Clearfield Republican. (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, December 05, 1867, Image 1

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    IMTEACIIMENT.
Minority BrHirUi of the Jsillrlart Com.
litre- io itvmn tW Imprartimciil
The l'hrr A (rums' Pi-MMeut Jvtin
oa Refilled.
TltW Of MKttM. WILSON AND WOOI
XltllHir !rin-lilo(in.
Roprosentalivea J muon F. Wilson
mi J Frederick K. Wooillirido handed
in a report dissenting from the con-
clunons armed nl by a majority of
the committee J hoy say (hut on tho
8d day of Jnno, 1fl7, it was declared
by a solemn voto in tho cominittoo
that from the testimony bofor -thorn
it did not appear that tho President
of the United Slatcf wan fruilty of
such high crimes and misdemeanors
as called fornnexerciscof tho impeach
ment power of the. Homo., The voto
stood yens, 5 ; nays, 4.
On the 21st tiiHtunt thin action of
the committee was reversed, and a
Tote of five to four declared in favor
of recomrafllding to the Honse an
impeachment of the President, Forty-eight
hours have not yet elapsed
inco o were informed of the charac
ter of the report which represents this
changed attitude of tho committee.
The reeontnes of this event compels
a general treatment of some features
of the case as it is presonted by the
majority, which otherwise would have
been treated more in detail.
The report of the majority resolves
all presumptions ogtinst tho Presi
dent, closes the dooragainst all doubts,
affirms facts as cstablinbod by the tes
timony, in support of which there is
not a particle of evidence before us
which would be received by any court
in the land. We dissent f'rern all Uuh,
and from the temper and spirit of the
report. The cool and unbiusud judg
ment of the future, when the excite
ment in the midst of which we live
shall have passed away, will not fail
to discover that the political bitter
ness of the present time has, in no
inconsiderable degree, given tone to
the document we decline to approve.
Pissenting as we do from the report
of the committee, both as to the law
of the case and the conclusions drawn
fro m the facts developed by the testi
mony, a due regard for the body which
imposed on us the high and transcend
ently important duty involved in an
investigation of the-charges prelerrcd
against t'ie President, impels us to
present at length our views of the
subject which has been committed to
ns by a most eolomn vote of the Ilouso
of .Representatives. In approarhing
this duty we reel that the spirit of the
partisan should be laid aside, and that
the interests of the Republic as they
are measured by its Constitution and
laws alone should guide ns, and we
most deeply regret that in this regard
we cannot approve the resort of our
colleagues who constitute a majority
oi the committee.
While we would not charge thorn
with a desurn to act the part of narti-
ftaas in this grave proceeding, we none
the teas teel pained by the tone, tem
per and spirit of their report. But
regret will not answer the demands of
the present grave and commanding
occasion, Bnd we therefore respond to
them by presenting to the House the
result of a careful, deliberate, and wo
bope, a conscientious investigation of
the case be I ore us. .Messrs. vt ilson
and Woodbridge then proceed to dis
cuss the constitutional question with
regard to impeachment, showing by
reference to legal authorities, that an
impeachment cannot be supported by
any act which falls short oj' an indict
able crime or misdemeanor. -
English precedents are reforrod to
at length and copious extracts are
made from the testimony of the com
mittee in order to refute the reasoning
and conclusion of the majority. They
conclude as follows :
A great deal of the matter contain
ed in the volume of testimony report
ed to the House is of no valne what
ever. Much of it is mere hearsay
opinions of wit nesses, and much of it
is utterly irrelevant to the rase. Com
paratively a small amount of it could
be used ou a trial of the case bclorc
the Senate. All of tho testimony re
lating to tho failure to try and admis
sion to bail of Jefferson Iiavis; the
assassination of President Lincoln ;
the diary of J. Wilkes Booth, his place
of burial; tho practice of pardon bro
kerage ; tho alleged correspondence
of the President with Jefferson avis,
may be interesting to a reader, bnt it
it not of the slightest importance so
far as a determination of this case is
concerned.
Still, much of this Irrelevant matter
has boon interwoven into the report
of the majority, and has sertcd to
heighten its color and to deepen its
tone. Strike out the atsge effect of
this irrelevant matter, and the prom
inence rivati to the Todors, the Stu
arts, and Michaol Hnrns, and much of
the play will disappear. Settle down
upon the real evidence in the rase
that which will establish, in view of
the attending circumstances, a sub
stantial crime by making plain the
elements which constitute it and tho
case in many respects dwarfs into a
political contest. In approaching a
conclusion ws do not tkil to reoogmr.o
the sinnd iioints from which this case
n bo viewed the legal and the po
i litical. Viewing it from the latter,
the case is o success. Tho President
f hat disappointed the hopes and expoo
J'ations of those who placed him in
Jyower; ho has destroyed their confi
dence and joined bauds with tlieir
enemies j he has proved false to the
Impress arid implied conditions which
'nacriie his deration to power, ami.
' this view of tho cano, deserves the
unsure and condemnation of every
"'M-disposed e itir.en of the Republic.
Iiile we acquit hira of impeachable
'rimes, we pronounce him guilty of
n'ny wrongs, llis contest w ith Con
ltpm Las delayed reconstruction, and
'"dieted vast injury npon tho people
"tho rebel Stales ; be has been blind
the necessities of the times, and to
'I' demands of a progressive civilir.a
'ion; he romuins enveloped in the
darkness ol the nasi, and seems not
J'i have detected the dnwning bright-
"Mol the future, incapable of lip
Plating the grand changes whieU
past six rrnrs have wroucht. he
":k to nitwsuro the jjreat events
pinch snrroand him bv tho narrow
F-ll'.'s, which iiriiitstr.il mil, tin nfTnitu
'ore tho rolxslliun, and iu legitimate
"hHitietifc dertroved them and cs-
'.l.l..l' 1 . .1 . .' . . . .
