Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-05-12
A Few Hours More Will Decide
the OuestiOn.

PRESIDENTIAL term. Whatever the result,
President johnson has not had a. fair trial-a
thing that every man could rightfully
claim in this country before the Republi-
can party came into power. The Radicals
have looked upon the President since in
December, 1885, as an impediment in their
way-as an obstruction to the establish
ment of Negro supremacy in the South.
When ANDREW JOHNSON was sworn in as
President of the United States, he subscrib-
ed to the following oath of office:
81 do solemnly swear that Will faith
fully execute the Office of President of the
United States, and ,oill, to the best of my
ability, preserve, protect and defend the Con-
stitution of the United States"
The President was bound to respect
that oath. 1t will be observed, that the
oath does not require that the President
shall be true to the party that elected him,
or that he shall execute caucus DEGREES. 1t
requires that he shall "preserve, protect
and defend the Constitution of the United
States" In proportion as he has striven to
do this, he has offended against the Radi
calls. THADDEUs STEVENS, who is their
leader, time and again, has said that all
their legislation touching the Southern
States was outside of, above and in vio-
lation of the Constitution; that. that leg
islation tested by the Constitution,
was usurpation. He derided the
Republican leaders who professed to have
any scruples regarding violation of the
Constitution. 1t is because President
JOHNSON has manifested scruples about
recklessly trampling under foot this sacred
charter of the rights of Freemen in this
country, that he has been subjected to a
mock trial on charges of "high crimes and
misdemeanors." There was time in the
history of this Government when a wiiful
violation of the Constitution was accounted
a 'high crime and misdemeanor." That
time was before the Republican party came
into power. For years before the acces-
sion of that party to power, some of its
prominent leaders taught the doctrine of a
higher law to which they owed obedi-
ence over all human laws or Con-
stitutions, while others clamored tor
an anti-Slavery Constitution, an
anti-Slavery Bible and an anti-Slave-
ry God. These men who thus taught
and thus spoke, are to-day in high places.
And the man who leads the Republican
party In Congress-he who caused the
whole Republican party to desert the Re-
construction policy of President JOHNSON
after they had in State Conventions, through
it as patriotic and wise, and pledged him
their hearty support in it-believes in
neither God nor religion, and he who will be
made President in place of Mr.. JOHNSON,
in the event of his being turned
out of office, is blasphemous
old wretch, who world not, ac
cording to Republican testimony, be
recognized by the Almighty without
his imprecation. For seven years the
country has been under the rule of these
men. Is it wonder that the country has
been scourged by War? Is it wonder
that the people groan and suffer under
crushing taxation? Is it wonder that a
paralysis rests on business and enterprise
and labor? Are we not told in the Book
of Books-the Holy Bible-that ''when
the wicked rule the people mourn ?''
From such men justice could no more be
expected than from the Devil himself
whose obedient servitors they appear to be.
When Senators resolved themselves into
a High Court of impeachment, to try Pres
ident JOHNSON, they subscribed an oath to
render a verdict in accordance with
the law and the testimony. They
were required by the nature of the oath not
to allow personal or party considerations TO
warp their judgments. They were bound
to do justice to the accused. Of what in
erately and knowingly violate the Consti-
tuition, which they also subscribed an oath
to support? If they will, to meet the sup
posed demands of party, disregard their
paths to support the Constitution, what is
there to restrain them from committing
perjury in the case of the President? From
The very beginning of the Presidents trial
20 this hour, the cry has gone up to Republi-
IAN Senators, through Republican Con-
vention resolutions, through the Radical
press, through letters from assumed Re-
publican leaders, and the cry is being en-
forced by an army of carpet-bag adven-
;urers, "Remove the President" 1t is urged
that the salvation of the party demands his
removal. Republican Senators are threat
,ned with an infamy like unto that which
.ttaches to the name of BENEDICT ARNOLD
t they shall refuse to vote for conviction.
They are not urged to sift and weigh well
he testimony and the arguments. Nothing
# the kind. To act in CO ,formity to such
! suggestion would be fatal to conviction.
They are, in effect, besought to disre-
.ard the testimony, to disregard
he arguments, to disregard their oaJ;:s, and
.ote for conviction, and thus vindicate the
consistency and testify to the truthfulness
# the infamous lies the dirty, conscience
ess demagogues of the Republican party
ave uttered against President JOHN
ON. Whether there are seven Repub-
mess sufficient to enable them to rise
uperior to these appeals and threats
md fearlessly vote as the testimony, as the
as the usage of the Govern
nent from its foundation and as justice re-
Iuire they should vote-for acquittal-a
ew hours will undoubtedly determine.
and the Freed
mems Bureau.
"MAcK,n in a letter to the Cincinnati Com
eercial, dated Washington, May 5, thus lifts
he veil and shows the great wrong that
S being practised upon the Southern peo-
lie by Northern adventures, with the as
istance of the Freedmen's Bureau:
Public attention has been so much di-
ected toward impeachment of late, that the
ubject of reconstruction has been almost
overlooked, except as to its results. Every
low and then, we hear of the "disenthrall-
nentn or regeneration of a Southern
State, but as to the particular mode or man
ler of that disenthrallment or regenera-
ion not word. We have been taught to
eioice over the simple fact that South Car