The New York Herald Newspaper, November 26, 1867, Page 3

NEW YORK HERALD, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26 1867.—TRIPLE SHEET. ‘abuse of appointing, patdoning and we powers; in the corrupt interference im elections and generally in the commission of acts amounting to high crimes and misde- meanors under the Constitution ; and upon this recital it was charged with the mast general duty of inquiring inte the official conduc of tho President of the United Slates, and of reporting “ whether he had beén guilty of any acts which were designed or cal-ulated to'overthrow, subvert or corrupt the government of the United States, or which in contemplation of the constitution would constitute a high crime or misdemeanor the interposition of the constitutional power of the y It will be observed thas the greas salient ot accusation standing oul in the foregresad, chal. Jenging the attontion of the country, 19 userpation of power, which involves, of course, a violation of law, ‘and here it may be rewarked that, perhaps, every great abuse, every fagrant departure from the well settled principles of the goverumnent, which has been brought home to its administration, whether discovering itself in. special infractions of the statutes Or im the- use of the high powers conferred by the con- stitution on (he Pregident, or rovedling iteelf more “manifestly on the systematic attempt, to seize upon its sovereignty and disparage and. supersede the fem council to which that sovereigety- has been im teferepee to jhe one great pur- IMPEACHMENT A Reports of the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives. President Jehmeon Declared Guilty of High Crimes and Misdemeaners. ‘Yoo Jnterposition of the Constitutional Powers of the House Inveked. tain the : kingly power, on the ene’band, and as strongly main- tafmed by the operators of the first rights of sovereignty, lodged with it by the people, on the other, which has convuised this mation for the last twe years, and pre- sented a spectaclo that has no example here, aad none 1m England since the era of the Stuarts, began with the ‘advent of the present Chief Magistrate, The catastrophe ‘that 1ifted him to his place, while it smote the heart of the nation with grief and horror, was the last expiring, armed effort of the insurrection, The capital of the revel government had fallen, its chiefs fugitives, its flag was in the dust; the strifeof arms had closed; the hosts that bad gathered for the overthrow of this mation had either melted away in defeat and disaster or passed under the conquering hand of the republk, The extraordinary mission of the Executive was fulfilled, although, as the Commander in Chief, be might possibly treat with velligerents in arms, The cessation of the pray the galletes, 6.60 nesals deliverations , committee, whose proceedings have been 80 : ‘Messrs. Wilson, Of lows, Woedd Of Vermont, Maseball, of Iilineis and Eldridge, of Wisconsin opposed able | caucusting haw been going on, and several | war in the overthrow of the rebellion and the uncon- : whous views, may be contidered of weight | ditional surrender of the armies had determined that express their conviction that the vole of the House | power. Te hold the conquered territory within our mili- wif favor impeachment, . tary grasp until the sovereign power of the nation, .vest- ie oh nie ae ‘Bas eubdmitted ite | ing im the Representatives the same power which had veperts the members at Mberty to speak uare- | girt the sword upon the. thigh of the Executive and ‘Mervediy about theif proveeditge. 1s appgars the many | placed the resources of the country in men aud money mostings that were ‘él by the ¢ommities, during tho | at his command, should be ready to declare ite wili in past five days were not, 2s it was generally sur- | relation to ihe rebels it bad conquered, was mileed, for tho. gbject’ of scouring = definite | ali thet remained for him to But the duties of the vote for or against, impeachment, but with ‘the | sovereign were mot at an end, extenwof territory of purpose of somewhat, altering tho character of the | an almost continental dimension, desolated by war, But eharges. Four days Were occupied tw repeated readings | still swarming with millions of people, was at our feet ‘of the report favering fome of ite sop- | awaiting the sentence which it’ had deserved. The local porters, especially Mr. belng anziccs to elim- | governments swept away as they had been, in the opin- dhate all expressions of an na- | jon of the President ‘himself, by the whirlwind of the fom Shae Gaerne rt oe rebellion, were in rain, while communities were enar- ™, mature ane, was .poesible | chy, the cours outlawed, the social tie dissolred, a eys- te apply. Mr. Williaing, of drow wp the } tem of pretended’ law existings in deadly confict with Drincipal part of the document; but taste driginal form | tnedaw of the conqueror... A peopl subdued, bus sullen ‘here appeared such an outssopping of party that | and full of hate, amdas -Rostiie as ever to the’ power ‘is colleagues desmed 't predentto"tmstitate » revision | that hed overthrown thei; 9 @lement asking for and. give it mote ars -@..