Year: 1868

from Mrs. Kemble's readings unauoyeu oe'
light


Conspiracy Against tho Governmcnt-Who


Is Guiltys


As the final count In its accusation against
the President Congress presents charge OF
conspiracy. This was put last in the bill as
an absolute crusher Congress, even the
country, might have doubts Of the Presidents
guilt under all former charges; but this
should be a sockdologer and no one should
dare to doubt. Such is tho appearance and
expression Of the thing.


The committee had at first intended to rest
its whole case on the removal Of Stanton; but
having gone over and under and through that
point, and having, by the exercise Of the most
astonishing legal ingenuity, stretched it into
nine articlss-so as to try the President nine
times for the same act-it seems to have oc-
Cured to eome member OF the committee to
read over these nine articles. His evident
CONSERVATION induced another member to
read them. So it went round; and the COM
mittee, having calmly read all the nine
articles over, was in despair. There was
actually nothing in them-no case at ALL 1t
was Stanton, Stanton, and nothing else; and
the very impeachment committee itself saw
that it would not do to 60 before the country
charging the President with nothing worse
than an act that had been done,
without question, by every President Of the
United States. and for which George
Washington had declared President
must have full authority. Drowning men
catch at straws, and when somebody said
conspiracy it was caught at as the very thing.
Conspiracy is good word, and when the elder
Weller dwelt on the character of "circumwent"
he evidently had not learned to spell "con-
spiracy" Conspiracy suggests to the popular
mind SO much of mystery and evil, such sly
and malevolent lodges, that conspiracy was
determined upon nem CON-, and 1t was all the
better for being conspiracy with Emory, who
is Marylander.


Looked full In tho face, what does this con-
spiracy amount to The actual charge in the
bill is that the President did, "on the 22d day
of February, in the year OF our Lord 1868, at
Washington, in the District of Columbia" de-
clare to General Emory. commander Of the
troops in Washington, that the second section
of certain act Of Congress twas unconstitu-
tional." Pretty bad. No doubt very bad
and outrageous thing for man to dol He de-
clared an act Of Congress demonstrations" !"
On the 22d of February, too! In Washington |
II is no defence to say that there is clause in
the constitution providing that there shall be alb
solute freedom of speech in this country. That
part OF the constitution means, as the "sixty
lawyers In Congress" can abundantly show,
nothing-nothing whatever. But there is
a point here that should give us pause.
II the President Is guilty Of conspiracy
for having said that an act OF Con-
gress is unconstitutional, which one of us
Is innocentf Who is in q condition to
cast the first stone? There is hardly a
sane man in the United States but has
declared one or The other of the laws
even heard that Chief Justices of the Supreme
Court have done it; all the politicians have
done it except Thad Stevens, and oil the ora
tors except Wendell Phillips; and as that is
the only thing he has never said people sup
pose it may be true. Here, then, people ought
to remember that the Presidents case is theirs
and that If he is punished no man may escape !;
there is gullotine for all. Nothing else, be
IL remembered, is charged. No act is al
legged; no step was taken to obstruct the law |;
no command given as TO the movement of
troops. Emory's testimony printed in the
HERALD OF Sunday tells the whole story, and
the conspiracy from beginning to end consists
in the Presidents telling Emory that law
"was unconstitutional" A high crime, no
doubt but If he is punished for it men who
have said the same thing to their wives had
better make up their domestic quarrels.


Seriously, has there not been worse con-
spiracy than this set on foot within short time
Enough is now known to fix the fact in the
public mind that q faction in Congress Is seek
ing to set the Executive Aside by any means,
foul or fair. This is the real conspiracy
against the government that il behooves the
people 10 keeprheir eyes on and that 1t be-
hooves the President also to provide against
II is his duty to see that the laws
are faithfully executed and tho first Of all
the laws that he must guard and execute is the
original law, the constitution ITSELF He mus.
defend it not only against foreign but domcs-
tic foes and as well against the fulminations OF
faction coming in the shape of laws as against
any other danger. All the legitimate action of
Congress is entitled to respect, and the privi-
lege Of members covers oil that they may do
In Congress; but 1t is worthy of present
thought that oil these proceedings against the
Executive have been planned and arranged in
conspiracy, in secret meetings called caucuses,
in which what is done is not covered by that
mantle Of law tha! protects tho utterances Of
members in debate and It is worthy the con-
sideration OF the Presidents law advisers how
far the proceedings OF such assemblages, in