""mil inner. Jii'VC nun point-
CLEARFIELD
GEO. B. GOODLANDER, Proprietor.
VOL 3S-W1I0LE NO.
rally, we Must condemn him, but tho
day of political impeachments would
bo a sad one for this country. Politi
cal unfitness and incapacity roust be
tried at the ballot-box, not in the high
court of impeachment. A contrary
rule might leave to Congress but lit
tle time for other business than the
trial of iinpoachmontfl.
liut we are not now dealing with
political offonses. Crimes and misdo
mcanors are now demanding our at
tention, so they, within the meaning
of the Constitution, appear. IJost the
case upon political offenses, and we
are prepared to pronounce against the
i remuenv, lor sucu otlenses aro nu
merous and grave. If Alexican expe
rience is desired, we need have no
diflicnlty, for there almost every elec
tion is productive of a revolution. If
the Proaident of the liopublic desires
such a result, we have not been able
to discover it, nor would we favor it if
its presence were manifest. While
we condemn and consnre the roHtical
conduct of tho President, and "judge
him unwise in the uso of his discre
tionary powers and appeal to the peo
ple of the Kcpublio to sustain him, we
still affirm that the conclusion at which
we have arrived is correct.
Wo therefore doclare that the case
before ns, presented by the testimony
and measured by tho law, does not
declare such high crimes and misde
meanors, within the meaning of the
Constitution, as requires the interpo
sition of the constitutional power of
this House, and recommend the adop
tion of the following resolution :
Jlrtolved, That tho Committee on
the Judiciary be discharged from the
turtbor consideration of the proposed
impeachment ol tho President of tho
United States, and that the subject bo
una upon the tamo.
(Signed) James F. Wilson.
Frkuerick E. WoODBItlPOK.
VIIWS Or MESSRS. MARSHALL AND EL-
iiridge Democrats.
Tho undersigned, agreeing with our
associates ol tho minority of the com
mittee in their vie-g of the law, and
in the conclusions that the evidence
before tho committee presents no case
for the impeachment of the 1 resident.
might, if they had stopped there, have
been content simply to have joined in
the report which they have submitted,
liut as they, as well as the majority,
have felt it their duty to go further,
and express their censure and condem
nation ot the 1 resident, we feel that
it is duo to ourselves, and to tho posi
tion we occupy, to present as briefly
as possible a few additional remarks
for the consideration of the llou.-e
and of the country.
Having determined thnt tho evi
donee does not show that the Prosi
dent has. been guilty of any act or
crime for which, under our Constitu
tion and laws he can or ought to be
impeached, this conclusion, it seems
to us. is tho determination of the whole
question submitted by tho House to
the committee. It is tho commission
by tbo President of an impeachable
offense only that can subject him to
our official jurisdiction, or justify us,
as a committee of the House of Repre
sentatives, or even tbo House itself,
as such, in challenging his ofliciul acts.
As the report of the majority does
not charge the President with any
ct recocniied by any statute or luw
of the land, as a crime or misdemean
or, we can but regard the charges
preferred as a political or pnrtinan
demonstration, tended and intended
to bring him intoodium and contempt
among the people. Asan unjustifiable
attempt to excito their suspicions,
"Spargrrt rncr in rv!(um amhigvt,"
we utterly deny the right of tho com
mittee, or any member thereof, as
such, to do this. As citizens, as poli
ticians, we may criliciso, find fault
with and condemn tho entire admin
istration of the President! bnt as a
romniittoe of tho Honsc, considering
the charge referred to it as members
of Congress, acting oflicially, wo havo
no such right, power or jurisdiction.
Tho Executive is onoot tho co-ordi
nate departments of this government,
invested with certain Uenned consti
tutional jKiwersand prerogative, over
which the legislature has no control,
and with the constitutional exercise
of which the Legislative Department!
has no right to interfere. The origin-1
al source of all executive and logisla-J
tive power is the same tho people
the warrant ana measure in muse
J towers tho same the Constitution,
n his constitutional and legislative
sphere ; in tho exercise and conduct
of his department, the President is as
free to act and as independent as the
Congress.
While aoting within the bounds pre
scribed for it by the Constitution, be
is no more accountable or responsible
to Congress than Congress is to hiiu.
Congress has no more authority to
censure and condomn bim than he has
to censure and condemn Congress.
His discretion exercised within the
bounds of the Constitution, is no more
siibjMtlOtheaniriiadversionorreprmifibim to bis present, uxnlted position,
.i .1 .,:j..i.-.I K to. tn ttA In A i fl'.. with I li mil iof.
of Concress than are the constitutional
and discretionary acts of Congress to
his.
Neither Congress or the President
has any puwers or authority not de
rived from and found in the Constitu
tion. The only question with refer
ence to which the committee were
authorized to inquiro was whether the
charges against the President were
true, and constituted an offense or
offenses subjecting bim to iincach
ment. Certainly if this is not the
on! question referred to the commit
too, it U the only ono which tho com
mittee, as such, has investigated.
Tbo political pnrso by the sets of
tho President has not for one moment
engaged the attention of tho commit
tee. Wo most certainly have no other
motive than t serve our country and
do our duty. In the mutters referred
2018.
to us we have never once, in tho taking
oi testimony or the examination of
witnesses, supjioBod that any question
other than tho impcuclimcnt was iirop-
erly lieforo us. lhe impeachment of
mo i resiount, lhe clnct oilicor of this
great Republic; the bare inquiry with
a viow to ascertain whether ho bad
committed any offenso for which ho
ought or might be put npon trial he
fore tho most august tribunal of tho
world, impressed us from tho begin
ning with most solemn awo.
