The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-02-14
RenutifnIC Consistency.

The Intelligencer of Saturday apoli-
pizes to NAT HARRISON for its apparent
failure to defend him and also to the
public for not aiding in bringing him to
trial. 1t bears itself with q virtuous lofti-
ness, from which it cannot stoop to med
die with an Impeachment trial pending
before the Legislature. Such proceed
log would be improper, undignified and
disrespectful to the Legislature. That's
all very pretty. but it don't begin to CO.
incide with the course of that paper
upon the JOHNSON impeachment. From
beginning to end of that trial the Intel.
igencer proclaimed the gnilt of the ac-
cased, and demanded his immediate and
unconditional removal.
In its issue of February oath, the In.
telligencer "boped to see the man who
came into the presidential chair through
assassination, 60 out of it with a rope
round his neck"
On February 25th, the. day after the
adoption of impeachment resolutions by
the House of Representatives, that
paper said "The House of Represent
atives has done its duty fairly, promptly
and nobly. Let the Senate do the same
and the country will very soon be at
peace.n So on February Goth, Congress
was assured that the removal of JOHN.
SON was "the determination of all that
part of the American people who have
hitherto stood by the Government"
On February 9th it reprinted and
loaded column article from the Tribune
the burden of which was "Congress
must impeach him immediately"
March I'd the Intelligencer concluded
lengthy article favoripg impeachment
by declaring that "no event could so
rapidly and certainly restore confidence
aud ease in business circles as the
prompt deposal of ANDREW JOHNSON"
March 4th it observed, "ANDREw JOHN
SON is in spirit and intention undoubt.
edly q usurper, and men who cherish
such designs can never be safe y trusted
in the high positions Of free govern.
ment." On April 2lst it asked: "How
long is this Cataline to abuse the coun-
tryi Not more than a week longer if
the Senate does its duty" April 9th,
mOdestly speaking in the name of
"forty millions of people who have a
right to the protection of government,
the Mtslligencer advises the Senate that
"it is of great moment to them that
Mr. JOHNSON cease to be President at
the earliest possible moment"
May 9th it r. asoned thus. "If JOHN
SON is acquitted at al, it is more likely
to bc the result Of political intrigue;
but the Senator who falls short of his
duty from considerations of that kind
will be SIS morally guilty as if he sold
himself for an office or for gold" May
18th, it said probably there is no State
represented in Congress whose loyal
people would feel moro mortified and
aggrieved over ANDREW JoHNsoN's tri-
umph than ours, and none where it
would be more dishearteuing, if not
disastrous" "If the President shall be
acquitted by the SeRate, we may look
for carnival of blood and slaughter
from the States lately in rebellion, from
which we fear our own State may not
be entirely exempt"
These are but sample paragraphs of
many editorial articles, in which Sena-
tors were virtually hidden to disregard
their oathS and their convictions, if ne.
cessary, to stand by the purely partisan
proceeding of Impeachment And when
the vote was over and JOHNSON acquit-
ted, the Intelligencer vented its baffied
rage in columns of vituperation on
Senator VAN WINKLE whom il held up
as "West Virginia's Betrayer."
In the HARRISON case, the course OF
the IntelligeRcer is as different from that
pursued toward JOHNSON, as partisan
shifts can be from each other.
In the HARRISON matter ii
virtuously holds its peace, because
in it's own words, "he was to be ar
raigned before the Legislature, because
tho Legislature aud not we were mis-
judges, and because it seemed therefore
improper for us to anticipate either ,he
evidence or the judgment" How these
reasons can apply. fer HARRIsoN's benefit
when they were ignored in JOHNSON s
case, the Intelligencer may be able to ex-
plain. Without explanation there seems
but one view to be taken; JoHNsoN's
removal would have been triumph OF
Radicalism, while HARRIsoN's removal,
or even his trial, involves no desirable
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