Year: 1868

the liberty OF the citizen finds the hamstrngs Of its
deavor and OF its energy to terpose the power Of the
edge Of Congressional enactment and i'll its breast
res away from the judgement the Constitution and law
be determined. If ever at future time aud under
happier circumstances. Now in reference 10 this
matter the people of the United States give grave afte


ton they exercise their supervision Of the conduct OF all
their agents OF whom In any FORM and In any capacity
and In any majesty they have not yet learned to he
afraid The people Of this country have had nothing IN
their experience OF the last six years 10 make
them fear alybody's apprehension anyGody,s
embodies war. Masters Of the country and master Of
every agent and agency in H. they bow to nothing but
the Constitution, and they honor every public servant
who bows 10 the Constitution. At the time by the
action OF same Congress- the people see the President
OF the United states brought criminal 10 your bar
accused by branch of the Congress- to be tried by the
and election ordered Now he greatly mistakes who
suppOses that the attachment Of the people Of the United
States 10 the Office of President and the great and
power which represents them in their collective capacity
il their united power and their combined interests Is
less than their attachment TO anv OF the other depart
ments OF tins Government. The President Is, III the
honor, in the custom of the people, the magistrate the
authority for which they have that homage. that re-
spect which belongs to the elective Office Ills oath of
office Is as familiar 10 the people in this country as ~ u 20
from lips which they revered. and they have seen It's


immense power under the resources OF this CONSTITUTION
and supported by their fidelity to maintain t4e coS1 t
OF this Government against all our foes, and 10 sustain
the Constitution aud laws has been spoken oi nee
as II the Presidents oath was the Oah 70 idn am
fully the duties Of his ONCE and as II the princ uuy
of the office was to execute the laws OF congress Pu,
is the common oath OF everybody authorized 10 uls
charge the duties of his office but the peculiar oh' Vi
the President, the oath OF the C0nsulnton Is III tnc
larger portion of it which makes him the sworn pre-
server the protector ana defender a ~ the ooth
which the people Of the United States nave eh
servant than the President of the United states and
when they conferred that power and executed that duty
mendou opposition which it might encounter, and they
understood their duty implied IN the suffrage which had
conferred authority, and eXaced the obligation to main
tain him In IT, against foreign aggression as against
domestic violence, as against encroachmels rom Mat
the Of
authority upon the true ygor OF the Constt9tIn l
gained for himself strength. and by which he gave
strength the people, have solemn vow registered


in Heaven that VIII preserve. protect and defend the
RED the people following him through the struggles the
changes the vcssitudes OF the rebellion aud that vow
as legend adOrns the hall OF legislation In more
than state of the Union This oath Of the President
this duty Of the President the people OF TINS country
do not In the least regard as personal 10
him put is an ,eir oh nnd GUY in 6er p
terest, and for their honor and they nave ueteruhht
shall not be taken ia vain They understand tt me
literal phrase, to the best OF my ability, which Is the
modest form In which the Presidents obligation is
sumed means not only the ability OF the PRESIDENT pnt
the ability OF the country and most magniicenty have
President Oln and when the shock not
in the form of violence, OF war OF rebellion but OF
constitutional authority the people Of the Cnfd states
regard the President as bound TO the special fidelity OF
watching that all departments Of the Government obey
the Constitution, well as that he obey himself IL
gives him no assumption OF authority beyond the laws
and the Constitutions but all the authority and all the


sources of the laws and Of the Constitution are open TO
him and they viii see 10 IT, that he the President Of the
United States whoever be may be- in relation TO me
office and ITS duties, shall not take TINS
maintain him in its performance That indeed, the Con
stuon him is above all Of the servants OF
their sovereignty shall change IT, they do not doubt and
thus all their servants their President the Congress ana
whoever they may be- watched by the people OF The
United States in relation TO the limitation OF the Cons


ton not disPuting the regularity the complete anhen
tcy the adequate authority OF this entire procedure OF
accusation brought to trial and down TO sentence the
people yet claim the right TO see and to know that II Is
duty 70 the Constitution observed ana followed through
out which brings the result whatever It may be Thus


satisfied they adhere 10 the Constitution and they have
purpose to change IT, They are converts TO theories
OF Congressional OmDpotence; they understand none OF


the nonsense Of the Constitution being superior To thc


laws except that the laws must be oDeyed ana the Con
stitutiOn not They know their Government and they
tremendous inquiry OF impeachment and trial, and
threatened conviction or sentence, the laws
power which had lain in the Constitution like sword IN


It's sheath is down. They wish TO know what the
know what the crime is that the President is accused Of
They understand that treason and bribery are made
onenses that those who guilty OF them should be
brought into question and depOsed they are ready 10
believe that there may be other great crimes and misde
mcanors touching the conduct OF the Government and


the Jurisdiction and the duty; but they wish know
ident has betrayed liberties our possessions to Tor
egn state hey wish 10 know whether he has denNeied
up fortress surrendered state; they wish TO know
whether he has made merchandise of the public trust
turnhd authority ~ private gam anu Wneh IIOieu


that Of these things are charged or decmed about





lie has repOyed member OF ls canhet. Now we peo
pe this country familiar with the removal OF mem
Dels o ee doee NOT .riEc them a. grave ofense
needing the inerposton Of this special Jurisdiction Re
those engaged in politics terrible OF disagreeabe sub
ject Indeed 1t may be said that It makes a great
mart of the political forces OF the country that
removal from Office is thing in the Constitution and III
the habit OF It's administration. ] remember TO have
heard said that old lady summed up an earnest
defense OF the dOgmas OF Cavanisn by saying
thai If YOU took away all her total deprayy you took
aTaV all "a
good many people III tins country OF whom IL may De
aWay All their politics lI.aughter so that that
statement 1t does not strike them as either an un
precedcnted occurrence involving great dan
ger to the State. Well, how comes 1t to be
a crime, they inquire. MHy. CONGRESS passed a
Government, undertaking to control this removal
from and provided that if the President should vio
late it, il should be crime or rather misdeneanor
and high msdcmeanor, and that now he has removed
undertaken TO remove member of his Cabinet aud Is
10 be removed himself for that cause lie uhdertook 10
make Gd interim secretary OF War and you are to
have made for you ad interim President in conse
quence. Now that seems the situation; Was the secFe
tary removed, they inquiret NO. he was n0t Re-
Department Was force used Was violence meditated
attempted appledi No, 1t was ali OnIapeF, ana al
went further than making the official attitude out OF
which judgment OF the Supreme Court could be got
And here Congress- nteIcepng again TINS great author


trial and impeachment OF the President 10 settle by It's
authority this question between and the Executive


ude OF Congress there seems 10 be claim Of right 10 the
exercise Of what is supposed to be duty,


10 prevent the Supreme Court OF the United states from
interpOsing its severe Judgment In the collisions OF
the Government and OF the laws affecting either
the framework Of the Government, or the liberties
OF the citizen and they not slow TO understand
without the aid OF the arguments Of the honorable
Managers that IL is question between the om9lpo-
tence of Congress and the supremacy OF the Con
stitutOn of the United States. That is an issue on
which the people have no doubt From the beginning
Of their liberties they have had clear opinion
that tyranny likely TO be exercised by the Para
ments a. by the king anybody else. The honorable
Managers have directed your notice % the principles and
the trials of the American Revolution as having shown
"a dat mir a X,
and they told us that this people will not bend s neck
az President ppODe will