The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-05-20
THE IMPEACHMENT,

The vote on the articles OF lmpeach-
ment was postponed until Saturday
last. If taken on that day we shall
probably be able to lay the result be-
fore our readers before going to press
and thus relieve the suspense under
which they have recently labored.
Up to this moment the indications
are that the vote will be exceedingly
close, with the chances in favor Of ac-
ouittal. If the impeachers had been
certain of conviction they would have
pressed the vote on Tuesday. The
postponement is an acknowledgment
of weakness.
The committal of four Radical sena-
tors to acquittal fell like a bombshell
into the camp of the Radicals and has
served to disconcert all their plans and
expectations. 1t needs only three
more to acquit, and they are exceed
ingly uneasy lest the required number
be forthcoming. The committal sena-
tors are Messrs. Fessenden, Trumbull,
Henderson and Grimes. The first two
we have always counted upon as Ger
tain for acquittal. They are two OF
the best lawyers in the country, and
prior to their election to Congress,
spent their lives in dealing with knotty
law questions and complicated tissues
of evidence. We could not believe
that they could see anything in the
conduct of the President on which to
base an argument for conviction. we
believed moreover that they had moral
honesty enough not to violate their
oaths for party purposes, or for the
purpose of securing Office in the party
to which they belong. The revolution
in popular sentiment in Maine and IL
linois, leave little room for doubt that
they will be sustained in their course
by the people Of their own States.
OF Mr.. Henderson we expected moth
ing. An original State-rights Demo-
GRAFT, he betrayed his party to get office,
and would now betray the Radicals to
secure it. We once heard Mr.. Gratz
Brown, who was elected to the Senate
at the same time by a coalition with
him, say, that "the Democrats will
one day find ont that John Henderson
is traitor" His prediction has been
abundantly verified, and we only hope
that our prediction Of his treason to
Radicalism may be equally we'll found
ed. The increase of the Democratic
vote in Missouri is doubtless at the
bottom of his vote for acquittal.
But of the four Governor Grimes is
entitled to the most credit. Coming
from the State of Iowa, more thorough
Radical than any State outside Of New
England, without Sufficient talent to
mould popular sentiment, he has disre-
garded the Radical party lash, and
sealed his political existence rather
than do dishonorable act. He de-
serves all praise for his vote, and the
thanks of every Conservative for his
manly course.
We said before that the committal
of these Senators created quite a COM
motion, and no little CONSERVATION in
the Radical camp. Drake wanted to
adjourn and when asked "what's the
NATTER" replied, eff you can't see
what's the matter / cannot tell your
Howard instantly took the appoplexy
or something very like it, and at last
accounts there was chance Of losing
his vote. We commend Mr.. Towards
case specially to the consideration Of
Mr.. Sumner. When that gentleman
returned from Europe after his memo
rable expedition in search of a cure fol
his sore head, finding that poor Brooks
and his accomplished uncle were both
in their graves, he Enthusiastically
limited from his place in the Senate
that their deaths were a Providential
retribution upon them for making the
assault upon himself in the Senate
Chamber. Cannot Mr.. Sumner exer.
else his New England theology so as to
figure out of the Howard sickness a
Providential interference with the Rad
ical conspiracy to outrage the Consti-
tuition in the removal Of President
Johnson7 Will not the Senator from
Massachusetts now vote for acquittal
AS we said we are writing in hourly
expectation of the news of the final
vote. We hope our readers will keep
cool and await patiently the result.