New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-17

by the republic, he must, If ne has any
for the sacradness OF the oath
which he has sworn, when ne became
of the republic. perform the
duties of this Office faithfully aud we'll.
He must devote bis entire energy, talent
and time to the satisfaction OF the duties
of the Office. We say that this respondent
81 this bar. instead Of being faithful sub.
iect of the commonwealth, and a dli1gent
officer, has degraded the high duties OF his
Office, and turned it into means OF max
ing money, as a means of personal advan-
ta9e, and means of depressing the |
c, editors Of the State. We arraign |
him before this bar as Court OF
Impeachment, and never have l sad, III !
the course of this trial, that the Senate was
ANYTHING but Court Of Impeachment.
have said it, and again do L say it, thae
YOU, !as a Court of Impeachment, 90 not SIT
as having exclusive criminal Jurlsdictlon
or exclusive civil jurisdiction IN the case
as it is technically known to the Jaw: 1ut
you are simply sitting as Court Oh IN.
parchment. possessing the same power
and the same rights and the same author
ity that Courts Of Impeachment Always
have held. 1t is true that you are sitting
as a Court of impeachment IN the State OF
Louisiana, and you have been told that
the State of Louisiana, being under the
rule of the civil law, the common Law prac-
tica does not prevail. That admit, as
far as trial of civil causes IN clVlt courts Is
concerned, but are you court OF juSIce
Are YOU sitting here as a jury, presided
over by Judge? No. you are sitting here
"a n constitutional court, with specific con-
siiu,ional duties and specinc cons,ltu-
tional rights and powers, viii b are dele
gated to YOU, not from the old Ro-
man civil law, but from the fact that
the State of Louisiana is a
State 10 this great confederacy Of
States. One OF the principles OF the con
stitution of the United States is, that
every State shall have republican form
of Government. The constitution OF the
State of louisiana was patterned from the
constitution of the United States, and be-
cause impeachmens arise soleiy and en-
tire|v from the constitution, it is cause
that comes under the constitutional and
parliamentary law. You are sitting mere
As the grand tryers On the part OF the peo-
nle. representlpg the whole people. and
Won are to Judge whether this public
officer shall any longer be deemed mt to
hold his office. You are not sitting here
to try George NJ. Wickliffe for committing
any speeifc offanse against society, but Ii
YOU are to try him at all you are to try biu
as a public officer. Now, how shall this
conrt be formed! The constitution pre-
scribes the method in which an officer, L
unfaithful, shall be deprived Of his office
{ The first constitution Of the State was
patterned after. and had the same language
= / "a the constitution of the United States III
this respect Afterward it became modl
fed. and | might read from the severa
, constitutions Of the Safe to verify thu
, assertion. The United States constituuo!
l says:
( .ART. /, SEC. 8. The Senate shall have
t the s5le power to try all impeachment
o When sitting for that purpose they shat
: be on oath or Affirmation. When the
a President of the United Strtes Is tried th'
y Chief Justice shall preside; and no person
o shall be convicted without the coacur
: renee Of two-thirds OF the members pres
O ent.
I Judgment, in cases Of Impeachment.
+. shall not extend further than to remova
2 from office and disqualification to boil
;. and enjoy any Office OF honor trust o
: profit under the United States; bat th
q party convicted stall nevertheless be llabi
a aud subject 10 indictment. trial, Judgmen
4 and punishment. according to law.
i Art. 3. SEC. 4. Tue President. Vic
= President. and all civil others of til
!. United States, shall De removed from Otc
e on Impeachment for and CONVICTION o
IS treason, bribery, or other high crimes an
d misdemea1OTs-
e: The constitution of 1oi2-the first cor
,e stitur ion of this ctate-states ID It's arloI
g. on impeachment the following:
e. "SECTIcS l. The power Of Impeact
N ment shall ne vested in the House OF heI
.r resentatiyes alone.
10 .sSrc. .. Ill mpeacEments shall be trie
IS. bv the Senate. When sitting Ter til
Q. purpose, the Senators shall be upon GA
al or Affirmation, aud no person shall
q convicted without The concurrence OF Nv
re thirds Of the members present.
" SEC 3. The Governor and all the civ
,u officers shall be liable TO impeachme
be for any misdemeanor in Office; but jud
ment in such cases shall not exter
ief further than to the removal from Ofht
to and disqualification to hold any oihce
to honor trust or profit under this State; b
.ct the parties convicted shall, nevertheless
SO be liable and subject 10 Indictment, tr
lis and punishment according to law
,as So that the article in the constitution
~. 1912. the first one in this State, is ide
teal in language with the constitution
sof the United States, thereby showing Il
OF the original trainers Of the first cons
tuition of the State intended that cases
pie impeachment should be tried in the sal
ny manner and for the same ofienses that ID
he are by the Congress of the United Stat
he Afterward another constitution v
framed in 1916, and the mode was q lii
/. changed and it read as follows:
we CART S4 The power of impeachme
ale shall be vested in the House OF Represe
Ter atives.
CART. IS. impeachment of the G.
lIy error, Lieutenant Governor, Aitorf
we General, Secretary OF State State Ire
his urer, and of the Judges of the Dit
Courts shall be tried by the Senate;
,y- Chief Justice of the Supreme Court or
a senior Judge thereof shall preside dur
YER the trial Of such impeachment. lmpea
ted ments of the Judges OF the Supreme Co
shall be tried by the Senate. When
Jig ting as a Court Of impeachment.
nd Senators shall be upon oath or afhrmati
ted and no person shall be convicted with
the concurrence of tWo-thirds OF
ice Senators present.
vel "ARr 06. Judgments in eases OF
hat parchment shall extend only to reno
his IRON Office and disqualification from ne
an, ing any Office OF honor, trust or profit
10 der this State. but the parties convlc
has shall, nevertheless, b9 sublect 10 ma
the ment, trial and punishment according