Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-05-14

have no right 10 travel out Of the record.
MIR. Johnson's character as a statesman, his
relations to political parsie1 his conduct as
a citizen, his efforts az reconstruction, the
exercise of his pafioning power, the char
acter Of his appointments, and the inilu-
ences under which they we're made, are
not before US in any charge. Nor can i
suffer my judgment of the law governing
this case to be influenced by political con
alterations. i can not sgree TO destroy the
harmonious working of the Constitution
for the sake Of getting rid of an unaccept
able President. Whatever my opinion Of
the incumbent, 1 can not consent to trife
with the high Office he holds. ] differ
widely With the President respecting his
political views and measures, and deeply
regret the differences between him and
Congress, bat / can not in my judicial Ca
pacity, record my vote that ne is guilty Of
high crimes and misdemeanors w ''"
'' SENATOR EDMUNDs STATEMENT.
Senator Edmunds, of Vermont, was the
next speaker. He drew up the tenure Of
Office act had entire charge of it before
the Senate, and was thoroughly eOnyersant
with its intent and meaning. There was
consequently great curiosity to hear his
opinion on the case now presented. lie
spoke nearly an hour, reading entirely from
a manuscript very carefully prepared. He
said, at once, that the charges specified in
the fret, second and third articles were
clearly proved, and the only question 10
consider was whether they constituted a
high crime and ,misdemeaner. He found
that that the Presidents duties were all de-
fined in the Constitution, and chief of these
is that "he shall see that the laws are faith
fully executed, and shall execute them by
such means, and such means only, as are
provided in the laws themsel yes7 The
President could not rightfully violate the
law in order to enforce it and could only
use The power of appointment in the man
ner fixed by the Legislative department Of
the government, and could not accomplish
legal purposes by illegal means. Ia..
From these premises Mr.. Edmunds ar
gusd that the PresidenPs course in re-
moving Stanton and appointing Thomas
was not only illegal, but 40 grossly illegal
as TO constitute high erime.ra He conld not
support any OF tie conspiracy articles, but
should vote for the first three.
t ME- WILLIAMS SFATEMENT.
Mr.. Williams, of Oregon, was the flh
speaker. He reached about the same con
clusion as Mr.. Edmunds; said he wonld
vote for the first, second and eighth articles,
and left the impression on the minds of his
associates that he might also vote for some
Others
MR.. HOwRs STATEMENT.
Mr. Howe, of Wisconsin, followed with
brief statement of his conclusions, which il
was found did not materially differ from
those of Mr.. Sherman. He eohld not vote
for the first article, but would support the
second, and third and part of the eleventh,
it they were divided. ra ' "Ht'
MR.. HENDRICKS STATEMENT.
Mr.. Hendricks, of Indiana, was the first
speaker on the Democratic side of the
Chamber. He spoke from notes, but had
no written opinion. He, of course, took
ground against the whole thing. Such of
the allegations of the House as rested in
documentary evidence, he admitted, were
proved, but if everything charged were ad-
mitted, he held that there was no guilty in
tent, and, therefore, no case. He could vote
against every article, and charged that i'm
parchment, if carried at all, would be
carried as partisan measure, and not as a
measure Of justice. ...-
PoMEROY AND MORRILL,, OF MAINE.
Mr.. Pomeroy, of Kansas, and Mr.. Nor
rill, Of Maine, followed, and indicated. that
they would vote for all the principal ar
ticles, but against that about the Presidents
speeches, and that resting on the evidence
of Gan Emory .... ..H' .r.s...I.