We endeavored, in the investigation,
to exclude, from our minds ovcry ques
tion of more politics, and,. as fur as
possible to bo uninfluenced by party
bias. Wo wore admonished thnt in
ono sense, the nution, the people, in
the person of their Executive head,
were on trial before tho world, and
that personal animositv and nartv
politics should be inflexibly and scru
pulously lorgotlon and ignored.
For any cause, to have shrunk from
a full and careful investigation of the
great question of impeachment, was
cowardice : to have pursued it in the
spirit of pnrty, to have degraded It
into a more investigation of "the polit
ical policy, with reference to partisan
success, would have been meanness,
and would have disgraced the nation
itself by scandalizing the nation's con
stitutional bend.
We repent, therefore, thnt the inves
tigation of the committee was, so far
as wo took part in it, with the solo
view fo ascertain whether the Pres
ident, under the chargo preferred
against him, was guilty of any im
peachable offense. .Not only so, bnt
with the belief that it Was the only
qustion we were authorized or expect
ed to inquire into. Not a witness wus
called or examined with nnv view to
proving a case for merely censuring
or condemning the political action of
the President.
No suggestion was mndc, or intima
tion given by the majority of the com
mittee, till tbo resolution of censure
was offered, thnt there was any pur
pose of considering, as a committee,
any but the question of impeachment,
nor was thero then, as wo understand
it, any purpose of reporting such reso
lutions in the Hoiihc, for its official
action. We think, therefore, that we
aro warrunted in saying, that although
much tchtimony, irrelevant, illegal and
experimental, was taken? much that
had no bearing upon tho question of
impeachment, and much more that
was not testimony in any case, or for
any purpose; that none was taken
with any viow except the impeach
ment, and hence wo insist that, if the
committee bad the right and jurisdic
tion, which wo deny, to inquire into
tho political ar.d discretionary acts of
the President, with a view to his con
demnation, that it has not in ni.y
legitimate and proper manner, inros
tigntcJ, or attempted to consider thai
subject. Wc do not impugn the per
sonal motives of any member of tho
committee who differs with us. Our
intercourse upon the committee has
been pleasant, and the courtesy with
which we have boon treated, uniform
and uninterrupted.
We entertain nono but the most
kindly personal feelings towards ev
ery member, but candor and a souse
of duty compels 08 to declare that wo
can find no warrant or excuse for
this travelling outside or beyond the
subject with which the committee was
charged to censure und condemn the
President, except in tho pregudico and
zeal of overheated partisan ism.
The President needs and can ask
no dof'onsc fi oin us npon purty grounds,
or upon any other than thoso which
spring from official obligation and du
ty, lie was not the President ol our
choice and was not elected by our
votes ; nor is it necessary that wc
should agreo with him or justify or
approve an no nas uono. -eimcr no
we feel callod upon to review nil the
great mass of testimony taken by the
committee, to show that his censure
and condemnation are not warranted
by it, though taken as it has been,
and unchallenged as it was.
In that regard, we do not, bowevor,
believe tho unbiased, unprejudiced
mind will bo able in the testimony to
discover any just or any reasonable
cause for condemning or impugning
the motives by which he was actuated.
Indeed differing w ith bim i-)opinion,as
wo have, s to tho policy and propriety
of many things he has dorio, Miid inany
morc that ho has left undone, We feel
compelled to declare that the proofs
before us will nflt warrant a chargo
that he was in Rtiyinstanco controlled
by motives other than those pure and
patriotic.
llis greatest offence, we apprehend,
will be found to be that ho has not
boon ablo or willing to follow those
who elerted him to his offico in their
mad assaults upon and departure from
the constitutional government of the
fathers of the Republic, and that,
standing whore most of bis party pro
fessed to Hand when thev levated
he has dnred to differ with the major
ity of Congress upon great and vital
diiestions. He has believed ill the
rMint 11111111? nnd LindiiiL' oUliiral ions of i
i. r.,.ii i;n tl.ut 1 iii.i..y!n(T '
of tlio rolollion niinst Hip I nion wan
tlio preservation oft lie t'nion mid tho j
L-.-. Ii . .1... - I.-,,
rtJtbvs mmiitiwiiii;ii",,,l"",,r,
tire rohellion ws put down, tlio Statosi
were mil and equally entitled to repre
sentation in the Cuiigrc! of tlio I'ni
U'd 8tnto8.
l'lnntini: himself firmly and immo
val'ly npon this position, he hns in
curivd the fioroe nnd malintnl ha
tred and opKwilion of nil ltioo who
cluiin, I'T virtue f the alleged con
quest of the torrilory, and llio suhju-
.miun i,f the neoiilo of tho latolv re-
hellions Stales, the power and iicht
rfii.mts in them thn constitution
I 1. .1.... .L.ll i.n1.1. .ml '
HIIU IMWH lllrj" rimil iif umipij ui i
sJhxJT . O J III U
PRINCIPLES NOT MEN.
CLEARFIELD, PA., THURSDAY,
the liberies they shall hepormittud to
enjoj-. n this Olfforonco between
Congress and the President, and the
desire of each for t ho adoption by the
country of their respective viows, is,
wo suppose, to be found not only tho
cause tor the movement tniinpeaeh tho
President, but of bis censure and con
demnation. Out of it has grown tho
embittered feeling and violent hatred
ot the President by bis former-friends.
The majority of Congress and of
tho committee have entertained, and
been prepared to declare at all times.
in Congress and out of it, even more
strongly than is csprossed in their re
port, the same censure and condem
nation. This opinion was not formed
umjii any testimony takon before tho
committee, or upon any fuels elicited
by its investigation. It was a noliLi-
cal opinion growing outof a difference
of views upon political questions. It
was the opinion with w hich the ma
jority of the committee entered upon
iuteiM.igai.iou. it was thnt which
inspired und stimulated all its innni-
rics and examinations. Butnotwith
Htnndinc these nre-existinrr opinions
and prejudices, the minority of the
committee have been compelled to
find, alter the fullest examination and
the most protracted deliberation, that
the President had committed no of
fense for which, under our laws, he
can or ought to be impeached, and
hence none, as we insist, subjecting
him to tho ofliciul jurisdiction of tho
committee of tho iiouso.
