The Washington herald., 1912-07-11
Archibald and Lorimer.

1t is the ninth time in the history OF
the American nation that the Senate
will be called upon to try the impeach-
ment of high officer when it takes
action on the unanimous report. of the
House Judiciary Committee in the
Judge Archibald case. Among the pre-
vious occurrences of like nature were
a President, Secretary of War, an
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court,
and two Federal judges, all of whom
were acquitted; one Senator resigned
under charges, and only two were &C
tually removed from Office, Judge Pick
ering, of New Hampshire, and Judge
Humphries, of Tennessee.
These net results of the astonishing
ly small number of inpeachments dur
ing the entire existence of our govern
ment would show that bribery, treason,
and other high crimes" seldom are CON-
mitted by officers of the Federal gov
eminent If the evidence against Judge
Archibald as to his 'unhtness for the
bench is as strong as are the proofs
against Senator Lorimer as to his unfit
ness to occupy seat in the Senate, the
nation would be shocked at the failure
to remove so corrupt judge from the
bench of the Commerce Court. And
yet the Senate once refused to unseat
Lorimer, and it may be that this will
happen again. If Mr.. Lorimer should
be called upon to vote on the Archibald
charges, would he go on record against
him? His may even be the deciding
vote To decree that Senator should
be removed requires but a majority
vote, but to unseat Federal judge q
two-thirds vote is needed.
The impeachment clause of the Con-
stitution contains something which may
cause the Senate to go slow when il
comes TO pronounce against any one
After stating that judgment should not
extend further than TO removal from
office and disqualification to hold Of
fee under the government, the article
reads as follows: IF the one impeached
has happened to break the penal code
he is also liable to punishment accord
ing to law"
As to Lorimer, we are of the opinion
that his friends are not very care
full in their insinuations. Senator Nc
Curnber seems to place the blame upon
the entire nation, reminding one of the
declaration of an insane man at Osh-
kosh, that he was the only sane man
in the asylum, officers included. A
year ago McCunber voted to sustain
Mr.. Lorimer. Now, having discovered
that his judgment is at odds with that
of the majority Of the people: he is
unwilling to admit that the vast MAORI
ty may be in the right and he in the
wrong. More than that. He pats
himself upon the back for his moral
heroism in persisting in his own opin-
ion in these words:
''This prosecution has been continued
with a spirit OF malice unequaled in
American journalism, and the culminat,
ing act of this tragedy will, in my
judgment, be the most tryannical that
was ever inspired by self-aggrandize-
ment or induced by political fear"
Pretty strong language this. All
opponents Of Lorirler simply are con-
spirators and worse Is the COM
mon sense OF the American people
TO be allowed no say in this matter
Has the Senator forgotten what Mr.
Taft said after reading the testimony
IN the first inquiry, that Lorimer's cleo
hon was involved in mess and a
mass of corruption, or that the same
conclusion was reached by all who made
fair investigation?
Senator McCumber has adopted an
lnwise method of trying to convince
. others. of the fact that there may be
"a flaw in the indictment against Lori
ner He should have tried to maintain
lis claim modestly but firmly without
iecrying those who disagree with him
He certainly has more injured than
ielped the cause of his friend.
~ Monticello