Year: 1868

legislative department of the Government, spe-
cal interest IN these proceedings t entered upon them
with great reluctance after labOrOns and continued IN


yestiton, aud only upon conviction that the interests
Of the country were IN peril and that there was no way OF
relief except through the exercise OF the higher cOnttu


tona power vested In that body We do not appeal 70 this
tribunal because any spec9l right OF the House oI Repre-


sentayes has been lnrnged because the just powers
Of the existence OF the House are in danger except
tunes of the country. They have brought this great
criminal 70 your bar and here demand hs conviction ia
the belief AS the result OF much investigation, OF much


delberation that the interests Of this country are no
longer safe IN his hands


But the House Of Representatives. representing the
people OF the country may very properly appeal TO this
tribunal, constituted IL is exclusively Of Senators
representing the different States of this UniOn 90 main
the constitutional powers Senate. To be
nothing can nln.lousy affect the powers ana rghs OF
the House OF Representatives and the people OF the
whole country but II may be sad with great TRUTH tnat
this contest Is first for the preservation OF the cons


ona powers Of this branch Of the Government by your
votes and action IN concurrence with the House OF Repre-
sentatives, the bin regulating the tenure Of certain civil
offices" passed and became law and this notw'th-
standing the objections Of the President thereto ana his
argument against its passage On subsequent occasion,
when you considered the suspension OF Mr. Stanton and


the OF the President In which by argument ana


y statements he asaed the law i'm question YET asserted
its validity and its consttuuonaty by refusing to con
in the suspension OF Mr. Stanton. ON more recent
occasion when he attempted remove Mr. stanton from
office you, by solemn resolution declared that his action


therein wac contrary to the laws and to the Constitution


From the beginning Of the Government this body has
participated under the Constitution, aud by virtue OF
the Constitution, in all matters pertaining 70 appoint
ments TO Office and by the universal practice OF the
country, well before the passage OF the Tenureof
Office act as since, no removal Of any officer whose
appointment was by and with the advice and con.
sent Of the Senate has been made during session OF
the Senate with your knowledge anu sanction ,o en
confirmed by and with the advice and consent OF tne
Senate Mr. johnson, In presence OF ths UNIFORM prao
tce of threequarers Of century, and against the ea-
press provisions OF the TenureOf0fce act made In TINS
particular in entire harmony with that practice asserts
now, absolutely the unqualified power 20 remove every
officer in the country without the advice or consent Oh


Never in the history OF any free Government has there
base, gross uDjustiable an attempt upon
the part of any Executive, whether Emperor King or
President, TO destroy the just authority Of another De
partment OF the Government.


The House Of Representatives has not been indifferent
this assault has not been unmndful OF the danger
TO which you have been exposed IL has seen what you
must admit that without its agency and support you
I'm any degree the purposes OF this usurpe In the exer
else OF their constitutional power OF impeachment they
the evidence showing cOncusvey the nature the extent,
and the depth of his guilt You hold this great power IN
trust not yourselves merely but for all your
sors these high places and for all the people OF this
country You cannot fail to discharge your duty that
duty is clear. On the one hand, IL Is your duty TO
project 10 preserve, aud TO defend your own coDst
tuuonal rights, but u Is equally your duty to pre-
serve the laws and institutions Of the country IL Is your
duty to protect and defend the Constitution OF the United
states and the rights OF the people under IL IT is your
cessors in these places all the constitutional rights and
privileges guaranteed 70 this body by the form OF govern
under which we live. on the other hand is your
duty try % convict 10 pronounce Judgment upon ts
criminal that all his successors and all men VINO aspire



stand that the House of Representatives aud the Senate
will demand the stctcst Observance OF the Constitution
that they will hold every M the Presidential ONCE
responsible for rigid performance OF ms public duties


Nothing literally nothing he said in defense OF this
criminal Upon his own admissions he Is guilty IN sub.
stance OF the ayest charges contained IN the articles OF
Impeachment exhibited against him by the House OF
Representatives In his personal conduct and character
he presents quality attribute which ensts the sym
pathy or the regard Of men. The exhibition which he
made in this chamber the Ith Of March, 1865 by which
the nation humiliated and republican institutions
disgraren thc presence or tc REPRESENTATIVES, OF
civilized nations Of the EARTH is truthful eNhlDltloh OF
his Character His violent. denuncatory, blasphemOus
declarations made the people various OCCASIONS and
proved by tho testimony submitted 70 the senate lls-
t the disorder and In the ten States Of
the south exhibit yet other and darker features