& ‘J8- |, protection, a new and relation without = per ery paper. Mr 4 a |i duse | alle! in history, about which the wisest.of statesmen might well heeitate and differ, superinduced fratricidal strife that had rup tured the original ties and placed its of Congress. He 3 Anelding, bis original | ohjecty in the condition of public .enemies, a position on the committes that President would be | jarze army to be disbanded and such indulgence extended, Anduepd to carry out the Congress in reference | such punishinent inflicted and such securi:ies demanded for the future as the interests of peace and justice might yequire. Never in the history of this or any other State have questions more numerous and vital, more delicate sag, as he alleges, ‘in the Way Of, recon- | or difficult, requiring graver deliberation or involv: Same the exercise of higher governmental powers, prosen' atrection, remponed » Serene . Commanders | themselves for ths benstgordiaan of a people;’ aud Dever and otherwise edhe) wishes of the | was a Congress convoked in a more serious crisis of a nag dar eae te te ee teesicnd tae Uaiou of tote fiaion ead of : 4 ore: and organ! ion States, and of deemed the Brrived "to alter bis.) those who assembled here In 1861 to consult upon and provide the means for suppressing this great rebellion ‘were as nothing in the comparison, and demended cer- tainly se bigher ity and no broader wis- dom? than the tar of devoted only a short time to di# revision of their report, iiaieg * ee te the only change introduced aiming, to strengthen the | dismembered » and refusing thoee jarring and discordant elements into one harmonious whole. For this great work the supreme Executive of the nation, even though he had been endowed by ua- ture with the very highest of organizing faculties, was ‘obvi unfitted by the very nature of his office. If Mr. Lincoln had survived, it is not to be doubted, from bis habitual deference to the public will, that although a citizen. of & loyal State and enjoying the public cont dence in the hignest possible degree, he would have felt ij to be his duty to convoke the representatives of down his sword in their Leone it ane duced: before the «Committee all the evidence trotic judgment to decide what was to be with the Territories and le that had been he considered legal “or vali@ om the Ques | brought under the authority of she goeemument ty our tion of impédchment.” He admitted having | arme. The bloody hand of treason unfortunately hur- had numerous. conferences..with. Conover, alisé Dau- | Tied him away in the very hour of the nation’s trie umph. But if these were seasons which could have ‘an imperative one with him, how pow- fect of the tragedy the purpose of obtaining some letters § which upon a successor, ‘Conover asserted » were ~ oa existence ens The en contre wen ainooelt in we doubital aa conspiracy to,eenminete. President Lincoln, but the pevoting "sates ‘eh om ® vente: moned jue tb eri that he could got go sucks letters, and that all Conover's | peopie, TL wade perhaps, but matural that, he should statements wore so Varad ag unreliable (hat he, Ash. | sympathize with the communities from which he had ley, would not preaeut them the committee, maaiaty differed only ott pre R vesndan, of, tn etter Mr, Keleoy'e Dill, wespending the: President during | Nocyire of atuied, It other argumeute bag Bot enticed trial for Impeachment, and déBning what constitate high convinee bim of the necessiiy of referring x»!! these great questions to the only tribunal on decide bonorg and hie accidental Goaktonce ‘of. the loyal the nity for the past, security tor the tuvare. Insiead, the States to See rests commas cs ‘The Majority Report of the Judiciary Com- toa hime, ‘01 ie jeden andthe in of the | people, and neut the power to undo bis Moony Nov. 26, 1967. work brlaging ja the rebel States themselves to par- The Commities oa | Of,,the House of | ticipeie tn te wove ‘tie resotation of | pe issues his | the Tih of lant, “aunt to inquire inté”] that of the 29D of May, in virtue a be sa of the United Sates, the prevent davies of | soveramonts of the office of Preeident of thé Uni and to report | wader the to this House whether in their opinion the said Andrew pammagtege 3 ag, Johnson, while in salt office, hasbeen guilty Of sets | their participation in the rebel from which were designed or § overturow or cor- | office under this government, and yet allowed to ho! rapt the government of the ‘Staten, or any de Se here Sad Peer Ne seen eaet oe taiasicn Partment or oftcer thereat; wad whether the said andrew | L'ene'% ine tepertments, in cleus violsteaet wrens Sedoson has toon guilty of any act, of Ras coespmrea with | of July 2 1862" nad the 01 of Feoruary, 1863, De- ‘thers te do acts which in the contemplation of the | Slering moreover, at tie mame constitution are high crimes aad misdemeanors, reqair- to be bis sedividual right, > baog Cane ee ae ing the interposition of the comstitutional power of thig | rather the | Uni maien A @xeoute the Caos, th tin, See eaads lh, senvens task se AO ge tnd accondingiyaiveuitg hi signed to them, they bave qperedne paisa te make their | such of the people as it was bis pleasare to mdicate mvestigaion as complete a8 possible, mot only by the Bie pa cemecions er hom, ot sae8 terms exploration of the publie érdinances, but in following Doweven ot conten, nthe anenaes of Creator, every iadication that seemed to promise any additional the necessary resources to meet the expenses of Tight upon the great of inquiry ; and they submit | {ese organizations, be not oniy directs the payment of horewith the reeais pliable at shale labets ta.she | Tanebemeat ‘bat hss ‘vcidnces Secnatns eet voluminous @xbidit tat ecoompanics this report, in ‘the First, when he uasatteek, Ie fates tention’ order, however, t6 direct the ‘attention of the House te | Sintra or'prhseriy and cheapproprianee ates, jue auch portions pos eA mass of to the and aireeting bis, ends ona ee ‘euaroelied to present | my iano or the sauie purpose. trem tse eetjere without the order Abita might have te. | PTE ciliated the