Tho censure and condemnation of
tho President, either by tho majority
is without our jurisdiction, not justi
fied by tho fucts orbocomingone part
of the government toward the other,
and calculated to bring reproach upon
the committee, the House ad tho na
tion. We cannot ignore the fuct that
time hns been spent, and tostimony
taken by the comniittco, endeavoring
to ascertain if tho President, in bis of
ficial capacity, censurously or condem
natory of Congress, with a view to
his impeachment. Therefore, can it
bo moro becoming in a committee of
tills Jlouse, or in the House itself to
go beyond its jurisdiction and censure
and condemn the President, than lor
him to censure and condemn Congress ?
Is not the impropriety of ono as ap
parent ns tho other? If one is im
peachable, is not tho other wrong?
What would be thought of the Su
preme Courtjf, after having been com
pelled, in a case properly ponding bo
i'orc it, to decido nn act of Congress
constitutional, it should, because it
did not airree to tlto propriety or poli
cy of tho enactment, declare its severe
censure and condemnation of Congress
for having pnssod it? Who would
hesitate to pronounce this nn unjusti
fiable and even an unwnrrantnblo in
terference with the rights and duties
of Congress by the Supreme Court, cal
culated to disturb the harmony of
our govcrinentul system, and bring in
to unhappy, if riot fatal, collision, the
co-ordinate departments? Like this
attempt to reprovo or censure the
President for acts or wrongs not
amounting to offenses, subjecting him
to tho legal jurisdiction of tho House
of Representatives, such an act woulJ,
it seems to us, bo sheer impudence;
an act on the part of the court justly
mcrilingobloquy'and reproach. Such
interferences by one department of
the government with the others, with
out authority of law, must und will
most assuredly break off that courte
sy which should nt ull times charac
terize their relations and intercourse.
Tho end cannot but be foreseen ; the
antagonism will ultimately produce
enmity, open hostility and aggression,
which must result in tho destruction
of ono or more departments, and, ns
a consequence, destroy our system ol
government. Altogether, with all due
respect to the majority of the commit
tee, we cannot regard the charges
mndo against the Trosidont as a se
rious attempt to procure bis impeach
ment, without dwelling upon their tit
ter failure to point to tho commission
of a singlo act that is recognized by
the laws of ourcountry as a high crime
or misdemeanor.
The inconsistency of tho majority
ennnot fail to challongo the attention
of tho country. Acts for which Mr
Lincoln was ananimnnsly applauded
aro deemed high crimes in Mr. John
sou. For every act so gravely con
demned the President bud tbo sanc
tion and approval of his Cnhinct, and
yet whilo he is arraigned before t lie t
world fli criminal of the lwpent dyo,
thev nri not, onlv not iiniMMU'luvl. but
are recognized as eieciu! favorites of j
tho party of impeachment. Tho lnl-
tor hnvo even pone -ho tar as to ntnte '
in the panAuire of an extraordinary j
and unpreccMlented law to prevent j
the LVesidtMU from removing thesocf- boon Miltjeeted to theocrutiny of ae
ficent from the place wliich they hold. cret lar chamber, nn inquisition tin
Mr. Stanton, tho lato Secretary of ; purallclcd in iu churactvr iu tho an
War, pave his emphatic approval of nals of civilization,
the acta for which the lYeMdent i A drag net has been put to catch
arraigned nnd yet the ex-Secret ary every mttficious whinpor thronliout
in a favorito and popular martyr, and : the land, and all the vile vermin, who
tho whole country in vexed with clam-j had jro-ip or slander ton tail, liear
nr for bit rett 0r.1t ion to nower nnd ! nav or otherwise, have been ierm;t ted
place. Tho President i hold critni-
nally responsible for tbo ads of anb-ithe
oidinntcs of wliieli da di I Dot even ,
l.iiua tiiA a i.rt,ti hfttwo op knnH- .i.l
if; Hiid yu. tlioo lu-ini;iri liim to ,
triiil cn4 n stittuto ili'pnrini; him of
.11 tl.nan ania itltnr.lL I
nii vini.i.... .n.-...
nnin. ami ilmt- in ilinwwl (rnrt l tr '
of 1 ho especial iirotention of Conirross. !
The President hns used every means ,
within his power to hiing the preat
State prisoner, JetlerKon iuvm, to a
speedy triul, and yet ho hns been de
nouneod throughout the land for pro
crastinating and preventing the trial,
whilo in.! 'os and prosecuting odicers,
. n
hnvinc entire
control ot the mawr,
liave iieen deemed worlhr of the most i
honored plaudits. Were ever incon-
sistencics moro elnring nnd Inexpli-,
r.hla (li.ll I KflUI Blirl run Xt'fl llO milwl. I
un'iv umii i
DEC. 5, 1807. NEW
bly mistaken when wo nssert thai,
however honest may bo tho majority
or mo conimiiteo, tho verdict ol tl
country and posterity will bo. that
tho crimuol tho President consists not
in violations, but in refusals to violate
tho law ; in being unable t keep pace
with t,ho party of progress in their
rnpiuiy advancing movements, or to
step o jUldo of and uliovo the (
tulion in the ridininist ration of tho
government; in preferring tho Con
stitution of his country to the dicta
lion of an unscrupulous partisan ca
nal ; in during to meet tho maledic
tions of those who havo arrived at the
acuomplihmont of a most wiukud ai.d
uaugerous revolution rather than to
encounter tho reproaches of his own
conscience and tho cursos of posterity
throughout time 7 11 the subject were
not too grave und serious a ono for
mirth, some of tho grounds presented
for impeachment by the majority would
certainly ue sutlit iently amusing.
