The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-07-14


Thad Stevens New impeachment Articles.
ADDITIONAL ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT EXHIBITED
BY The HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, IN THE
NAME OF THEMSELVES AND OF ALL THE PEOPLE
OF THE UNITED STATES AGAINST ANDREW JOHN
SON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, IN
MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT OF THEIR IMPEACH'
MINT AGAINST HIM FOR HIGH CRIMES AND MIS-
DIMEANORS IN OFFICE.
First Additional ATticle-That the said Andrew
johnson, president of the United States, did
abuse the patronage Of the government, which,
by virtue of his high Office had been intrusted to
him, and did pervert it to improper and selfish
purposes, inasmuch as he used it to corrupt the
people of the United States and to induce them TO
abandon and Tenounce the principles which they
conscientousy held, and to adopt others which
they did not approve, in order to promote the sell
fish purposes of the said Andrew johnson. The
president of the United States came into power
and received his Office because he professed to
hold the principles of tue Republican party. aud
zealously avowed his determination to carry them
into effect. When he came into power he found
the Offices of the government, many thousand in
number, filed with men protesting the same Re-
publican principles, and who had been appointed
EXPRESSLY TO carry them into effect. When, by
fatal accident, he became the chief executive OF
the nation, he determined to seek an election for
the same Office at the next presidential term, he
| foresaw that it would become necessary to re
| to establish new personal party especially de-
voted to himself, and he did not hesitate to apply
| to that object the profit of thousands OF offices,
millions of revenue. He set deliberately about
turning faithful officers out of their places. be.
cause they would not renounce their principles,
| and of appointing others to Office because they
pledged themselves TO support him and hls prncl-
| pies. The removals and appointments were
| ayeWedly made for no cause Of merit or dement,,
but for the purpose Of adding recruits to his new
party.
drew Johnson, being the chief executive OF the
| United States, and being assigned by law TO take
care that the laws shall be faithfully executed,
| and having no judicial or Legislative power con-
fded TO him by the Constitution, all his duties be-
ing strictly executive, did, on the 18th day oil
May, 1865, and before and after that time, usurp
to himself the powers Of another branch OF the
goyernm ent and did do acts and exercise func-
lions which belonged to the legislative branch
alone; and in pursuance of such claim, having at
the time the army and navy OF the United States
| at his command, did establish and erect into a
separate government that portion of the United
States from the lately so-caled Confederate states
| of America, and which was lately embraced
within the boundaries of the State of NOrtL Caro-
lina and did by his own usurped authority create
a State and form of government hitherto unknown
to the United States, and did create an Office hth
erto unknown TO our Constitution, and appointed
thereto an officer whom he called provisional gov
ernor, and directed him how TO construct and
carry out said government. He fixed and by his
own will deereedt the qualifications OF electors, and
who should be eligible TO Office in the new gov
eminent which he by proclamation declared was
deprived of all civil government by the armed
forces of the independent begerents with whom
we had been at war, and he appointed w. w,
Holden TO the Office of provisional governor OF
North Carolina, and directed him to administer tht
Offices of the refrigerated State.
On the 18th of June, 1865, he usurped the same
powers and without any direction from Congress
to whom alone it belonged, erected INTO an lnde
NLnN rnfn arad
formerly known as the State of Mississippi, an'
appointed VIM. L. Sharkey, provisional governo
thereof. And on the 18th of June, 1850, he Il
Ike manner erected portion of said TERRITORY
into what he called the State OF Georgia, and ap
pointed James Johnson provisional governo
thereof. On OF about the 18th, 2lst and 3Oth o
June, and the 18th Of July, he in the same name
created governments which he called the State
| of Texas, South Carolina and Florida. And whe
afterward Congress declared such government
| and constitutions null and void, snd prescribe
other methods Of governing said territory; and
| concede it to enter the Union by the consent {
| Congress, the president declared such laws nu
and void and advised the people to resist the
execution; and he has never aided in carryin
into effect, but has resisted what ere called th
a reconstruction laws"
. Third Additional Article-For that Andre
johnson, president of the United States, by h
corrupt practices, did attempt to induce the ser
: ators elect from the State of Colorado to perJur
' themselves upon the condition OF bis signing to
and thereby admitting them as senators OF th
United States.
D He did also pardon and restore the right {
franchise 10 1913 deserters, Who during the wa
a deserted from the United States army. upon COZ
4 dition that they would vote for the Democrat
party at the then Immediately ensuing election
> that they did thus vote, and gave to the Dem
. cratic agent, Hon. Thomas B. Florence, the su
of $1,000 in cash.
= He appointed numerous persons TO Office VII
; could rot take the test oath, and did not take
a but were allowed 10 act and discharge the fun
. tions thereof in defiance of law.
He ordered agricultural scrip to be issued to Il
. State Of North Carolina, which scrip was issue
\ under the act Of 1862, when North Carolina VI
: in armed warfare against the Union.
He restored, without authority OF law, larl
tracts of forfeited property; enough, it is b
, leved. TO pay the national debt, which had be-
u forfeited under act of Congress, approved July
1867. By reason of all which outrages this go
eminent became impoverished, the people Ell
barrassed, the rebel raiders allowed to houris
Il and the Constitution hsgrantly violated. he so
psrdons for money, or allowed il TO be done
g pardon. brokers.
g Fourth Additional Article-He did take fro
4 the treasury of the United States large tracts
land and large amounts of money, sufficient, it
n believed, to have paid our national debt. a.
which had been transferred to the United Stat