Te Wagabied 67 ikem 0d | casopning tho enacinnen, os teller: ee moat material to the ineuwey ‘Bow proceed to Seay mye og gh i gii and treasonable assen. gal stitutions were never submitiéd to the peo; ve States, nor ratided and confirmed by the United powers vested by United States ‘specti States, thue usurpil the constitution in the Congress recently ia rebeliion prior and nearing in the States to the annual meeting of Congress, with the intent thus to constrain to ratify and confirm such ilk pear a ity su legal ! # as if u Ly § eee LEE el i aa Entre 8a 2 hi 7 i : with deliberately disj ion of vee appointed 10 offices aH E to" him, who were who coul pad been ity of Tuy 2, 1862, = ani United States, has in his en 10 otherwise publicly deni substan jally the rant of gress provide for the cl vernment and restoration of sald states the , and im like manner he has asserted his exclusive In that, in States. he vetoed various _bilis ry =. for the pacification and government of the jout antnority of laws con! of the consiitution of the Cal with and a provision of a law of the Us July, 1862, entitied ‘An icon created. Oy Upited States persons who, EE in? Zs 2 the not, without comm! ime of jury or otherwise violating crimisally recently-im rebellion, and tor their tion to the Union; and upoa. ‘the ground and fer the Festored to their and reason that the said States had been the Union, ia prs by bia afcresaid ifegal and uncou- 1866, and other public an to prevent the ratification of an amendment to if agreeab! yawes of Congress, 18 to inited = Staies, although , among other public the payment of acy claim curred in aid of tempted the constitntion of the United io of for slaves emancipaied or of any debt P diciation in the said illeg: United States ag: of dems incarred by such § tion, thus rendering it those in authority in enguged in rebeijion against struct and resist the gress of the ple as well whieb, clusive the inieot of of Peewee | either or of providin, under the logisiative powers, end removal and appoio! of delaying. hindering, obstructit Tor farther of ali ek ag [nme of the ‘Stale i without aid, by him given to them—would im good faith their allegiance to the constitution, of — conciliating them to himself personally, that he might threby finally Union opon the bass of the laws passed by Congress. And further, that the said Andrew Johason, President of the United states, trans. ad authorized and directed fiefas fio nad and aif with the expectation Prevent the restoration of .be ferred and surrendered, tno transfer aed surrender, of railway value of many millions of dollars to » engaged in the rebellion, ie corporations owned been whoily or in part by euch 4®. Te that tirected and sale of latge quantities of railway rolling stock and other value of * ely dol. lara, tae property of the United sates by pa aod = aod parties then known to a pay FS BM By EY any ties ver. In that he directed aud ordered subordinate offivers of Postpone and delay the collection of moneys due and payabie to the United States on account of auch sales, im apparent conformity to an order pre- juterest upon certain railway property, of the construction, to hin be matured and the goverament to viousty made by him that the the onstitationg for said States were wholly inadequate to protect the loyal people of the st the payment of claims op account in aid of rebel; practicable and the aforesaid unconstitutional governments they set up to tax and op- press the loya! people of such States for the benefit of those who have.been engaged in the aitempt to over- throw the government of the Cnited States. In that he has made official and other puilio declarations and stato- ments calculated and designed to injure apd impair the credit of the United States, to encourage persons recently ite authorities, reorgantzation rebel States ¢o called upom a republican basis, and calculated and designed diso to deprive the Con- ited Ntates of the confidence of the peo- its patroniam as im its conatitutionat right to exist and to act a3 the departmeut of the government, constitution, pursesses ail (his rendering Congress his seid ugurpations of power ig and enforcing mearures nece: the pacification and restoration of the Union; and thai im all this he bas exercised the veto power, the power of tment, the pardoning power at other constitutional powers of his bara for the ad prev of the Union by constituiiona!l means; from the gi hogs persons who bad been engaged in the rebellion, and who, comfort and enoouragement+-th us resamed have Donds issued or guarranteed by the State of in aid of certain railways then due the Bee fs unpaid for should be first paid is = waore behalf said bonds were so issued or guaranteed; in that direction the collection fouds - An g 38 gededest ht to provide governments therefor and to accept and proclaim the restoration of said States to the Union, all of whieh is im derogation of the rigntful authority of Cong! ry calculated to subvert the government of 4ne United accordance with said declaration, illegal -obatructed the restoration of vaid States te the Union, and such to do thie As citizens, as politicians, we may criticise, find fant with amd condemn the entire administration of the resident; but as a commitiee of the House, considering the change re- por bend vente in places of trust oe 5 mola~ ‘persons w encaged ia an atten: over- ‘throw the government of the United expect thus to conciliate such persons to bi thei aid im support ef his aforesaid unconstitutional de- —. ne ee smianens, of duty, usur, pore ferred to it ag members of Congress acting officially, we Of the