Tho President is gravely arraigned
for arraying himselj against the loyal
people of tho country in vetoing the
mim-tillcd reconstruction acts of Con
gress, when, without dwelling upon
tho constitutional right and duty of
tho J resident in the premises, Con
gress itself bus fur tho saino acts just
received tho most withering and in
dignant condemnation and rebuke of
the cntiro people from iluine to Cali
fornia. Tho impeachers, forecttiuu that
I they have boon themselves impeached.
j and that the ver dict of tho trihunul of
lust resort has already boon rendered
against them, still persist in trifling
with the peace, safety and prosperity
of the country, by precipitating upon
it this dungerous question, ut a time
so critical us this. It is wicked thus
to trifle with tbo interests of a nution,
and disregard the voice of a grout peo
ple, when spoken, as in this ease, so
einphulioully in favor of the preserva
tion of our constitutional form of gov
ernment, und tho rights and liberties
established by our Revolutionary fath
ers. Wo should not attempt to add any
thing to tho nlilo, nod as wc believe,
unanswerable argument just presented
by the Chairman of our commilteo,
upon tho law of impeachment, bad
not experience taught us tho wonder
ful diversity of human judgment and
conclusions. Wo should find it diffi
cult to believe that there could, upon
the questions submitted to us, possi
bly bo two opinions amongrandid and
intelligent men. lilind bigotry and
unbridled pnrUtfn it iu trna,
can sco no crimo in tho most merito
rious actions, and men governed by
those uuhullowed passions do not hes
itate to drag to tho slake and tho tor
ture of tlicjnquisition.ull who w ill not
conlonu to their wretched creeds and
miserable dogmas.
They substitute their own crude
and often crazy theories for truth und
justice, and under pniii ol the severest
penalties demand ull men to bow
down und worship tho idol they have
erected. That their own judgment
may be fallible, or that other men,
differing from thorn, may be equally
wise and honest with themselves, does
not occur to their minds; and they
will, without hesitation, question the
justice even of tho Almighty, if tho
ways of Providonoo do not conform
to their own crude theories.
This class of men has constituted
a considerable portion of mankind in
all ages, und in none have they !
more numerous, than in our own.
They havo furnished 1 lie bigots and
persecutors of nil times; and their
pathway through the long lino of his
tory, from it earliest dawn to the
present time, bus been msrked with
curnago and desolation. With such
men, no argument based upon the
Constitution and established laws can
havo any effect. They aro too pure
and immaculate, to bo fettered by the
restraint of constitutional or written
laws.
They are of lsw unto themselves,
and both men and gods must conform
to thoir view s and theories, and re
ceive thoir bitterest maledictions.
Hut our people will never submit to
have tlieir Chief Magistrate arraigned
for triul for offenses unknown to the
laws, and which exist only in the hoat
ed brains of bis political enemies. It
would bo a precedent disastrous in its
consequences, and subversive of our
polilicul institutions.
e cannot doubt that the evidence
herewith, thin day nuhmiltiM., will bo
roMVol with nna universal burnt of
imlinntion by tho Amoricnn people,
If ihoy retain any just pride in their
country and its institution-, they will
blush to tind that the vhief tifliVer of .
their pivernment ha for ten months
to appear and put it npon record br
tlehclation of mankind. Spie !
have leen sent over llio Inndtolienr,
hi t ni ' Li 1 1 ti c uiiifli nn.rlit hiiu ken t o? ;
rmiiio and i liarnt tor of tlic Cliicf M:-,
penile of tlio tuition. I'nw liitjod '
L-nuf wi l.livn nil-il ll.rirtnnf inn nl full, i
nlona lnl trrx Hiiil di ieii men Is. t nit . like
......... ..t...
the ii'iiis futus, rtornallv elude the
jjrap of thoir ixirKiiers and the l.ato
ever resulted only in aiding the deplo-
tlilll Ol lllO JHIIilie 1 r"aniry.
The mo"l notorious elm meter fion. '
lsftvette O. Halter. Chief of the De- ,
teetrVe force, even had the effrontery
to insult the Amerionn people bv pla-
uiiii his spios within tho very wallsof
tho I'.xeoutive mansion. Tho privacy
of the J'resident'a home, his private
life and hahils
and most secret
i thoughts, have
f llO
not, been deemed sa-
L.C AN.
TERMS-$2 per annual, in Advance.
SE1UES-V0L. 8, NO. 20.
crod or exempt from invasion.
The members of his household have
been examined, and their chief prose
cutor has not hesitated to dive into
loathsoino dungeons and consort with
convicted felons for tho purpose of ac
complishing the object of urriiigriing
tho 'resident on a chargo of infamous
crimo.
When wo consider all thoso facts,
and that the Investigation has been a
secret nnd ex part? ono ; thnt it has
been so persistent and untiring and
carried on at a time of most unparal
leled party excitement, when tho
masses ot tno dominant parly were
lushed into a wild frenzy nnd" led to
boliovo that tho President wus guilty
of treason ; when thousands all over
tho land really thought Unit it Would
bo a righteous act to get bim out of
tho way, by any moans, fair or foul :
and when he has boon hunted down
by partisan malice as no mnn was ev
er hunted down belore, it is really
wonderful that so litllobus been elici
ted tbut tends in tho slightest degree
to tarnish the fair fame of tho Presi
dent. Tho American people onghtto
Congratulate themselves, for the sake
of tbo reputation of thsir country,
that tho failure has been so emphatic
and complete.
