Year: 1868




Speech OF Senator Doolittle-Arraisnment Of


the Impeachers OF President johnson.


HARrFoRD, Conn, March II, 1868.


Senator Doolittle addressed q vast assemblage
here this evening for two hours. At the close he
''arraigned and impeached Congress" as follows:-


In conclusion fellow citizens. while the impeach-
ment OF President Johnson closes my mouth upon
the subject Of his mpeschment while delicacy and
closed and considerations OF duty or delicacy will
prevent me from speaking OF another impeachment
and before o tribunal more august than the Senate
In the name Of constitutional liberty In the Of
our great ancestors who laid the foundations OF this
government to secure the liberty for themselves and
Tor us, in the name OF all who love that
liberty, who are ready to struggle and II need
be TO die rather than allow 1t TO be overthrown,
to which we belong and which has given to the
world all its civilization, ! do arraign and i'm
peach the radical policy OF the present Congress OF
high crimes and misdemeanors At the bar OF the
American people In the presence OF high heaven and
before the civilized world impeach It, FIRST as a
God the Almighty ns has stamped r'a upon % tSe
races Of mankind, because 1t attempts to
force political and social and unnatural
equality between the African and the Caucassian be-
tween an alien, inferior and exotic race nom the
tropics with the highest type OF the human race in
the home Of the latter in the temperate zone. Sec
ond, impeach 1t a crime against civilization, be-
cause 1t would by force wrench the government out
Of the hands OF the civilized white race In ten States
Of this Union to place In the hands OF the haciv
lized African. Third, impeach 1t as crime
against the constitution, because it trampes
themselves the qualifications OF their own voters-a
right without which State ceases to be republican
at all. Fourth, impeach II as crime against the
constitution and against national faith, because 1t
annuls the parlons consttutionally granted to hun
dreds Of thousands OF the most intelligent white men
OF as IN @ an Of as
It as crime against the existence Of ten States Of
the Union and the liberties OF eight millions of
people, because IN express terms It annuls all civil
government, by which alone those liberties may be
secured and places them under an absolute military
despotism. Sixth, impeach 1t as crime against
humanity tending to produce war OF races, TO the
utter destruction Of one or both--a result which
cannot be prevented except by large standing
liabilities long survive. Seventh, impeach it
utter abandonment Of the purpose for which the
war was prosecuted OF the idea upon which which
TO make false all the promises and pledges
made by the friends Of the government in its fearful
struggle to put down the rebellion and 1t tends to
make all the prophecies and forebodings of its ene
mics. The great struggle in New Hampshire has
been upon the advanced lines. The friends OF the
constitution and Of that liberty 1t was designed to Sc
cure, while they bravely held their own and made
large gains have won complete victory Perhaps
q complete triumph In New Hampshire now would
have allowed the people of other States to imagine
the great victory already to be less wise and less
prudent and to underrate the tremendous struggle
necessary to meet and overcome the radicasm which
in the name Of q great and successful general now
threatens to destroy the constitution the most sacred
rights Of the States under It, and the liberties Of the
people, by revolution in favor of Capitalization and
Imperialism, more insdous but not less dangerous
than secession ITSELF Yesterday, although they were
centred upon the friends Of constitutional liberty in
New Hampshire, they stood nobiy; when blows fell
fast and thickest they advanced, they gained, but
not all that was hoped. To-day all eyes are turned
upon Connecticut. With equal exertions your
majority of last year will be more than trebled,
and then II our Convention In New York on the 4th
OF July next will select our standard bearers, and
placing them upon the issues of the present. and not
Of the past, and whoever they may be, civilians or
military men, statesmen or generals, from the East
or from the West, II they do not place upon the
defensive, but give the word to advance upon the
whole line. from Maine to California we must be
victorious In the great struggle In November, unless
truth and justice and the love OF true liberty have
ceased to rule the hearts and consciences OF the
American people.