Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-03-24

1t should be so altered as 10 express tho
military offense of iusubordination and
meeting. He thought the entire cues.
ton might be tried in a few days, and
thus the great obstacle OF reeonstrucs
ton would be put out Of the way. If
the Democratic party cndeayored to OPP
pose this they would be in the position
which they had so often charged the
Republican party as occupying, OF set
ting themselves up against the Oonsti-
tuition of the United States. Nothing
but the fidelity Of the army had pre-
vented the President from psurping the
powers Of despotism and withdrawing
the Constitution of the United States.
Mr.. Lawrence (Pa.) followed on the
same side. He also had hitherto op.
posed impeachment, and yet he had
been convinced that the President had
been guilty, if not of high crimes and
misdemeunors, Mt least Of great impru-
dence. He had heard the President
make his speech to the mob on the 22d
of February, 1866, and had felt morti-
fed, chagrined and Inundated at his
language. He had read tho accounts of
tho Presidents Western trip, and recog-
uized that the President had forgotten
the dignity of the high Office, and spo-
ken Of Congress as if it was not a con-
s~titutioual body. But all this did not
justify impeachment. At last, with NAL
ice aforethought and defiance, he had
attempted to trample on the Constitu-
ton and laws by removing Mr.. Stanton
and appointing General Thomas. This
might not be a worse crime than any of
the others, but 1t WAS q plain infraetion
Of the law, and the House could do moth
ing but impeach him before the Senate.
He himself had been treated with great
kindness and respect by the President,
but that fact could not influence his
judgment in the matter. The majority
of his constituents had hitherto been
opposed to tho impeachment of Mr..
johnson, but ho had information now
that not only the Republican supporters,
but that influential Democrats in his
district were anxious that the President
should be impeached and removed.
His Democratic friends on the other
side Of the hall might laugh at that,
but, nevertheless, he would repeat it MS
n fact. All talk about Democratic re.
| s~istance 10 impeachment was fustian
and nonsense. If the President were
deposcd the Democratic party would
| drop him within one week from that
timo.
Mr.. johnson was trying to force the
Democratic party 10 nominate him rs its
| Candidate for tho Presidency, but II
would do no such thing.
Mr.. Niblack Qnd.) followed on tho
opposite side Of the question. The first
and most important branch of it, he
said, had already been disposed of, and
it only remained for the House to form
ulate tho articles Of impeachment by
| which the President should be tried.
He would not discuss the question Ia
any partisan view, and regretted thai
tho last speaker should have descended
to ordinary partisan discussion. The
effect which the action of the House and
Senate would have upon this or thai
party was q minor and Insignificant mr.
gumcnt, rs compared with the Of ecI
upon the country and republican insti'
tutions. The Republican members o.
the House were prepared to revolutions
ize the country for the purpose Of get
ting rid of a President who was distaste'
full TO them. They had first attempted
to Africauize the institutions Of the
country, and now they were ready
to Mexicanize them.
Proceeding to discuss the Tenure oil
Office law, he reminded the House that
the Attorney General Of the United
States, the legal adviser of the Presi'
dent, and Secretary Stanton himself,
had declared that law unconstitutional.
There was, therefore, nothing in the nct
of the President which was deserving OF
impeachment. II was q mere honest
difference of opinion, and tue proper
way to settle it was by obtaining a judi
cial decision, and it was only that which
the President had sought to obtain.
Mr.. Williams (Pa. asked Mr.. Niblack
what authority he had for the statement
that Mr. Stanton had expressed tue
opinion that the law was %unconstitu-
tionnl. Mr.. Niblack said his authority
was in the testimony taken before the
Judiciary Committee, Of which the gen
tleman himself was q member.
Mr.. Williams said there was no such
testimony taken before that Committee.
II was only Tic assertion Of the Presi-
dent himself.
Mr.. Niblack said that the fact had
been brought out by a message from the
President, and that il had never been
c~ontradicted by any person in the inter-
est of Mr.. Stanton.
Mr.. Loughridge, Iowa. next took
the floor and declared that Andrew
johnson had already been %impeached
before tho tribunal Of public opinion,
and that he ought to have been inn
peachcd bong since by the House. He
denied that the Presidents belief Of tie
unconstitutionality Of the tenure Of Of
fee law was any excuse or justification
for him.
Andrew johnson had talked about the
Constitution continually by day, and
had probably dreamed Of It by night,
yet he had all the time been violating
its provisions and subverting its author
ity, for the purpose of putting into of
fee rebels and traitors.
Mr.. Pike (Me.) followed on the same
side. He said that If the articles under
discussion were sufficient to ground an
impeachment upon, IL was quite evil
dent tina. they did not include some OF
a