Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-12-14
Federal Jufist Central Figure
in Most Solemn Event of
Any Jurisprudence j..

The impeachment of Judge Robert
". Archibald of the u. s. Commerce
CCudt this rex as fl raislc5 aa-cxtra
ordinary spectacle and the widest in.
terest is manifested in the case, even
apart from the Importance of the
event. The fact that there have been
tut eight other impeachment trials in
the history of the Republic shows this
one up in bold relief. -.-
The founders of the republic bestow-
ed much attention upon impeachment.
Perhaps they anticipated that it
would have to be resorted to more
often than has proven necessary. In
any event they embodied in that re-
markable work, the Constitution of
the United States, the mast specific
stipulations as to just what may and
may not be done in the matter of inn.
peachment. 1t is provided in the very
first article of the. Constitution that
tie United States Senate shall have
the sole power to try all impeach-
ments and that when sitting for that
pulpo the members shall be on oath
or Attenuation. When the President
of the United States is to be tried tie
Chief Justice must preside and no pc:
soh can be cocv:ctcd without 10 con-
currence of two-thirds of the members
present. This same section goes on TO
say that Judgment in cases of i'm
parchment Shall not extend further
than to removal from office and dis
qualification to hold sIiy office OF
honor. trust or profit under the United
States but the party convicted shall
nevertheless be liable and subject to
Indictment, trial, Judgment and pun.
iEhment according to law. In other
words being sentenced by the Senate
to publis disgrace would not neees.
sarily save a guilty official from the
penalty that under the law would be
imposed on humber citizen. The
very fact that he held Office urder the
government makes him liable to q
double sentence. s.-. Z.
House Has Power OF impeachment.
Whereas the Senate alone has the
right to try impeachment cases the
House of Representatives has the sole.
power of impeachment. That IS all
cases must originate in the lower
house of Congress. In fact the House
of Representative is in a position
similar to that of the grand jury and
the prosecuting attorney in the ordi-
nary cases of which we read in the
every day, whereas the
Senate, under this same comparison,
has, the dual role of the presiding
Judge and jury before whom case is
tried. Only, in impeachment cases,
as above indicated, the august body is
not allowed very much latitude as to
the sentences that can be imposed.
Our forefathers were no respectors
of persons when t%came to planning !
for impeachment proceedings and |
they wrote it into. the Constitution |
that not only all civil officers of the |
United States but even the President I
and Vice-President shall be removed |
from Office on Impeachment for and
conviction of treason, bribery or other |
high crimes and misdemeanors. And |
finally, in order that there may be no |
loopholes- for the escape of the Off
cial once convicted under impeach
ment charges the Constitution speci-
fically says that the President shall |
have power to grant reprieves and
pardon for offense against the United
States except in cases of impeach-
ment."
Trial Serious for All.
). From all the foregoing it will be
seen that an impeachment trial is
pretty serious business not only for
the man who is on trial but also for
all those who have a hand in conduct
ing it or in bringing il about. That
is one reason, probably why the
House of Representatives usually
makes haste slowly in adopting arti-
Giles of impeachment. Because only
eight impeachment trials have been
held in more than century Of our
history does not mean that
this represents by any means all the
attempts at impeachment that have
been made.
The question as to whether or not
an accused official shall be impeached
rests largely with the Committee on
the Judiciary of the House of Repre-
When one or more Con
gressmen move for the impeachment