The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-03-01
KEOKUK. IOWA:


KEoKUK. IOWA:
SUNDAY MORNING., MARCH !.
IrreU1Ck w6nx snBeHE.
Far more I'm Two paap ofbSid. vicious
..urpa,ion and nal-sdministration, on the
ner, Of Andrew johnson, Congress and the
people hare borns viii him. We zee Dowt
that he should nase beea impssched Two
years ago; that be should havs been im>
reached snd rsinored ~Asa he Undertook y |
thwast DEMONSTRATION policy Of Congress.
tThsn vas tie Saleiai source Of ell our
woess' Fhen wss. his most fasrant usurpa-
ton, his greatest crime against the Constitu-
ton and the cenatsy. Bis deliberate and
w;lfal violation Of United Statss law, in the
appointment Of Thomas - Secretary Of War.
!. but an incident in the policy Of greater
wrong which he has been pursnina for more
than two years: The INCIDENTS bad enough
so bad that if this Congress does not remove
him for it, it viii have established precs-
dent for an Elective sutocracy and despo-
iism. But the incident is but one shadow
cast by the Upas ire of Presidential usurpa-
ton which has been more than two years
growing, and which is Of Andrew Johnson's
planting and tending.
Let Congress make the specifications as
brief direct. and clear as possible, so as TO
make it a speedy, and, at the same time,
fair and just trial Yet, you know, and We
know, and the country knows, that Andrew
johnson, before the bar of the Senate, will
be tried, and should be tried, for the offences
and yiciousness, and unconstitutionality OF his
whole past term Of Office. And his whole
administration has been a ofsnse, ansarpa-
ion aud crime. We affirm, that, since
reconstruction, under the Constitution, be-
longed to Congress, as the supreme law-mak-
ing power Of the government, when Andrew
johnson tried to override Congress and sub
s,itute his policy forts policy, he was, that
instant, guilty of high act of NAL admins
,ration and usurpation; be was guilty Of the
greatest wrong against the American people
within the power of an American President.
The guilt is in The mere act OF usurpation !;
in the mere act OF assuming to be an arbitrary
ruler; of assuming to disregard the Constitu
ton and usurp the functions of the lawmak-
ing department Of the Government. The Of
tense in this regard would have been just as
great had Andrew johnson been otherwise
the purest, the most upright and admirable OF
men, in his personal character. In countries
governed by despots there may be degrees in
despotism it may be desirable that the ruler
shall be more temperate, truthful, wel-dis-
POSTPONED than his predecessors have been or
Than his successors may be. But in this
country j, is the assuming to be a despot, that
is the wrong An arch-augei assuming to be
an arbitrary, absolute President Of the United
States should be as much feared by our peo-
pie, and as quickly hurled from Office as the
Devil or Andrew johnson.
So now in impeaching the acting President,
his crime is his whole administration. II be-
gan in assassination and has continued in
usurpation. 1t is his pride and boast that he
has used the years Of his incumbency Of bis
present place TO accomplish an unconstitu>
tiona purpose. General Grant proposes to
find honor enough in the Presidency within
the bounds of the exercise Of its constitution
al functons-that of executing the laws
A demagogue' s ambition, and vieiou.
obstinacy of purpose in Andrew John
son to be the great Psci6cator an6
Reconstruction, has led him, in addition to hi.
powers as President, to invade those Of Con
gress. and by every day that he has tried te
force his policy Of reconstruction on the coun
try, he has daily trampled ON the law ane
daily furnished imperative reaeons for his i'm
peacnment. IT is doubtless very large am
bitten for Andrew johnson to aspire to be the
great Reconstructor-to have His Policy be-
come the law Of the land. Were he Louis
Napoleon or the Autocrat of the Russas, he
might have it go, Bat he cant do it as Pre-
sident Of the United States. 1t was not the
intent Of the Constitution, or of the trainers
of the government, that he should do it. And
the truth tina. We want shall burn into the
soul of every American until all shall unite
in demanding his expulsion from Office is,
that every day that Andrew johnson has tried
to establish His Policy, be has been and ID /
usrRPER. Consider what that usurpation
has cost the country. Who doubts tina, had
Andrew johnson not interfered in reconstruc-
tion-had he left it with Congress, to whom
it belonged, that the country would have been
pacifed and quieted in less weeks than it has
taken months under his pesfiferous policy !?
Congress has two staunch grounds of justii
cation for its persistent opposition to Mr..
johnson and its adherence to its own policy.
The first is, that under the Constitution, re-
construction belonged TO Congress, and that
body wouid have been criminally accessory
to bis usurpa.ion had j, seconded his claims.
The next is, that if ever apoIicy was definite
ly and decisively declared for by people,
the Congressional policy was definitely and
decisively declared for by the. people in the
election following Johnson aswinging round
the circle" Yet, ANDREW johnson persisted
IN his war ON Congress and the people. He
has prevented the settlement and paciEcation
OF The country: he is responsible for the ex.
pense to the country of continued military
government in the South be has kent the
South in political chaos, and prevented i'm
migration of people and capital there; he |
has continued the paralysis Of industry, pro-
dnction and trade in those States his mig
headed effort to make himself famous by
trying 10 DO what he had no constitutional
right to do, has inflicted these nearly three
late years Of disquiet and disaster upon the
country. he has forced Congress to pro-
tracted and injurious legislation about recon,
strnction, and driven it to measured and ex-
penses it had not contemplated, and sought
10 avoid; for after Andrew johnson made
the Issue between Congress and hinself
should it surrender TO him, il was equally !
surrender to the rebels in the South, ana
With ,hei, success, ander their Reconstruction
there would have been no republican govern.
ment, no protection TO Union men in IN he |
South.
The ofenses Of Andrew johnson are known.
They are rank and smell to heaven. Let the
work Of bis trial and removal 20 on and be
finished quickly.
THERE are three prominent theories in the
9S 49, 49,