The Portland daily press., 1868-06-10
Our Distinguished senator nnd the
Imueuchnenf 6Earce.O

nor candidates Tor Office themselves and have
no relatives who are, am disposed to think
pretty well of your correspondents of June
5 and 6, "&" and Republican"
The first was of service, so far as he dared
to write, in demonstrating what everybody's
conscience" had already whispered, that
whatever Senator Fessendens motives may
have been, his vote was given in direct har-
mony with his antecedent prejudices, dslikes
and personal interest, present if not prospect
i've, and in suggesting that instead OF limiting
about bribery, corruption and perjury, we had
better laugh at our own simplicity if we at
any time were weak enough to expect vote
for conviction from man who we OUGHT to
have known could never have afforded to
give it.
Republican" has been of great service in
that he has proved that the only efiectual de-
fence of Mr.. Fessenden lies in a bold assault
upon the whole impeachment scheme, its OBJ
jects andits advocates in the Senate, the House
and among the people. Beyond all question,
this is the truth, and like such manly, cour-
ageous correspondents, who scorn the paltry
tricks of the pettifogger and the demagogue
and come directly to the point. Yes, sir,
"Republican" is right in the main idea of his
argument, and very few months will show
that there is no middle ground-that i'm
parchment was and ought to have been
recognized from the beginning as "farce'
that its contrivers, managers, advocates and
fri dc IN, n far fnro
knaves or dupes according to the measure of
their intelligence, or that the distinguished"
seven have been weighed in the balance and
found wanting at time and on an occasion
where a light weight and false balance were
objectionable sins.
do not propose to tax your readers pa
tience by attempting to argue either side Of
this dilemma, but shall content myself with
enunciating the proposition of which "Repub
lican's" article is evidence, that the Repub
licans of Maine and of the United States
must either see that they have been fooled by
the great body of their Representatives and
Senators into an active sympathy with farce
OF stupendous proportions, and as soon as
then expose and punish their blind guides
or else call to strict account the seven who
have done their best to make farce of what
but for them would have been a solemn and
mighty reality-the great state trial of the
century, perhaps of civilized government. t.
"To this complexion must it come at last, .
and l have no patience with the weak or
wicked prophets of smooth things, who, like
the miserable deceivers of the days just be-
fore the rebellion, are promising "an era OF
good feeling" between the friends and enc
mics, the advocates and the destroyers of a
measure which involves questions of such
infinite political importance. That this is a
question where Janus-iaced po itcians will
find it impracticable to look one way and row
another, to serve God and Mammon, was, 1
think, ludicrously conspicuous in the Senate
the other day, when the resolution of thanks
to the War Secretary was before it. 4ao4
Just picture the scene and the occasion.
Immediately after the adjournmsnt last Au-
gust, johnson suspends Stanton, and when
the Senate reassembles in the winter it no
titles the President that his reasons are un-
satisfactory, and Stanton by General Grants
aid outwitting Johnson's scheme of forcible
son, writhing under modification, chagrin
and rage, peremptorily >and Internationally
remores Stanton and sends Thomas to take
possession under his commission ad interim.
Stanton not only refuses to obey the COM
mand of the President or to respect Thomas's
commission authenticated by the great seal
of the United States, but by his own mere
will and authority puts an armed guard of
United States soldiers around the war Office
to protect his own person by resisting, unto
blood if necessary, any effort by Thomas or
by the President to dispossess him. One of
of the departments of the United States gov
ernment is thus put and kept in state of
actual war for more than three months, and
that during the session of Congress, in sight
of the capitol and in a time of profound
peace! Is any man fool enough to doubt
what would have been the result, if Thomas
had dared to execute the orders of the Presi-
dent or if the President had had the pluck, as
commander-in-chief, to attempt to enforce
his own authority? The same Edwin NJ
Stanton who had Booth shot down in the
burning barn and who organized the military
commission which made such summary ant
effectual disposal of Paine, Harold, Atzerott
and Mrs. Surratt, would doubtless have soon
added few more specimens" to his "collec-
tion." This johnson and Thomas realized
and concluded "to accept the situation"
Meanwhile the House of Representatives
believing Johnsan's attempt to be mon-
strous violation of law and that Stanton's re-
sistance was therefore excusable, by nearly
four to one at once exhibit to the Senate ar
ticles of impeachment. The Senate after 6
three months trial, by single vote acquits
Johnson, and Stanton appreciating the inevi
table implicit condemnation of his OWE con-
duct, instantly withdraws from the war de-
partment.
Then some Senator, inspired, one would
suppose by the spirit of mischief and contra
diction, perhaps having a fancy for grim
practical joke, proposes vote of thanks to
the ex-Secretary. The vote passes, but ab-
surdity reaches its climax when Senator
Fessenden not only gives his vote, but te
quote from the Press Of June 4, eulogize,
Stanton.
Now we see the very Senator whose castin!
vote acquitted the President and thereby
compelled the immediate withdrawal of III,
Secretary of War, voting a resolution o
thanks, not to the President, but to his rebel
lious subordinate! .tt.I
Nay, more; the very Senator whose pub
lished "opiAion" expressly bases his vote on
the lawful and constitutional right of John
son to remove Stanton, point which he ar
cues, re-argues and elaborates till ii become:
to every conscientious" and 'iudiciap mind
as clear as-mud, to say the least, this self
same Senator actually makes speech in eu
logy¬ of the law-abIdng President
whose reverence for the law and confidence
IN the Justice of his cause are such as to
lead him to submit to usurpation of tn,
war-office and the risk of his own conviction
| and removal rather than to vindicate his man
| ifest constitutional and legal rights, but h
"eulogizes Stanton" the lawless usuper, VIII
| for three months has retained possession O
the war department of the nation, with al
| its emoluments, patronage and power, in de
fiance of law and the constitution--by mere
brute force, by the naked bayonet and the
loaded rifle, and that in a republican govern