The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-26

governing. nssess, end wsrp hit upon to
enable 6enAtors TOO deeply committed
against the Stanton Article TO vote for IL,
to keep In llno with their party by taking
advantage OF what might be made to look
like . statutory infraction. however harm
less. The House Of Repree entatives adj.
vanced to the Impeachment with peans
Of anticipated triumph and like an army
with banners. Tho Senate beckoned them
on by pronouncing Judgment Of condcm-
nation beforehand. The trial ems ued with
all the pomp and circumstance BETTING 30
historic an occasion; and, at the end OF
the procedure. the High Court ran away
from the completion of it's judgment
We suppose that almost all thoughtful
citizens now concur with Mr.. Dewitt in
thinking this humillating fasco OF the
plans Of the impcachers a most fortunate
event for the republic. Had this fir { i'm
parchment eventuated In the removal Of
the Chief Magistrate, q precedent would
have been established of the most fatal
haraoter-constit uting perpetual menace
TO the stability OF our Executive. a spread
ing blight upon our character and credit
as q nation. . standing reproach to the Re.
publican form Of government. and gradu- +"
ally leading 10 o national habit Of capricious
political oonvulsions TO put one President
In place Of another. such as have dis graced
some OF the republics OF Central and South
America The book before US reproduces
the words uttered by Senator Trumbull, +"
ss o4 G opnoh hs h eoa ae e:
example Of impeaching the President, for
what, when the excite ment OF the hour =
shall have subsidized. will be regarded a. :
insufficient causes. as several Of those now
III - L.
cided to be by the House Of Representatives
only Q few months since, and no future
President will be safe who happens to differ
with q majority OF the House and two.
thirds Of the Senate on any measure deemed
p p teal ohaPsctsr. Blinded By partisan
zeal, with such an example before them,
they will not scruple TO remove out OF tho
way any obstacle to the accomplishment OF
their and what t ~ The o.
ton so carefully devised, and 80 vital TO
its perpetuity? They are all gone
Tho failure OF the attempt 10 deposs
Andrew johnson established q precedent
cS So sus ol s ss s :
dents by political Impeachment become =
domiciliated In this republic; Centuries,
viii pass by before another p. sa ,,n,. OF
the offence Of which he v accused u clearly
non political and amounts Enthusiastically .
to high crime or misdemeanor.
This book would have been incomplete
without . sketch OF the after career OF the
being removed from his Office. We arc :
reminded that Andrew johnson was the
logical candidate for the Presidency In the
Democratic National Convention that met
" the city Of New f9sk on the ssa cay 2,
Of the opposition to the reconstruction
acts, and represented as could no other man
one side Of the real issue. ertheless,.
he received but sixty-hve votes on the nrst
WA nominated The truth. Of course. was
that johnson had no distinctive party
behind him. The party that had elected
him vice-President now regarded him With
universal hatred, while. on the other hand.
q deserter from its ranks. That he did not
expect the nomination Is clear from . let
ter penned by him two days before the CON
vention met In the course OF which be said:
y have not been discouraged when, from
The public prints or from so%s Tnu; Ss.l
that I have no party. The suggestion
has only served to remind me OF nen,ore-
bic remark uttered when faction ruled high
Fon ns%e al. ssf' c c:sa . s.$ .Ss
but the COMMONWEALTH had none. n
the same letter be wrote: 'Constraned;
p occupyns my position e TIE rsde sna .
kxScutaSe, 70 eo,Se ~ ; acoas ,n.,SIou. ~
we'll a desperate character. or sometimes'
when incapable OF arresting them, per-
mitted only to employ futile protests, oom-
PEELED with Only the privilege .r o. Esmo o.
oountsr-revolution to resist revolutionary
projects; Obliged TO stand In the attitude
Of Z mere spectator. whilst tho invaluable.
time Of the nation has besr wasted u cease.
Les assaults upon y'sd and oS nmn,a TOR
II the people. while witnessing the scene
have not been able TO make my cause
thoroughly their own-the defence o. the
Constitution and laws their own battle.
u, in lis CONCLUDING chapter, that won
derful as was the career OF Andrew johnson.
from his humble starting point up to his
accession to the Presidency. his exploits
in the last six years Of his life we're more
the bottom Of tn, abyss into which his
descent from the topnost pinnacle pre-
cipitated him before he began to gather
his scattered forces to tegin the slow ard
toilsome re-ascent. Not Q moment was
ings of fortune. L. a.s.vailipg lsr-eu'stiors:
not even an hour spared for much-needtd
rest. In fact even before the close a. =
Presidency he had siEnined to his fri'Its
in Tennessee his willingness to ryn for
oovoTuoI ~ uc eppss VNs""e
with a view Of berg ttnt at cree 10 tie
Senate of the United states.' Within tix
months sitter leavir g the Whit Psv,e Re
enabled the Conservatives 10 eIIirle 10th
houses Of the State Legis allure. thus. "
came to pass IN +. os 1ennfs &c was the
first Of the seeding States to undergo tie
yoke Of rpet-bae AIR ce nj, alton. 10 sfe
was the firet to throw 1t ca. After th's
event Il was t.ken for granted all over the
country that the ex-Pr eident's TetrIn 70
the Senate was assured. This piece OF
retributlvs justice. however. was not 10
be 90 early accom- piished. HE suuIre
for rehabilitation lasted Upward Of FIVE
years He was crippled in his State by
the same weakness that had disabled him
during his Administration at Washington.
he did not strictly be'ong to either of IRE
parties into which the country was divided.
His lifelong connection with the Demo-
cratic party had been severed when its
Southern wing went over into secession.
His short-lived connection with The Re
publican party had been dissolved when
that marty began to subordinate the reeto.
ration Of the Union to the prolongstion OF
its own powers. The consequences wae
that. for the time being, he fell tetwetn
two stools. Although a majority OF the
chosen In August, 1850. were 1ppoted .
bN f,vorAsl' to J ,hnson. they gave the