Year: 1868


..s&z


On the 2d instant, the House having
under consideration the Articles Of I'M
peachment reported by the Committee,
Mr.. Price made the following remarks


Mr.. CHAIRMAN: From the birth Of
this nation to the present hour its BRAY
est and ablest minds and its truest sons
have been laboring for the elevation OF
right and the overthrow Of wrong. And
now, after having avoided perils and
conquered difficulties which have caused
the downfall of other republics, and
when we had just begun to congratulate
ourselves that we had passed all points
Of danger, we find ourselves suddenly
face to face with a new difficulty and at
the threshold of an untried danger.


For the first time in the history oi
this Government the life of the Rcpub-
lie is threatened by him who occupies
the chief seat of power, and whose sworn
duty it is to support and defend it.
When in the past danger has come up.
on us from without we were prepared
for defense and have successfully beaten
back the armed oppressors; and when
more recently the rebellion of more than
one-third of our own people took the
form of bloody civil war we met and
subdued it as none but brave people,
influenced by high moral principles,
could have done.


For all Of the past the history Of other
nations furnished us at least with par.
tial precedents, but for the case now be-
fore us history is silent. 1t is true, sir.
that other nations have sometimes re-
moved their rulers, but in a majority of
eases such removals have not been
peaceably made, in accordance with the
rules of well established laws.


When the dial of the clock to-day
marks the hour of four, will be requir-
ed to cast my vote for or against the ar
ticles of impeachment reported to this
House by the committee appointed for
that purpose. AS was my duty, have
examined those articles carefully, and
am much gratified to find that they
present the plain, unvarnished facts,
free from all ambiguity-so plain,
straightforward, and In such common
sense terms that every man, woman and
child in the land who can read will fully
comprehend why their Representatives
felt it to be an imperative duty to make
an effort to stop in his mad career the
man who, by the act of an assassin, has
for the time being, had placed in his
hands the reins of power.


In this country, sir, the people are the
sovcregns; they not only make the
laws, but they make the officers to exc
cute those laws, aud when they become
dissatisfied either with the laws or those
who execute them it is their province,
their prerogative, to change either or
both. Hence, in a matter of so much
Importance as that in which we are now
engaged, it is all important that every
step be clearly marked, and the issue so
sharply cut and we'll defined that none
need misapprehend the threatened dan
ger or the pressing necessity for prompt
action to avoid it. The committee that
reported these articles are entitled to the
thanks of the House and of the country
for the plainness and transparency
which characterize them.


a continuation of abuses and usurpa-
tions marks the action of Andrew John
son for more than two years, all having
for their object and design the restora-
ton to power of traitors and red-handed
rebels. For these abuses and usurpa-
tions thousands and tens of thousands
Of the loyal people of the country have
long sine demanded his impeachment.
But the history of these two years has
only added another proof to those al-
ready existing that We are disposed to
bear the evils of oppression and usurpa-
ton so long as they do not destroy the
very life OF the Republic rather than re-
sort to violent remedies for redress. The
committee have, therefore, wisely, as |
believe, passed all these by and confined
their specifications to the last wicked
and foolish act Of this bold bad man.
They have done this, suppose, on the
ground that the conviction of an indi-
vidual for one willful murder being suf.
ficient to hang him, conviction for one
hundred murders could add nothing tc
his punishment in this world.


Mr.. Chairman, it would seem that the
forbearance Of the people'under Andrew
Johnson's usurpations has only made
him more bold, and that their remon.
stranee and expostulations have only
made him more determined in his recil-
less and mad career, until an outraged
and insulted people, who have long
since passed the point where forbear-
ance ceases to be virtue, are now about
to arise in their might, and by a vindi
cation of the majesty Of law exhibit Il
the world a verifcation OF the declara
ton made long since that "He who be
ing often reproyed, stiffeneth his neck
shall suddenly be- destroyed. and tha
without remedy" If Andrew Johnson
had been content, without any flagran,
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