Year: 1867

,.jority of the committee, we cannot regard
the charges made against the President a
serious attempt to procure his Impeachment
without dwelling upon their utter failure to
point to the commission of single act that
is recognized by the laws of our country as a
high crime or misdemeanor. The inconsis-
| tency of the ma lority cannot fail to challenge
the attention of the country Acts for which
Mr.. Lincoln was clamorously applauded are
deemed high crimes in Mr.. johnson. For
every act gravely condemned, the Presi-
dent had the sanction and approval of his
Cabinet and yet while he is arraigned be-
fore the world a criminal of the deepest
dye, they are not only not impeached but
are recognized as special favorites of the
party Tor impeachment. The latter have
even gone so far as to unite in the passage of
an extraordinary and unprecedented law to
prevent the President from removing these
officers from the places which they held
Mr.. Stanton, the late Secretary of War, gave
his emphatic approval OF the acts for which
the President is arraigned, and yet the ex-
Secretary is a favorite and popular martyr,
and the whole country is clamorous for his
restoration to power and place The Presi-
dent is held criminally responsible for the
acts of subOrdinates, of which he did not
even have the slightest notice or knowledge
and yet those bringing him to trial enact
| statute depriving him of all control over
these same subordinates, and they are deemed
worthy of thcespecial protection of Cong ess.


If the subject were not too grave
and serious a one for mirth some of the
grounds Of impeachment presented by the
majority would certainly be sufficiently
amusing. The President is gravcly arraign-
cd for arraylng himself against the loyal
people of the country in vetoing the mis-
called Reconstruction acts of Congress, when,
without dwelling upon the constitutional
right and duty of the President in the prem
scs, Congress itself has for these Same acts
received the most whitening and indignant
condemnation and rebukc Of the entire peo-
pie from Maine to California. The impeach-
ers forgetting that they have been them
selves impeached, and that the verdict Of the
tribunal Of the last resort has already been
rendered against them, still persist in trihing
with the peace, safety and prosperity Of the
country by precipitating upon us this dan
gcrous question at a time SO critical as this


In what we have said of the
character Of the evidence taken before us
and the means used to procure it. We must
not be understood as rejecting upon the ac-
ton of the committee, or any member there
OF. Such an Interpretation of our remarks
would do great injustice to and to them.
Whether such latitude would have been





not now inquire. In an examination before
a committee it would be difficult and perhaps
impossible. 70 contnc the evidence to such as
would be allowed admissible before a court
Of justice. Indeed, it may be questioned
whether 1t would be proper 50 t, restrict it,
and as perhaps better even for the President
that those who were managing the Irosccu-
tion for the outside. were permitted to pro
sent anything that they i-,ht call corrobp-
rativc evidence. as the world can thus the
better comprehend how utterly destitute 81
foundation is all this camor that has been
raised against him. The first witness cx-
amincd was General Lafayette {. Baker late
chief Of tAe detective police, and although
examined On oath time ANA again. and ON
various occasions. it is doubtful whether ne
has in any one thing told the truth even hy
accident Ia every important statement he
is contradicted by witnesses 0f unqucstion-
able crcdihility. and there can he no doubt
that to his many previous outrage., cntitling
him to an unenyiablc immortality. he has ad-
dcd that of wiltul and deliberate perjury.
and we are glad t. know that no member Of.
the committee deems any statement made by
him as worthy Of the slightest credit


CHARLES 4 ELDRInGr.


SAVUtL q. MARSHALL.