The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-03-12
'.NIaCko on Impeachment.

"Mack," in tho Cincinnati CONNER
cjdl, a Radical sheet, sets forth I'M.
parchment as follows:
Tho farce of last winter has grown
into something of u drama, alter all,
with q very decided tendency toward
the tragic. impeachment was laughed
at q year ayearago as q fooling 7agary
of Ashley or tho wild fanatlcism OF
Stevens; it must be faced to-day as the
stearn reality Of Congress and tho ma
J ton. Such is the forco of party dlsci-
| pline, and so true is 1T that the fanatic
of to-day is tho acknowledged party
leader ola year hence. Ashley did it
all. Bingham called him q fool one
day when he FIRST proposed il, but from
Mr.. B1nghNm's own stand point tho
fool of Congress has been multiplied
by 127, and Binghman is not on the
edo of the wisdom. On tho contrary,
he is now head fool, and doubtless
would rather be first in folly than secs
ond in wisdom. Is it unreasonable to
suppose that il was u question of per-
sonal ambition after all, and that his
opposition to impcachment was tho
effect of his being ignored in its man
agcment? THIS timo no vas won over
by a little adroit management which
committed to HIM the charge Of tho in
yestlgation and put the mantle of Ed
mund Burkeupon his shoulders There
IS q good deal Of the Swiss about poll
tlcians after all, and somc men arc not
half rs much Republicans or Demo
Gratis us the leaders of whichever side
may be in want of brains, in which re-
spect they take their cue from the
history OF tho mother country, having
learned from careful study Just why
Pitt and Fox wcro generally OH oppos.
ing sides Of every public question.
THE PROBABILITIES oP CONVICTION.
Writing under this head q few days
since, l expressed the belief that tho
Senate was already committed to the
conviction of the President, by It's NC
ton in executive session on Friday
night. Tho removal of Stanton was
then and there pronounced Wllcgal and
UNCONSTITUTIONAL Now tho point is
inst this: What did the Senate mean
by passing such q resolution; if not to
give assurance to the House than if ar,
ticles were presented tho President
would be convicted? In the long and
drcary debate in the House which pre-
coded the passage of tho resolution of
impeachment. no alIusron was made to
the action Of the Senate, and TO the
evident collision between the Radicals
Of tho the two branches to secure this
desired object. 1t reflects very Sc
riously upon the intellectual caliber of
the Democrats that such u matter en-
tiroly escaped their observation, but it
may not DO too late 10 refor TO it in tho
course Of the trial,
a Senator SAID TO me the other day,
in reply TO q question on tho subject,
that tho Senate in passing this resGlu-
ton merely expressed an opinion to
which 1t had II perfect right. No
doubt ITS members havo n right TO
think rs they please Of tho acts of Mr..
Johnson, but what | should like to be
informed about is: By what section
or article vi the Constitution tho Sen
ate, II executive session, is empower
CT to decide that this, that ca the oth-
or act ofthe President is unconstItu-
lional and illegal? Thcy can only
make such adecislon when sitting as n
high court OF impcachmcnt, under arti.
clcs presented by the House. Which
brings back tho inevitable conclusion
that the object Of tho resolution was
memo other than TO sag to the House
"Send in your articles, and we'll con-
That's the plain English Of IT..
Otherwise the President NAV commit
an Illegal and unconstitutional act and
still not be gully ola higa crime or
misdemcAnor. If other proof were
wanting as to the meaning of the SEN
ate's action OF Friday, Ihave tho adj
mission Ola leading Radical of the
House that the constitution | have
given it is correct.
While the Senate was still consider
ing the subject Of Stanton's removal, |
met one of the champions of impeach-
mcnt in the lower house: lie seemed
greatly elated at the political prospect,
and when | asked him wha: was to be
done with the President, he replied
very promptly: Tho Senate is now
debating a resolution that commits
them to impeachment. 1t they pass
it, We'll impcach him in the House be-
foro Monday night. If they don't it's
no use; butb | think they will"
Events havo vindlcatod that gentle~
mans claims to consideration as q
prophet.
These arc facts worthy of note. l
am satisfied that an official invcstIga-
ton would discover the existence Of a
positive agreement between tho leaders
oftho two Houses on this subject. To
pass articles in the House and have
then. fail in tho Senate, would DO ru-
nous to tho Republican party. There
lore, tho House required some express
ion OF opinion from the Senate before
committing itself by tho passage of
II