The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1868-04-25
British impeachment.

ne new oTk fFiOHHe year ago
gave an article upon the history of i'm.
peachments in England, in this country
which will be read with great interest as
being appropriate to these troubled and
startling times:
All persons, whether peers or common
ers, may, in Great Britain, be impeached
for any crimes or offences whatever. The
earliest instance of parliamentary inn
parchment occurred in 1876, during the
reign of Edward Ill, when the Cham
berlain, Lord Latimer, together with sex.
eral other officials, were accused by the
Commons Of cxtortation and malycrsa-
ton of the public money, and was de-
posed from his place. When Richard H.,
was compelled to resign his throne TO
Henry of Lancaster, the form Of an i'm
peachment was gone through before they
pronounced their sovereign deposcd -
Undor the Tudor princes the right of i'm.
peachmeDt fell into disuse but the
shameless corruption which characterized
the reign Of James l., caused ia revival
and it was used with Great energy By the
commons, both as an instrument Of popu-
lar power aud as a means for the further
anee of public justice. The impcach-
ment Of Lord Chancellor Bacon during
this reign, for receiving bribes from suit
ors in his courts, is one of the saddest in.
cidents in the history Of literature. The
great philosopher and statesman was
charged by the commons with bribery
and corruption in twenty-five instances
himself, aud with allowing acts Of brib-
cry and corruption in his officers. Utter
ly unnamed by the accusation, hc took
to his bed, confessed his guilt, and beg
gcd for mercy. Guilty he was, if judged
by the purer standard of a later age yet
guilty only of conforming the judicial
customs Of his own time. lie was SEN
fenced to pay fine of 100000, to be
imprisoned during the royal pleasure, and
to be incapacitated for life from coming
within verge Of the court, sitting in Par
Lament, or holding office. Though the
fine and imprisonment were remtted, the
disgrace was more than the Chancellor
could bear, and, after five years, he died
brokenheartcd.
The case of Bacon was only one of sew
cral which the same Parliament pursued
and punished. Sir Giles Mompesson,
Sir Francis Mitchell, Bennett, Judge of
Prerogativc Court of Canterbury, Field,
Bishop of landau and Yalyerton, the
Attorney-General were all prosecuted
within few months, and barrister named
Floyd, for no more serious offence than
rejoicing at the expulsion of the Palatinc
from Prague, was sentenced to be degra-
ded flom the estate of gentleman and
declared infamous, to stand in the pill
lory, to be fined 1000, to be imprisoned
for life, and to be whipped at the cats
tail. The whipping, however, was after
ward RENTED. Three years later, in
1924, the Lord Treasurer, Middlesex,
having been impeached, through the in
fuence of Buckingham, of bribery, op-
preston, and neglect of duty, was COM
demned to pay fine of G50,000, and to
be imprisoned during pleasure, and for
ever excluded from Parliament and the
verge of the Court. But when the me-
morable conflict between the King aud
Parliament, ending in the Revolution and
Protectorate, broke out in the next reign,
the impeachment of Buckingham him.
self was subject of long and angry con-
troversy. The protection of Charles l.,
who went to the length of dissolving Par
lament in order to save his favorite, could
not have shielded the Duke long from the
vengeance of the Commons; but his
career was cut short by the, knife of an
assassin.
The power of impeachment now be-
came, in the hands of the popular party
led by Pym and Hampden, weapon of
tremendous power, and they used it with
out mercy. On the 18th of November
1910, the House of Commons debated
with closed doors, and when these were op-
ened, a majority of the members, with Pym
at their head, proceeded to the bar of the
Lords and impeached Stafford, the most
obnoxious of the royal ministers, Of high
treason. The trial took place in West
minister Hall the following March. Next
to the trial of Warren Hastings, it was
probably the most remarkable impeach-
ment case in English history. The Com
mons sat on elevated benches on each side
of the Lords. The King and Queen oc-
cupied private boxes behind the throne,
hoping vainly that their presence would
act as check upon the forWardness of