Year: 1868




enforce the previous question. who dc.
sized TO be heard were permitted only to
print their speeches in the GloJs. after the
question on the resolution was decided,
and which were never delivered in the
house. No comment can demonstrate
more completely than the facts themselves
the viciousness and illegality Of such pro-
ceedings.


But this wanton and excessive use of
power by the majority does not stop here.
While the committee were In session,
upon the further proceedings to remove
the President, and in auticiDation of its
action under the operations Of the prcvi
ons question, and without debate and in
violation Of an express rule of the com.
nittee, special and most extraordinary
rules for the conduct OF this proceeding,
changing without previous notice stand.
ing rules Of the House, were adopted to
further limit debate and more complete
ly to place the minority in the power and
at the mercy Of the majority. Thus,
while the majority Of Congress are work
ing upon the other co ordinate depart
ments, the executive and judicial, endea
voring to subjugate and bring them both
under the will and control of Congress,
the minority ofthc House Of Representa-
tives are steadily and surely being strip
ped of all power, and their constituents
deprived Of all representation in the coun.
ellis of the republic.


d" We do therefore most solcmnly pro
test against the indecorous and undigni.
fed haste with which the majority of this
House inauguratcd, presented and rushed
through, by Il strict party vote, in plain
and palpable violation Of the standing
rules OF the House, resolution demand
ing the impeachment of the Chief Mag
istratc Of the people for high crimes and
mlsdemcanors in otllce, when the gravity
OF the charge, the character of the high
office against which this attack was di-
rected and the unforeseen and tremendous
consequences which might result there.
rom to the peace and prosperity of the
people, called for the exercise Of the calm
est and 'wisest Judgment and the most nm
prejudiccd and impartial deiiberation on
the part Of those who had such proceed
lngs IN charge We do most solenlnly
protest against this thrice repeated at.
tempt to degrade and break down ono Of
the greatest co ordinate branches OF the
government through the spirit>of party
hatred and vengeance against the person
ful and conscientious discharge Of its
functions, thus consuming the precious
time which ought to be faithfully devoted
to an earnest effort to relieve the press
ing wants Of the people, the restoration
of a torn and distracted country to union
and to good order, and to tightening the
burden Of taxation which is pressing
down all energies, trade and commerce to
the point of universal bankruptcy and
ruin. We do again most solemnly pro-
test and most profoundly deprecate all at
tempts to array in hostile antagonism
against eacli other the departments ofthe
government upon mere question Of the
eonstitutionality or construction of law
Of Congress, the proper jurisdiction and
final adjudication Of which belong exclu.
sively to the judicial tribunal and we
hereby warn the people Of the United
States that the public liberty and thelcx-
istence OF free Institutions are involved in
this suicidal struggle, and that they are
IN imminent peril Of utter overthrow. We
do further most solemnly protest that tho
wild and radical spirit ofinnovation upon
the early and we'll settled practice Of gov
ernment, practice established by men
who framed the Constitution and who
best understood its spirit and meaning.
which puts the Chief Magistrate Of the
republic, the representative Of the dignity
and power ofthe people, at the mercy of
his subordinate assuming to be Secretary
Of War in violation Of his own pronounc
ed conviction of the law who has the un
blushing effrontry to place him self in the
unwarranted position OF communicating
directly with Congress in utter contempt
Of the authority of his superior, and with
deliberate resistance to his authority
The undersigned therefore in the chnrac-
ter of representatives Of the people, being
deprived by the desperate power of an
inexorable majority of the high privilege
OF debate, that good instrument in the
discovery of truth and the most, cherish
ed heritage of free people, do hereby
solemnly and earnestly protest against
these infractions against the rights OF the
people and respectfully ask this their pro-
test may be spread upon the journal of
the House . 3t lI eaI.n
\ The protest is signed by forty-1ve
/ Democratic members.


4 Ex'- Senator Drake did his part in the
Senate on Wednesday toward yindicating
the rights OF colored ladies to seats in
railroad cars reserved for white people
But he put his champ pionship Of the lady
concerned on rather different basis from