constiiution of the United States, by the | Daverno such right, power or jurisdiction, Tbe Pxecu- maid Andrew Jobneon, President of the United | tivo w one of the considerate departments of this gov- Sapaes. toe penile HEE rg wb Mheinese | *DmMent, invested with certain defined constitutions! powers and prerogatives, over which the Legislature has no control, and with the constitutional exercise of which the Legielative Department has mo right to interfere. ‘Tho original source of all executive and legislative power ia the same—the people; the warrant and measure of those powers the eame—the constitution, In bis con- Stitutional and legislative sphere, in the exercise and conduct of hw department, the President is as free to ct and as independent as the Congress, While acting within the bounds prescribed for it by the constitution, ho ie DO more accountable or responsible to Congress than Congress ie to him. Congress bas no more authority to censure and condemn hem than he has tocensure and condemp Congress, His discrotion, exercised within the bounds of the constitution, is no more subject to the auimadversion or reproof of Congress than are the cun- stitutional and discretionary acts of Congress to his Neither Congress nor the President nas any powers or authority not derived from and found in the constita- Mow. The only question with reference to which the committee were authorized to inquire was, whether the charges against the President were true, and constitute an offence or offences subjecting him to impeachment. Certainly if this is mot the only question. referred to the committee it is the only one which the committee as @uch can investigate. The political purpose of the acts of the President bas not for one moment engaged the attention of the committee, We most certainly have no other motive or interest than to serve our country and do our duty in the matter referred tous, We have never once, in the taking of testimony or the examination of witnesses, supposed that any question other than the impeachment ‘was properly before us, The impeachment ef the Preei- dent, the chief officer of this great republic, the bare in- quiry with a view to ascertain whether he had committed any offence for which he ought or might be put upon trial before the most august tribunal of the world, impressed us from the beginning with most solemn awe, Wi eavored in the investigation to exclude from oar minds every question of mere politics, and, as faras possible, to be uninfluenced by party bias. We were ad- monished that in some sense the nation, the people, in the person of their executive head, were on trial before the world, amd that personal animosity and party politics should be inflexibly and scrupulously forgotten and ignored. For any cause to have shrunk from a full and careful investigation of the great question of impeachment’ was cowardice, To have pureued it in the spirit of party, to have degraded it into a mere investigation of political policy, with reference to partisan graced the nation itself by scandalizing the nation’s constitutional head. We repeat, therefore, that the in- vestigation of the committed was, so far as we took part in it, with the sole view to ascertain whether the Presi- dent, under the charge preferred against him, was guilty of avy impeachable offence, Not only so, but with the Delief that it was the on!y question we wore authorized or expected to inquire into, Not a witness was called or examined with any view to proving a case for merely censuring or condeming the political action of the Prasi- dent. Ne suggestion was made or intimation given by the majority of the committee until the resolution of censure was offered that there was any purpose of considering as a committee any but the question of impeachment; nor was there then, as we understood it, any purpose of reporting such resolutions inthe House for its official action, We think, there- fore, that we are warranted in saying that, although much testimony frrelevant, illegal and experimental was taken—mmuch that had no bearing upon the question of impeachment, and much more that was not testimony ip any case or for amy purpose—none was taken with any view exeept the impeachment; hence we in- sist that, if the committee hed the right of jurisdiction, which we deny, to inquire in the politica) discretionary view to bis condemation, and proper manner in- ated or attempted to consider that subject. e do uot impugn the personal motives of any mem- ber of the committee who differs with us. Our inter. eburse while on the committee has been pleasant, and the courtesy with which we have been treated uniform and uninterrupted. We entertain none but the most kindly feelings toward every member; but candor and a sense of duty compel us t6 declare that we can find no warrant or excuse for this travelling outside or beyond the sub- Ject with which the commitiee was charged, to censure ‘and condemn the President, except in the prejudice and zeal of over-heated partyism. The President needs and ask no defence us upon party grounds, or and fimances of the country, encouraged insubordination 1m the people of the States recently in rebellion, fostered sentiments of hostility between different classes of cit! zene, revived and kept alive the spirit of the rebellion, humiliated the nation, dishonored republican institutions, delayed and postponed t! | and fraternal reor- gamization of th wament of the United Stater, Tho @ommittee, therefore, report the accompanying reeolu- tion and recommend its pees. GEORGE 8, BOUTWELL, FRANCIS THOMAS, THOMAS WILLIAMS, WILLIAM LAWRENCE, JOHN ©. CBURC! lL ‘The