can tell you how pained l am to be com pelled to differ with you and other lifelong friends. This will be my first letter Ill reply to numerous ones re- ceiyed on the subject of impeachment. At first, nearly all my letters were in condemnation, but within the last few days, perhaps, half are in approval of my course. In the midst of the storm of abuse and misrepresentation poured forth by rash, reckless, and, ;n many instances, unprincipled politicians, l thought it idle to attempt to reason with them. I feel sure am right, and when the passion of the hour subsidies, that I shall be able to satisfy all reason able and fair-minded men that it was my duty to decide according to my convictions. whether they agreed with my political friends or not. I was just as wei aware before voting as now. that Andrew Johnson was odious to the country, and that probably ninety nine hundredths of the Republicans desired his removal; but to have con- victed him of high crimes and misde- mcanors because the party demanded it, when in my opinion he was not shown to be guilty of them, would have been monstrous. If the prosecu- tors have the right to dictate the yer dict and judgment, the trial is farce. No President who disagrees with Con- gress will hereafter be permitted to re- main in office, if such a principle is to obtain-or to state the case more accu- ratcly. majority of the House of Rep resentatives, when two-thirds of the Senate agree with them politically, may at any time remove a President. That the Republican party has right to demand the conviction of the Presi- dent is horrible, and the sense of jus tice of the nation will revolt at such an idea when the passion of the hour sub sides; and yet have received numer- ous letters and telegrams telling me that the Republican party demands the removal of the President. do not believe it, unless the tribunal appoint ed by the Constitution to try him be- | lieve him guilty of some crime or mis- demeanor with which he stands charg- ed. l think 1 am right in coming to the conclusion that no crime or misde- meanor justifying impeachment was made out in the case; but if mistaken in this, must, of course, take the con- ! sequence of my error of judgment, but to charge it as a betrayal of the party is cruelty unjust. What is the admin istration of justice worth when decis- ions are to be made, not according to law and justice, but at the dictation Of ! a political party, or even ofthe whole people? In newly settled countries mobs and parties of regulation some times takes the administration or jus tice into their own hands, but who ev- CT heard ofmobs ever requiring courts to execute their decrees? The stories about corruption or improper motives influencing any Republican to vote against conviction are, of course, false All the pressure, and it was very great more than you know of-was on the other side, as an investigatigation, il one is ever had, will show. But fol outside pressure I think no such vote as thirty-five could have been obtained for conviction on tho eleventh article I endorse a copy of my opinion. Very truly LYMAN RUMBULL.
 pa@A fellow who had been complain
 ed of for lying around loose, conclu