The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-06-12
THE IMPEACHMENT QUESTION.
Remarks of Hon. Justin S. Morrill, in the
United States Senate.

United States Senate.
MIR. President, shall make no attempt
to present an argument here, but merely tC
give very briefly the conclusions, with some
reasons therefor, which | have arrived a,
after as impartial consideration of the
grave questions involved az | have been
able to bestow. | am not eager to con.
rince others, aud il | were, l know of nc
one eager to be convinced. If the cabinet
of Mr.. Pitt differed both about the impeach.
ment of Warren Hastings and about drop
ping the Impeachment rs question OF
policy, ii is not strange that Senators should
differ here about the impeachment of the
late secretary Of war as question of pow
er. l shall claim no more charity for my
own opinion than | cheerfully concede to
that of others.
As often repeated us they have been, |
Can hardly make myself understood with
out recilipg al Of the words relating 10
impeachment contained in the ConsIitu-
ton:
The House Of Representatives
shall have the sole power of impeachment.
article |, section 2
The senate shall have the sole power to
try all impeschments. When sitting for
that purpose, they shsll be on oath or af
firmation. When the president of the
United States il tired, the Chief Jus.
tee shall preside; and no person shall
be convicted without the concurrence
of two-thirds of the members present. GAR
iicle l, section g.
Judgment in cases of impeachment shall
not extend further than To removal from
office, and disqualification to hold and en-
joy any office OF honor, trust, or profit un-
der the United States; but the party con-
vlcted shall nevertheless be liable and sub
ject to Indictment, trial, judgment, and
punishment, according to law. (Artcle /,
section
The president, vice president, and all
civil officers of the United States, shall be
removed from Office on impeachment for,
and conviction Of, treason, bribery, or other
high crimes and misdemeanors. (Article .,
section 4.
The president shall have pow
err to grant repreyes and pardons for Of
fences against the United States, except In
cases of impeachment. (Artlcle ?, Sec
ton %
The trial of all crimes, except in cases
of impeachment, shall be by Jury. Gar
ticle 3, section 2
These embrace all there is upon the sub
JeCt. III must IN all harness DC cOuctueu
that these provisions should be construed g.
mean no more and no less than the words
employed conveyed at the timein the coun-
try from which they were borrowed, ex'
cept 30 far as the provisions themselves
were directly modified and restrained. II
for no other purpose, the common law may
| be resorted TO at least to obtain the rea
significance of the legal terms used in the
Constitution, and with Ms much authority
| as the English classics may be for the cor
| rect usage of other words in our language
| Even conceded that the common law give,
no additional constitutional power, it will
yet in'erpose against an erroneous deani
tion or any curtallment Of the meaning o.
its phrases.
The case before us arises upon the pre-
sentation by the House of Representative
of articles of impeachment against Gen
eral William w. Belknap. late secretary o
war, who pleads that he resigned his otfic,
short time before and on the same da,
the articles were moved in the House, ant
therefore Is not liable TO impeachment. I'm
der the apt and thoroughly defined phrase