following is the resolution providing for the im- peachment o! the President of the United Stases:. Resolved, That Andrew Johneon, President of the United States, be impeached of high crimes and misde- Views of Messrs. Wilson and Woodbrige. Representatives James F. Wilson and Frederick E ‘Woodbridge handed in 4 report diesenting from the con- q@lusions arrived at by a majority of the committee. They say on the third day of June, 1867, it was declared by @ solemn vote in the commitire that from the teat! mony then before them, it did not appear that the President of the United States was guilty of such high ‘crimes and m'sdemeanors as called for an exercise of the impeachment power of this House, The vote stood yeas 5, mays4. On the ist instant this action of the Committee was reversed, and a vote of five to four-de- ciared im favor of recommending to the House an im- peachment of the President, Forty-eight hours have not.yet elapssl cince we were informed of the character Of the report which represents this changed attitude of the committec. The recentness of this event compels a genera] treat- ‘ment of some features of the case as it is presented by the majority, which otherwise woyld have been treated of more in detail, The report of the majority rescives all presumptions against the President, closes the door against alldoubts, affirms facts as established by the featimony, in support of which there is not a particle of evidenge before us which would be received by any court im the land, We dissent from all of shi from the temper and spirit of the report. The ¢ool and unbiased judgment of the future, when the excitement im the midst of which we live shall have passed away, ‘will not fail to diseover that the political bitterness of the prevent time has in no considerable degree given tone to the document which we decline to approve. Dissenting as we do from the report of the Committee Doth as to the law of the case and the conclumous drawn from the facts developed by the testimony, a due regard for the body which imposed on us the high and twauscondantly important duty involved in an investiga- tion of the charges preferred against the President im- pels us to present at length our views of the eubject which has been committed to us by a most solemn vote Of the House of Representativer, Im approaching this duty we feel that the spirit of the partisan should be laid aside, and that the interests of the republic as they are measured by its constitution amd laws alone sball guide us, and we most deeply regret that in thie regard ‘We caDnO! approve the report of the majority of the committer, While we would not charge them with a design to act the part of partisans im this grave proceed- img, We nevertheless feel pained by the tone, temper and spirit of their report. Bet regrets will not answer the demands of the present grave and commanding oceagion, and we, therefore, respond to them by pre- senting to the House the results of a careful, deliberate ‘and, as we bope, a conscientious myestigaion of the case before ur. Messrs, Wis0s apd Woovnnper then proceeded to disenss the constitutional question, with regard to im- peachment, &c., showing. by referenee to legal author. Mes, that an impeachmemt cannot be supporied by any ‘met which fails short of an indictable crime or mis- demeanor. English precedents ere referred to at leogth and copious exiracte are made from the testimony of the committee in order to refute the reasoning and cop- ‘Clanion of the majority. They conclude as follows: — A great deal of the matter contained in the volume of testimony reported to the House is of no value what- ever.’ Much of it ie mere hearsay, opinions of wit neskes and wo little amount of it is uiterly irrelevant to the case. Comparatively a small amount of it could be used on a trial of this case before the Senate. All of ‘the testimony relating to the failure to try and admis- sion to bail of Jeferson Davis, the esssscina- from B tion of Proéient Lincoln, the diary of J, | Gpom any other thes, thoas wae’ ming, Mag —thervome pee ag Me lnicrating to's Joaslty ce approts sit banat Gone; ‘wowner ewe heal lent jersom 7 ; feader, bat 8 not of the iekiele locooaae 80 fie dalled epow to review all the great mass of testimony taken by the committee to show that bis censure and condemnation are not warranted by it, though taken as nged as it io that regard we do not, however, believe the unbiased, the unpreju- iT the testimons to discover any just or reasonable cause for condemning or im} ‘the motives by which he was actuated, ing with him in opinion, a8 we have, as to the policy and propriety of many things he has done and many more that he bas left undeme, we feel compelled to de- clare that the proofs before us will not warrant « charge tbat he was in apy instance controlled determination of this case is comcerned. stl! much of this irrelevant matter has been interwoven Into the mayortiy report, and bas served to heighten ite color and to deepen its tone, Strike out the stage effect of thie Irrelevant matter and the prominen: jiven to the Tadors, the stuarte and Michael Buras, much of the will disappear, and settle down upon the real evi in the case—that which will establish ia view of circamstances, a substantial crime, by making plain the elements which conatitate it, and the ease in many resp*cte dwaris into a political contest, Tn approa:hing a conclusion we do pot fail to recegnize the siandpoints from wh’ this case can be re- < motives other than pure and patriotic. viewed, the legal and political. Viewing it is greatest offence, we apprehend, will be found to be from the