Year: 1868

Sno war Ouee LmUrUUIfD.


A large portion of our space, to.day, is
devoted to this subject, and we could not,
perhaps. have rendered our readers more
acceptable service than in presenting them
witha concise. connected and disposition
ate view Of it, which we have endeavored
to do by publishing statement Of the facts
as they have occurred, and the fairest and
most reasonable commentaries of some of
the leading journals Of the country, reject
ing the ultra views of heated and insane
partisans on either side.


E The crisis is too grave for passion, pre-
judice, or blind party zeal and rage. The
mere partisans of the country array them
selves AT once either on the side of the
President or Congress. and bcstow un-
thinking praise or censure according TO
their party predictions, without much re-
gard to the legal or constitutional aspects
Of the case. Such journals and such indi-
viduals are not the proper exponents of
public opinion nor of legal or constitution
q right, power or authority, and are unfit
counsellors and unsafe leaders in moments
Of doubt or peril, and are therefore un-
worthy Of consideration g


The gist of the whole matter is, that the
President, under what he believes to be
his constitutional right and privilege, un-
dertook to remove an obnoxious member
Of his cabinet, who resisted his order and
caused the arrest of the person designated
as bis successor. The court, it was hoped.
would determine the right or wrong of this
proceeding, settling the question whether
the tenure-of-ofice act is in conflict with.
the constitution, or not; but the issue was
evaded, for the present, by the discharge
OF Gen. Thomas, on Wednesday last, lest
adecision adverse to impeachment should
be reached in the courts before the Senate
could act.,s


Congress having undertaken to impeach,
the President sent special message to that
body, which we think win be accepted by
the country as clear vindication of his
constitutional right in the premises. But
II strikes us that this message of the Pres
ident was an after-thought, lowering of
the crest. made necessary by the irregular
mode he adopted of bringing this question
TO the adjudication of the courts. We are
surprised at this, as the President is not
only,a good constitutional lawyer himself,
but might have had the counsel of the best
legal minds in the country. He declares,
however, in his message, that his object
In removing Mr.. Stanton was 10 bring the
question TO the Supreme Court, and we
are bound to accept his declaration as true. |
Congress, having long desired to impeach
and depose the President, could not let
the occasion pass without making another
effort to consummate what had been twice
before attempted, but which had resulted
In signal failure. With indecent haste. in
the midst of a gust of passion and storm
OF excitement, resolution of impeachment
was adopted, and the preliminary steps are
being taken, to arraign, for the first time
IN the history of the country, the Presi-
dent Of the o. States. for 9 high crimes
and misdemeanors." 49,


If Congress should press the matter of
impeachment to vote and conviction
without allowing time for the Supreme
Court to determine the issue, it would af- |
ford additional evidence of the revolution
ary designs Of that body, and would call
upon the people for the grayest measures
to uphold the constitution and the laws.
and to maintain their liberties against its
encroachments. The country will abide
cheerfullythe decision ofthe Supreme Court
whatever it may be, but decision by
fragmentary Congress, such as it now is,
without due representation from twelve or
fifteen States of the Union, would be a
source of public discomfort and exaspera-
tion fraught with imminent peril to the
tranquility of the country.


During the excitement growing out of
an