In what we have said of the charac
ter of the evidence taken before us
and the means used to procure it, wo
must not be under stood us reflecting
the action of the committee or any
member thereof. Such nn interpreta
tion of remarks would do great injus
tice to us and to them. Whether such
latituile should have beeniriven in the
examination of witnesses we will not
now inquiro.
In an investigation before a commitee
it votild be difficult, and. perhaps, im
possible to confine the evidence to such
as would bo deemed admissible before
a court of justice. Indeed, it may be
questioned whether it would be proper
so to restrict it : and it is. perhaps.
hotter for the President that those who
were managing the prosecution from
outside, were prompted to present any
thing that tin y might call or consider
as evidence, as the world can thus tho
better comprehend how utterly desti
tute of f laudation is all the clamor
thnt Iihs been raised against hi in.
Tho first witness examined wa Gen
eral Lafuyotte C. ISaker, Intc chief of
the Detective Police, and although ex
amined on oath, that again und on
various occasions, it is doubtful wheth
er ho has in any one thing told the
truth, even by accident. In every iin-
(ol'l.tiit Mntotncnt he is culllrudlClCd
ly witnesses of unquestioned credibil
ity, and there can bo no doubt, thnt to
many previous outrages, entitling bim
to an unenviable immortality, he lias
added that of wilful perjury. Wc are
ghid to know that no one member of(
the commit tc deemed any statement
made by him as worthy of tho slight-j
est credit. What ablush of 'sharnjj
will tingle tho chock of tho American j
student in future ages, when be reads
bow this miserable wr etch for years
held, as it were, in the hollow of his
hand, tho liberties of tho American
people ; that clothed with power by a
reckless administration, and with his
hordes of unprincipled tools and spies J
penetrating the land every where, with(
uncounted thousands of the people's
money placed in his bands for bis vile
purposes that creature not only had
IiiiJ tho power to arrest without crime
or writ, und impri-ori without limit,
any citizen of tho Republic, but that
he actually did so ninV. th?!sndsall
over this land and tilled tho prisons ull
over the country with the victims of
bis malice or tbut of bis master.
This whole system, such nn outrage
upon the Constitution and every prin
ciple of Iroo government, anli Anieri
cm and auti republican, b.is, with its
originators nnd supporters, thank God,
been damned to eternal infamy ; and
it is pleasant to reflect that not only
the system but its unscrupulous agent,
will go down to posterity loaded with
infumy an followed by the curses of
millions.
It sometime happens that the ad
ministration of the most dangerous us-
itttiuti,n ia ,lu.ft,l l.i tlin li n n.l a mnn t
l "v " I " " '
so respectable for churactcr and talent
as to disarm suspicion, and conciliate
even those whoso liberties aro endan
gered. Wo havo reason to be thank
lul to an ever-kind and merciful Prov
donco, that the worst Mature of tho
worst despotism, when tho attempt
was made, in an unhappy hour, to
IruniliiMt it to our !Voc American noil,
was placed, for its ndmitralion, in tli
hands of a class ol men so destitute of
manhood nnd character to arouse
tbo undying ooi n of tho entire people;
and as these infamous outrages were j
not Kirnrf ioiid I'V nnv tiroooilcnt in i
onr own country, it is liopod nnd lip-
IHl I" VI III 411. I IU n MNH'UI, IIH1PMI.il
out it 1 1 time, lie deemed wurlliy of imi
tation. It is not onr jmrjiosc now tn nt
temiit nn nnnlviiis of disc ussion of the
'evidence taken liefuro us, or to point
out tlio pross nliMirdities nnd itieonit
!cnev of n Very lare portion of it. It
will te reai ami Oe connuieren it tne
American pwple, and we cannot donbt
tiHl incir vcniiei win uo w ikmi iin?i
wim tiaro noon ancmmui: to io:ii wun
(tiriKO nnd inl.imy tlio ( lnoi JUil'H.
tmio of our country, (.tiu'.l stutan il
Iliril'J in lllP ntlt Vllllf KlOin HO 1 tl t i i -
tuition ol a crent lieoliie.
- r.
lie, alter passing tlinuic;li tins liery
ordeal, wc have no hesitutmn in pi e
dieting, will liave, and rct.n, nil over
mo laim. rvu n- leniui e.Mum iiiuii
heretofore, the respect and confidence
of his countrymen
(Signed)
R. S. M HAM
C. A. F.i.iiitiluiK.
Cleveland wants the lomooratic
National Convention to meet '.here,
and ofTem to build a grand temple Pr
the occasion
elU O'f.tillflrt VfimMkan.
H J! m"T fttrw vn i irfii ..... M
If tnil fcfift ihr c m'Mtn f ail ... I f
T'nm nil t-rlit" rm nift, f r qir of It Ntti t
!. S 1 1 rr li-a , t
fn i rk mjWquntit )nrrip M
A'lwi.etnti'.r' nd teenier' noltftjft t
An ti(fht' ti"tt--c M M ,
Cniilii'in tnd 1-tlrnTe.
ttiafloliiftoti imli'M't t , , (H)
ivwul notivB. t line )h
il' tliiiiry ititli.-c, (Mr ttrt lint-, pr tin. It
I'rtMiMMrtnJ Car lg, I ;fr ft 00
YURI r JtKVfr HTlltltHKMft.
I nun ft I'd I milium IS ft
1 .tit IS (Hi I 4 column.. 40 fn
(Hjiitm ?! Oft I 1 rolii tad- 74 Vt
Job Uuik.
m ki.
Pitiprf ntrf $J :.o I 6 quirft,ftrqairjl t
3 uircA,iiT quire, I Out fl, j'r $uir.. I t
IU(t'H!l 1. ft.
k Wt, t5 or Icm, 1 Mil hrt, 14 or m,U &0
i h !, 26 or Ji , i fri' I l 35 or tat, to
Over I ul 'cch of ttt.uTf ti mi"rti'natc rttcj.