latter the case ia a sucacss, The Presi-'{ that be has not been able to foliow those who elected hiio to bis office in their mad assault npon and departare irom the vonstitational goverament of the fathers of the republic: and that, standing where most of his party profeseed to stand when they elevated him to his present exalted position, he has dare to diver with tue majority of Congress upon great and vital questions, He nas be lieved in the continuing aud binding obligations of the constitution—the constitution that the sappression of the rebellion against the Union was the proservation of the Uuion and the States comprising tt—and thot when the rebellion was put down the wore alt and equally entitled to represeitatl of the Wnited States, Planting h movably upon has incurred the Gerce i maltan of alt Uh whe terrivory the lately rebellious eto them the cou- rand the liberties Ia this difference of dent bas disappoimted the bopes and expectations him In power; he has betray od their contidence and joined hands with their enenni proved falee to the which underlie his of the case deserve: every well disposed citicen of the republic. White we acquit him of impeacbabie crimes, we pronounce fim guilty of many wrongs, This contest with Congress has delayed reconstraction and inflicted vast injury upon the people of the rebel states. He has beem blind to the necersities of the times aud so the domands of a progressive civilization, enveloped in the darkness of the past, and seems aot to have detected the dawning ‘rightness of the future. Incapable of appreciat- jog the grand changes. whicn. the past «x years have wrought, he seeka to measure the great events which sorround bim by the narrow rales which adjusted public affairs before tho rebeilion and ite legiti- mate cousequeoces destroyed them and established they shall be between Cone wimitied to enjoy. andthe President and the d others, Judge him politically, condemn him, but the “ day of political impoachmeni ‘would be @ sad one for | ach for the adoption by the countey of their respovtive the country. Political unfieness and incapacity mast be ia, we auspect, to be found not only the ca for tried at the ballot bos, not in the bigh court of im- Movement to impeach the President, but bis consure and covdemaation. Out of it have grown the embittered feelings and violont hatred of the Pres- ident by lis former friends. The woajority of Congress and the committee bave entertained and been prepared to declare at aif times, in [sige ari A contrary rule might lea nt little time for other business than t pexchinents, Bat we are not now dealing with politi- cal offences, Crimes aud misdemeanors are now t ithi fae ds ae it oom?’ Ben bo Congress and out of it, even more strongly than Is ex- case upon political offences, and we are ed | pressed in their report, this same censure and con- demnation. This opiniop was. not formed upon avy testimony taken before the committes or upon any facts ‘elicited by ite investigation. It was @ political opinion growing @ut of @ difference of views upon political questions, It was the opinion with which the majorit: of the committee eutered npon the investigation. It was ihat which inspired and stimulated all it® imquirics and examinations. But notwithstanding these pre- existing opinions and prejudices, the miuority of the prepar President, for such If Mexican experieace Miculty, for (bere almost every election i# product fa revolution. If the peo- je of this republic derire ‘boa reanit to discover it, nor would wi to pronounce agai offences are numerotts and gra ia desired we need bavi presenc the potitwa' wnwise jp tho use of his discre powers, r * . vom nities have been corapeiied to Sud. ir the fullest pad 0 fhe people of the repudl y aneed ec tettved jg | consideration und grert protrac Hberation, thal the affirm that the conclusion at correct. We, theretore, declare that the case before us, presente! by the testimon; m ink the Inw, Goes nor declare such hig! wes aud misdemeanors Within the meaning of the constitution ag cequire “the interpostion of ihe constitutional power of this HONE,” ‘and recommen¢ the adopuou of tae following resoiu- tion: Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be dis- charged from the farther comsideration of the proposed nt of the President of the United states, and President had committed uo offe laws, he can of ought to be impexched, we msiet, suly, eS to the official juri committee of the S489, ~~ » if ensure opdomnation of the President elther aa HL ti tion, not justified by the fact ment o ihe government tows lated to bring repr upon and the nadon, Wecannot ignore the fact that ti has beeu spent and testimony taken by the counmittes in ‘ert ‘or whic! be ainorty je without our jorisdic- unbecoming oue depart. ‘be iad upon the table. a P. WILSON endeavoring to ihe t, im his official ick E. > r] capacity, has spoken ondemnatorily of FREDERICE & beige sw eto rest, With ae Vi iinpeachment, therefore, . be more ecomir committee of this Hi poy ty y 4 ile jurisdiction if, seoetoe gaat Wace Views of Mesers, Marsh: a Eldridge. ‘The undersigned agreeing with our associates of the minority of tho committee im their views of the law, and than for bim to im the conclusions that the evidence before the com- vpn the que a appa mittee prosents mo case for the impeachment of the | would be thought President, might if they had stopped there been con- tent simply to have joined im the report which they have submitted; but as they, ag well as the majority, have felt it their duty to ge further, and express their censure and condemnation of the President, we