Can any entertain the opinion that Mr Johnson IS
not guilty OF such crimes justify his removal from
office aud his Disqualification 10 hold any once OF trust
or profit under tie Government OF the United States
William Blount, Senator OF the United states, was i'm.
peached the House OF Representatives aud declared
rujItv of ahgh miSiemeanor and though not tried by
the senate the senate did nevertheless expel him
rnutop Of expnison declared that he had guilty
of a high misdeIncanor. The crime OF VIM Bount was
that he wrote better aud participated IN conversations
fron which II appeared probable that lie engaged in
an immature sccme TO aiepae the Indians OF tho south
West from the President aud the Congress OF the lhteu
States and also 70 nS ds9fo h e ien te f
spain Great Britain THIS, az most, was but an ar
raneemeut never consumnated into any overt act by
which he contemplated under possible circumstances
which occurred that lac would violate the neutral
its laws of the United States.


Andrew Johnson is guilty upon the proof in part and
upon his own admission Of having Intentionally violated


public law, OF usurng aud exercising powers not ex-
ercsed asserted by any OF his predecessors III
Office


Judge Pickering OF the District Court Of ewHamp-
shire was ipcached by the House OF Representatives,
convicted by thc senate and removed from Office for the
crime OF having appeared upon the bench IN state OF in-
toKicatiOn need not draw any parallel between Judge
Pickering and this respondent ,,


judge Prescott OF MASSACHUSETTS,, was lmpeached ana
removed from office FOR receiving Illegal fees In his
oficc o the amount OF ten dollars ana seventy cents
$40 fOD only Judge Prescott belonged 10 one OF the
oldest and most eminent families OF the State, and he was
himself distinguished lawyer But such was the respect
OF the senate of that state for the law aud such the pub
lie opuOn that II was the duty ~ magistrates 10 obey the
law they did not hesitate to convict him and re-


The Earl Of Macclesneld was mpeached and convicted
for the misuse of his Official powers IN regard to trust
funds-an ofense IN itself OF grave character hut
trivial crime compared with the open, wanton ana deh
ant violation OF law by clei magistrate whose inquest
duty l. the execution OF the laws II the charges pre-
ferred against Warren Hastings had been fully sustained
by the testimony he would bc regarded IN history ~ an
uniinporant criminal when compared with the respond
cnt Warren Hastings as Ciovernor-enera OF Bengal,
extended the territory VI the British Empire ana brought
eTercjed power In India for which thcro author
ity I'm British laws British cstoms-f In the exercise
of that power lie acquired wealth for himself or permit
ted Others TO accumulate fortunes by outrages aud
wrongs pcrpetTated upon that distant people ne sun
acted i'm his public policy in the interest of the British
Empire and u harmony with the ideas ana purposes OF


Andrew johnson has disregared and violated the laws
aud Constitution OF his own country. Under MS admin
istratOn the Government has not been strengthened put
weakened Its reputation and influence AZ nome ana
abroad have been injured aud diminished He has not
outraged distant people bound 10 US by no ties but
which result from conquest ana the exercise OF AT
brsry power on our part but through his violation OF
the laws and the influence OF his evil example upon the


Of the south In whose hearts the purposes ana tue
passions the war yet nger he has brought disorder CON
fusion and boodshed 10 the homes OF twelve million OF
people many OF whom are OF our own blood and all OF


whom are our countrymen. Ten States Of this Union are
without law without security without safety public
order everywhere violated public Justice nowhere re,
gpected and all consequence OF the evil purposes ana
machnations OF the President. Forty million OF people
have rendered ous and uncertain as to the pres
eryaton OF public peace and the perpetuity OF the st
tutiOns Of freedom IN this country.


There are limits TO the consequences OF THIS mans
evil example member OF his Cabinet In your presence
avows pToclams indeed. that he suspended from once
Indefinitely faithful public officer who was appointed
Inv your advice and consents which he does not at
tempt to Justify any law usage except what e Is
pleased 10 call law of necessity IL is strange that IN
~. a. az vicious,