UY.V. H. 4MOi'J.A NlikK,
K'ittor aiitl Proprietor.
Triennial Assessment Appeals.
"OTR'K i faervhy girra that tl.t ComtnlMiftn.
X 1 cr t Oar tic l. count-, pi., will meet at ike
following pUffn. itt tir a. ni., of each dar nuneJ,
fur the pHTpoat of bearing appeals frvia Uie Ul
en n 11 wMscrnirul, to tit ;
Y'tr tbfl townplnp of Giiriien, at Phawrrill
avhoul house, on MiUt, Nov amber tj, tt(t7.
t'ttr tlic town-hip of (iirard, at Conjrr-M Hill
avbool houMu, on ? urtditr, November It, 1967.
A or tite townabip of Coving-tun, at the heu of
Jffob Muurrr, on WfwtnrmtNy, November 27,167.
jror the inmhir ef Kartastts, at the hou-e ef '
II. J. Jiuym-t, uu iburnUj, iNovtriitbcr 2s, Ji7.
For the townihip of Morris, at the boas form,
erly aerupird hy J. V. fieleuu, an Indrnj, Movem
Irf 2'J, ln.r.
For the trwahip of Graham, at the hows of
Jncub Hullcr, 00 hAtaniay, November 50, 1&67.
For the township of brad ford, at the boats Of
Jamb Tcarce, un Monday, L roe tuber 2, 167.
For the township of huggs, at the house of Ed
ward AlWrt, ad 'J uepday, boovmber S, leCT.
For the loruub of Otueola, at the bouse of MHo
Ilovt, on Wedbi-tfriny, -ecmWr 4t 1M7.
For the township of lecatur, at l eatre aefaaol
hou.e, od ThuriO', i)eorinber 6, 167.
For the ttiwiirljip of Woodward, an the fatrase of
Thomas Jioodersou, on Friday, Ieueoibr t, 1M7.
For the townitup ot (iulicb, at Uie school house
in .Uncrvillc, on Haturdnr, leoetubr 7, lHf7.
For the towosbip of Jteocsns, at tit faoase of
IUmel I'aulhauiu, in (ilea Hope, on MondaT,
iJimrmbar V, lMn7. ' '
For the timtmbin of Knox, at Ames' school
bouite, on Tucfcdav, IeeruiUer 10, 1 567-
l at the horougii ef Clearfield, at the Coremis
sionrrs uffiae, on Tursdny, I'ceembr 31, 1M7.
For the townfbm of JordffQ.at the school hmm .
In AwtoiiYille, on Wedm-Mhiy, ieeuinber 11,1C7.
For tbetowncbiitof Ft-rffueon, at thr honae form
erly oocupird by John (Jrrgary, on Thursday, Is
stmlier U, IftbJ.
For the township of Chest, at the school honse
ae;tr iinon Koreb&njrh'e,ai Knday, leeembsr i,
lm.7.
For the buroHph of Kew TTanhinfrton, at tha
school house, on ooturday, Iiecember 14, 1K6T.
Fur the tnwnsbip of Burn tide, at the election .
aiuft, on Jkloudart ltwecuber 16, 167.
F r the tnwuahip of Hell, at the election novas,
on Tuesday, lH-ceuiber 17, lt67.
I'or the borough of LambfT City, at the puUie
bnur of James Curry, on Wednesday, looeiubar
H, 107.
Fur the township of Pcnn, at the house of S. C.
Hepburn, on Thursday, Itaormher 1. 1H67.
i or the fwnhip of Pike, at the bouse of Leah
3 loom, in Curwmsvillr, on Fndev, leomber JO,
lr-67.
For ths borough of Curwensrilie, at the house of
Leah Illoom, on Saturday, lteeember 21, 1867.
For the township of Hlom, at the bouse of
Alfr'-rn IIMt-n, on ilonday, loenoher 33, 1H67.
F or the tnwnsbip of Hrady, at ths house of Win.
Sihwrtn, Sen n Tuf-lay, ljemtier 2t, 17.
F"r the townr-hip of l utoa.at the nous of lton
iel Hrubaaer, on Wednesday, leoewbr 2a, 167.
Yrr tho towcMp of Fo, at the bout of John
I. niin.lv, nn Thrdy, Deoemher 20, 1867.
For the lownsbipof iiuntou, at the b"wof Tn.
Woodward, on Friday, leceuiber 27, 167.
For tli tow d 'hip of Lawrrace, at the Commis
sioners' office, on Monday, lterember Su, ISM.
An app-al from thr valuation of unwated lands
will be held al the Commissioners' ofhre, oa Tana
dar. U'mImuJ.; 'mil Thnier. (ke Stk. htW mJ
6th days of February, A. I. Is tit, at which timo
all per mi mil pitas attend, ns no appeal can us
taken aftrr that date.
By order of the Hoard of Commtsslonm.
nnv 1 4 t WM. H. liHAMKV, Clerk.
Sheriffs Sale.
1)Y Tirtno of a wr!t of AL Lrcon Fan am, is-
sued out of the Court of Common Pleas of
Uewrueld county, and to mo directed, there Will
be e 1 posed to public sale, at the Court House,
In the borough of Clearfield, on M or day, tho
? :d day of December, 167, at 1 o'elack, p.
the following described Real Estate, to witi
All those certain two treete or pieeo of tan 4
situate in Clesraeld eouoty.ene of them snrvsTed
in purruancs of a warrant prmnted to John Buy.
rr, daied the lAth day of May, A. l. 17V, hs
inoinjc at a post, thenec hy Nicholson's surrey,
south 3k dojrrees west JrtO perches, to posi;
thfuee by laud ef hathaaiel Dosaid, south 40
degrees east 2i0 perrhss, to portj thsnne by
recant land, north 3P decrees east S perebei, to
post j and the nee by Christian Wetting's land,
norib 4l drfrees west 2hu perebes, to ths plaeo
nf bepioninft, oontalwinc four hundred and
thirty-nins tores nnd elevso perch si nnd allow
anne, be ths sains more or Ices.