feel that [t (s due to ourselves and to the position we oc- oupy to present as briefty ‘as possible s few additional remarke for the consideration of the House and of the covatry, having determined tuat the evidence dees enactmen! of the Consvess for having passed it? Who weald hesitate to pronounce this ap wojustiGadle and eves aawar bie interfereace with the rights amd duties of Congress by ‘Supreme Court calculated to disturb the harmony “of our governmental system and to bring into unhappy i fatal collision the co-ordinate departinents ? Like this attempt to reprove or venture the President for acts or met amounting to affences, subject: bim to iriediction of the House pot show that the President bas Veen guilty of any ES LJ Pong Mp pene phon aot or crime for which, under our brag sxe and | Geace; an act on the part of the court jastiy Sache or ought to be impeached, eoncte- | oblequy and yb. Such interference oy ~ oper anevadlpny partment of (he government with the other, without sion, ag it seeme to as, is the determination of the whore question submitted by (he House 06 the comfuivee, It js the commission by the rresident-of en impéachable a subject Dim to our oficial jurisdic. authority of law, teust and will most asouredty break of that comity which shoald gt ati times charact#rize thelr in imtercoures, end cannes but be scen—tte entagon\em Gill altimately produce enmity lity, offence on!y that eamny tien, of justify us, an a commision of the House of Rep- ap he Ay ead agcremons 9b ich result 1m Tesontatives, or even the House itecif a9 seh, chal- | consequence desirey ont sysiem of Jonging bis official acts. As the report of the majority does not charge the President with any act recognized ‘by any starote or law of the iad asacrime or misde- sitanor, we can but regard the charges preferred as 0» Political er partisan demonstration, tending and intended to bring him into odium and costempt- among the peo- an 20 unjostifiadle attempt to excite thelr suspicions, Foe mcg culgar ambigues)’ We utteriy deny tho righy of the committee OF eny member thereof as ; f the Commit. Sih ll dun rept she mar 0 ° See take we, we gee made ag! ‘stiempt wo precure kis impeach. ment Finer utter failtre 6 porat w ie act that ie wane vy our: ‘8 high crime or mi a = majority camnet fail to obal- coouiry. Acts for which Te applauded “ee crimes in Me, every act ravely demned the the sanction and approval of 3 ne —— hie C ; and yet while he is arraigned before the wo ipCrinionl of the deepest dye, they impeached, but are | recog ff the party for impeacl gon oo far a he " passage mary and unpreceden: ae prevent the President from removing these officers from the places. which they held. Mr. Sane, the late Secretary of War, gave his emphatic appro’ of the acts for which the President is arraigued, and yet the ex-secretary isa favo io and popular marty and the whole country is ciasorous for Fesioration to power and place. The President js beld criminally ro sponsible Oe the acta of of which = ca dge; and yet mg rai a ‘slatute depriving bim of all contro) these same subordinates, and they are deemed hy of the especial protection of Congress. The President has used every means withia bis power td brio, ‘ , Jefierson Davis, to | y trial, and yet he has been denounced throughe land for procrastination and preventing the trial, while (be judges and prosecuting having entire control of the matter have been deemed worthy of th¢ most honored plaudits, Were ever inconsistencies mord glaring and inexplicablethan these? And can we pos- Sibly be mistaken when we assert that however hones! may be the majority of the Committee, the verdict of the country and of posterity will be that the President consists not in violations, but im refusaly to violate the laws; in being umable to keep pace with the “party of progress” ia their rapidly advancing movements, or to step ‘‘outside and above’ the constitution im the administration of the government; in preferring the constitution of his country to the dictation of an unscrupulous partisan cabal, in bravely daring to meet the maiedictions of those who have arrived at the accomplishment of a mest wicked and dangerous revolution, rather than to encounter the re- proach of bis own conscience and the curses of posterity me? If the subject were mot too grave and for mirth some of the grounds of impeach- ment preset by the majority would certal: y be euf- ficiently amusing. The President 19 gravely arraigned for arraying bimself against the loyal people pf the country in veto! the muscelied i of Congresa, when, without dwelling upom the constite- tional ” right and duty of the President in the Drev.ises, Congress itself hap for these same acta received the most withering and condemnation and rebuke of the eutire peopie from Maine Caiifornia. The impeachers, forgetumg that they have been themselves impeacted, and that the ver- ‘ibunal of the last resort has already been rendered against them, still persist in with the peace, saley and prosperity of country by precipitating upon us this danger- ous question a4 a time so critical as this. It is wicked to trifle with the most vital interests of the nation, and to disregard the voice of a great peop! when spoken as in this case, 90 emphatically in favor o! the preservation of our constitutional form of govern~ ment, and the rights and liberties established by ou Revolutionary fathers, We will not attempt to add any thing to the able, and as we believe, unanswerab! argument just presented by the Chairman of our committee upon the law of impeachment. Had mow experience taugut us the wenderful diversity of