The sun., 1893-12-24
Impeachment.

The removal Of Federal officers by i'm
peachment proceedings under Section OF
Article II NJ the Constitution. has been at
tempted seven times.
The BLouNT case was the first. WILLIAM
BLouST, United States Senator from Ten
nessee. WAS charged in 1897 with consplring
with British officers to steal part OF Louisl-
ana from Spain for England's benefit. The
House prepared articles OF impeachment.
The Senate expelled him. after putting him
under bonds for trial. BLoUST's defence
was that Senator was not civil officer
liable to i'm peachment. and on the question
OF jurisdiction only he was acquitted.
Judge john PICKERING Of the Federal
District Court for New Hampshire was i'm
peached in 1909 for drunkenness aud pro-
family on the bench. The defence was in
sanity. On trial before the Senate. PICK
ERIya was convicted by a party vote, and
removed from his Office.
In 1904, SAMUEL CHASE OF Maryland.
Justice OF the Supreme Court of the United
States and one OF the signers Of the Decla-
ration Of Independence. was charged with
improper conduct on the bench: among
other things, with having INDUCED In
highly indecent and extra judicial rehec-
LlODB upon LnS Z HlJtu OJhItb
in the course OF charge TO a Maryland
Grand Jury. The impeachment proceed
ings. instigated and managed by JOHN
RANDOLPH OF Virginia, were political in
their origin and animus. Judge CHASE
was acquitted through the failure OF the
prosecution to obtain a two-thirds vote
against him in the Senate. on any one OF
the eight articles OF impeachment. He re-
sumed his seat on the bench. and held 1t as
long as he lived.
About quarter OF q century later. JAMES
H. PECK, Federal District Judge In Mis-
souri,. was impeached for oppressive treat
ment OF an attorney. The case was Of no
importance; the Judge was acquitted.
Thirty years afterward, at the beginning
OF the war OF the rebellion. Judge WEST II.
HUMPHREYS OF the Federal District Court OF
Tennessee, joined the Confederacy and ac-
cepted judicial Office under 1t. without TAX
ing the trouble to send his resignation to
Washington. He was impeached mainly
In order to vacate the Office. and convicted
on June 20. 1862. One OF the witnesses sum
moned to appear against Judge HUMPHREYS
was ANDREW JOHNSON, then Governor OF
Tennessee. destined himself to be the next
subject OF impeachment proceedings before
the Senate. One OF the four Senators who
voted not guilty on the article charging
Judge HUMPHREYS with high treason. was
WILLIAM PITT FEssESDEN. whose vote five
years later saved ANDREW JOHNSON.
ANDREW JOHNSON was impeached on
March 4. 1868. the eleven articles charging
the President In various forms with viola
tion OF the Tenure OF Office act. with viola
90 ba Nj oti tut xrit Il TO
prevent the execution OF the Tenure OF
ONCE act. with conduct and utterances
tending to bring the high office of Presi-
dent into contempt. ridicule. and disgrace:"
and with the public declaration. In his
speeches while swinging around the circle.
that the Thirty-ninth Congress was no con-
stitutional legislature. 1t is not necessary
to recite the history OF the memorable trial,
which lasted for nearly three months. and
In which the hottest of political passions
were enlisted Thirty-six votes were needed
to convict. No vote was ever taken except
on the three strongest articles. the second,
third, and eleventh. and on each Of these
the Senate stood IS for conviction to 10 for
acquittal. impeachment failing by single
vote. One OF the counsel who defended
President JOHNSON was the Hon. WILLIAM
N. EvARTs OF New York.
The seventh and last Federal impeach-
ment was that OF WILLIAM ". BELKSAP.
GRANTS Secretary Of War. lie was Justly
charged in 1876 with corruption In CfIice,
and the House voted unanimously to
impeach him. He resigned hastily a few
hours before tho passage OF the impeach-
ment resolution. and his resignation was
promptly accepted by GRANT. The trial
proceeded. nevertheless. BELKNAP's de-
fence was denial OF jurisdiction. based on
the circumstance that when the impeach-
| Inent resolution passed the House. he had
| ceased to los a civil officer Of the United
States. The impeachment proceedings
failed by tho lack Of a two-thirds majority
In the Senate for conviction.
II will be observed that in only two cases
have impeachment proceedings against
civil officer Of the United States been prose-
cuted successfully before the Senate by the
House OF Representatives. One Of these
was for the removal Of "a drunken and prO-
fame Judge. whose presence upon the bench
was public scandal. The other was
purely formal proceeding To vacate the
Office OF Judge actually engaged in open
rebellion against the Government but tech.
nically still an incumbent OF his Office under
the Government. or the five unsuccess-
full impeachment proceedings on record.
two failed for want Of jurisdiction. OF the
whole seven cases. four concerned judicial
officers. Only once has there been an at
tempt to punish by impeachment a Cabinet
officer. Only once has there been an at
tempt To punish and remove by impeach-
ment President OF tho United States.
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