And the other surreyed on a warrnnt gran ted
to Nathaniel Donaid, dated the lftth day of May,
A. h. KV.1, befrinnicfrat a post, thence by Nich.
oison '1 surrey, snath 31 de west JfiO porch
os, to a pout ; thence by land of John binghurst,
enM es 180 perebes, to n pst t
theneo by vacant land, north aos;rM irt
perebes, to post; and then re by Land of John
liayor, north 40 defrroee west JM perebss, to tho
place of beginnius;, oontauiing four hundred and
thirty nine aerei aad eleven perebes and allow,
ance. be tho same more or less. Seised, taken
in eieeation, and to ho sold as tho property of
Lewis Jamison and Lnren A. Knt worth.
-oT'lliddert will Uks notiec that 16 peroont.
of the purehaso money must bo paid whom th
property is knocked down, or It will be put np
again for uie. JACOB A. FAt'ST,
f Hsairr't Ornrn, 1 Sharif
Clearflsld, Fa , Nor. II, 1S7. f
rpR AVI RSK drawn for Aijonrtie4
1 Court, oummrnoing on tho fourth Monday
i a.ll of fNTembr wit :
Joan B. I'll Ion, Keener. a, Ktiiah Kecso, Iratnrf
Angur Mi Hit, ltcll.i Andrew hepbart.
.lames Pniitrherty, "
AljT'-nirtn Hi.ltlfH. Hlimm
Jacob iVarre, lralfird.
Hand Liia, "
Kdward I 'nle
.I K Mulholland, Ttrady.
Andrew Knarr, "
llnirt !( tw.rhi.ff "
ESatn'l HrU kit v. Ituni'ide
.liDt ph li. NrlT, M
Samuel W itliams. "
. ( . Kitrhen, ( ht,
J. I. Mutann.Cnriiir'on.
1.. hennmf. ClearfliUl.
K.K.UStomrbton, "
Itenj. F. llMMimo, Cur
wennville.
A dem Sparkuse&.tJirard,
Kir hard Umm, Huston,
tleo. Pattereon, Jordaat
Wm.M. Harobbeld, "
Ctirad IHiom. Knoi,
W. C. foUre, Lawreaoe,
W. P. J ulton,
Ki.bcrt Ardwy, Morris,
irrrr Heams,
dunlin liiUn.
.Inmrx VrsthjNfW Wash
inrtoa,
( atherman, Oftceola,
tlen. C. Paiiftaor, Peau,
Kirh'd lanrer, jr "
Aba, f Mioom. fika,
Isaac Korris,
)
k r MC nTI C 4 1. M V C Till. Inrml-
nl.lt pal-ltcaMfin if fnr.l ftl tht office, it
it lrt in the hftn.l. nf rrr llemnrrwt. It
wintHin. full rli-eliim n'tiim? frp ftll W 8ljit
In-. i. Irt. th nuinlxir Kr IHf.ft onnUinl m coaiplrlt
hl l (hi- immoi i: M Ihp .wiiprr MtpprrnsMl
null mr.liht'4 dnnnc l.iMNiln't dinlnltnitiao: ftn4
ttmt for lliT eiinlKitm the psniii of all IbiiM. eii il
itni Iiiiwctt impfisi.ririt rlurlnc (hf BMn mtIiA.
1 rifr tmi lint, fur fyr ntmmm, T want)
ib.tt Itirni thr prrr f thf jiuhlientioi. Any fins
mi'linc v HOT nn will rffHiiTe I.t rvhirsj wsil
efiir In nftpli rssr, fe "f pnMjj. U.
VDMISISITR AT1IH1I NOTK K-Nntio. .
it hrrfl.y piviin lhs4 IfTlrnnif Alniini.trfttiuB
mi Uie ili nf P. IIARHP.H, ilrmisMl. Is" ot
lirs.llnr.l lowmliip, t'rfsiriifli fwisntif, l.tMirtnc
liwn (i'll.T prmili-il to tlir nri'lrnnpniiii, ftll pursoni
ir.lrliti-i-l li' ssiil nrtstn srlll filrsisf tn.lt. r-aTtasnt,
suit lhie list ing rlwiin. nr dtirosnrl will prvaest
Ibi-m iirnrtTlr nu'li-ntirsir.l f.ir .plilornrini.
All nnlrs and nmik snrnnal hrw hm Isft wltll
Vt. 1. 11. Hnrnrfr, sbni. .li-..iilifMt(isilll lbrstat
f .1 ui. K AC11FI, A. P A 110 Kit.
nni7-At-pil A4miniu-striB, ,
Notice.
TWot l.b Iwri-liT lutsrm Uc ili(ni nf fkil
i.'initj, and tin' y.iilili' ffinsmlly, llial 1 har
.urrhad tlir li II 1ST MILL, nhrats in
villain. "I Vw Mi!lir(, ftrd kainf tlti4l ths
miiih, am nns n panni to rlo a fnod wiirti ft. ran
lw dutir in ttnii-'uii'lT. ('UBtismnl will nlfa tva)
mi: ft Inai, ftnJ tent bit papacilr in t htf parlirular. .
joiin rox.
Nrw II Itpnrt. Kot. 14. ISU llft
lir sM I.lt aiMI.IHMl im( irilncl
al aur alora. r l'hilipufj, for whitk
Iha hichett na.S fiira wiH Ka paid
j- a. w. w. m a ro. -
s
if i
;1
: i-i
(iiaBIWBCTI'''K"