human Judgment and conclusions, we should find it Ne believe that there could, apon the questions to us, possibly be two opinions among candid and intel. ligent men. Blind bigotry and unbridied partisan rage, it is true, can see crime ip the most meritorious actions; and men governed by these ushallowed passions do not hesitate to drag to the stake or the torture of the inquisition all who will not coaform to their wre creeds and miserable dogmas, They substan- tlate their own crude and ofien crazy theorie: for trath and justice, aod under paim of severest penalties demand of ail men to bew down aud worship the idol they have erecied.. That their own judgment may be fallible, or that other men differing from them may be equally aud hovest with themselves never occurs to their minds, and they wil) without hesitation questiom the justice even of thé Almighty, if the ways of Providence do not conform to their own crude theories. This class of men bas con- stituted a considerable portion of mankind to all ages, and in none have they been more numerous thar im our own, They have furnished the bigots and prose- cutors of ail tines, and their pathway through the long line of history, from the earliest date to the present time, hag deem marked with cal page and desolatien. With euch men, argument, based upon the constitution and established laws can have avy autiority; they live and brea:be in a purer and higher atmosphere outside of the constitution and above the iat ‘They are too pure and immaculate to be fettered by restraint of constita, tions or writien laws, They aro a law unto t! and both men and just conform to ti and thoories, or rece! ir bitterest maied But our people will never submit to have their Chiefs Magistrate arraigned for trial for offences unknown te the laws, and which exist only in the excited brains of It would be a precedent disas. ical enemies, instit with this day admitied will be received with one unl’ burst of indignation by th® American ror. If they retain any just pride in their country and ite copra et they will dlushto tind that the chief officer of the! government bag for ten months been subjected to the scrutiny of « secret Star Chamber leled in ite character im the ennals of A dragnet has been put out to catch every me. licious whisper throwgbout the iand, and ail the vile vermin who had or slander to retail, hearsay or otherwise, have been permitted appear and place it upon record for the deiectation mankind. Spies have been vent ail over the land to fag something that might blackem the name and characteg of the Cuief Magistrate ef our country ; unwhipped kaaved have given information of fabulous letiers and documents that, like the igmis fatuus, eternally eluded Cet ary their a the chase resulted only in jag the depiction of public Treasury, That metorious char- acter, Pree C. Baker, : | j by plac his spies within ine. veuy | ag a A * ne and most secres-” thoughts not been deemed sacred or exemps from pene ay] prosecutor tas not besitated to ‘into loathsome dungeons and consort with convicted: for the pose of Gower the object of ine Peat dent on acharge of | ‘we consider : sieve toad lashed into a wild frenzy aad led to believe the President was guilty of treason; when thousands all over the land thought righteous act to get bim tne by any means, fair or foul, and when he has huuted down ‘by partisan malice a8 no mao was huntéd aown before, it ie really wonderful. that so bar been elicited that tens im the slightest to termites the fair fame of the President... bay or oy ought to congratalate themseives, for the sake reputation of their conntry, that the failure has been se, taken before cure it, we as, aad must decting epen the or any member thereof. oor ren ks would do great and to the: Wether such Istitude would have beem given in the inquire. Jn an e: be dificult, and, perhaps, impossible, to a0 the ev. den-e to such a9 would be allowed adm! before 9 court of justice. Indeed, it may be whether’ it would be proper so to restrict it and as perbaps even for the Tresideat that those who were the prosecution for the outside, were ited to ‘anything that they might call ve eviden: we as the world can thus the better comprebend how at destitute of foundation is all this clamor that has raised fe pons bim, The first witness examined was General Lafayette C. Baker, late chief of the detective police, and although examined on osth time and and on yuriods oceasions, it is doubtful w be bes in ony a ie even by accident, In every important statement d Hi contradicted by witnesses of @ cred bility, and there == no — = 4 Bie many previous ow entitiing tnesviable immortality,” ban “added that off i wilfal and deliberate perjury, and we are glad to tbat no member of the committee deems statement made by bim as worthy of the si credit, CHARLES. A. BLDRIDGE. SAMUEL G, MARSHALL: THE IMPEACHMENT TESTIMONY Testimony of General Grant, Secretaries Seward and McCulloch, Chief Justice Chase, Attorney General Speed, General Hillyer, Postmaster Gen- eral Randall and Others Before the Congressional Impeach- ment Committee. — Beiow we present to our readers « condensed report of the testimony taken before (he Congrenmenal Commit- tee on Impeachment, which at the present ume, when the question of impeachment et.'l engages the attention of Congress, and, to some extent, agitetes the cocntry, will be read with great interest, Ail the itepertaat tex timony Dearing on the charges Opes which impesch- ment eniy could be based, bas been carefully collected from the mase of extraneous matter over which the com- mittee directed their inquiicy: 5 g i Fi ry § t [ i