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history of the impeachment of andrew johnson-第27章

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 said design and intent; openly and publicly; and before divers assemblages of the citizens of the United States; convened in divers parts thereof to meet and receive said Andrew Johnson as the Chief Magistrate of the United States; did; on the eighteenth day of August; in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty…six; and on divers other days and times; as well before as afterward; make and deliver; with a loud voice; certain intemperate; inflammatory; and scandalous harangues; and did therein utter loud threats and bitter menaces。 as well against Congress as the laws of the United States duly enacted thereby; amid the cries; jeer; and laughter of the multitudes then assembled and in hearing。

ARTICLE XI。

That said Andrew Johnson; President of the United States; unmindful of the high duties of his office; and of his oath of offce; and in disregard of the Constitution and laws of the United States; did; heretofore; to wit; on the eighteenth day of August; A。 D。 eighteen hundred and sixty…six; at the City of Washington; and the District of Columbia; by public speech; declare and affirm; in substance; that the thirty…ninth Congress of the United States was not a Congress of the United States authorized by the Constitution to exercise legislative power under the same。 but; on the contrary; was a Congress of only part of the States; thereby denying; and intending to deny; that the legislation of said Congress was valid or obligatory upon him; the said Andrew Johnson; except in so far as he saw fit to approve the same; and also thereby denying; and intending to deny; the power of the said thirty…ninth Congress to 。propose amendments to the Constitution of the United States; and; in pursuance of said declaration; the said Andrew Johnson; President of the United States; afterwards; to…wit; on the twenty first day of February; A。 D。 eighteen hundred and sixty…eight; at the city of Washington; in the District of Columbia; did; unlawfully; and in disregard of the requirements of the Constitution that he should take care that the laws be faithfully executed; attempt to prevent the execution of an act entitled 〃An act regulating the tenure of certain civil offices;〃 passed March second; eighteen hundred and sixty…seven; by unlawfully devising and contriving; and attempting to devise and contrive means by which he should prevent Edwin M。 Stanton from forthwith resuming the functions of the office of Secretary for the Department of War; notwithstanding the refusal of the Senate to concur in the suspension theretofore made by said Andrew Johnson of said Edwin M。 Stanton from said office of Secretary for the Department of War; and; also; by further unlawfully devising and contriving; and attempting to devise and contrive means; then and there; to prevent the execution of an act entitled 〃An act making appropriations for the support of the army for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth; eighteen hundred and sixty…eight; and for other purposes;〃 approved March second; eighteen hundred and sixty…seven; and also; to prevent the execution of an act entitled 〃An act to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel States;〃 passed March second; eighteen hundred and sixty…seven; whereby the said Andrew Johnson; President of the United States; did then; to wit; on the twentyfirst day of February; A。 D。 eighteen hundred and sixty…eight; at the city of Washington; commit; and was guilty of; a high misdemeanor in office。

Schuyler Colfax; Speaker of the House of Representatives。 Attest: Edward McPherson; Clerk of the House of Representatives。


At the conclusion of the reading of the Articles of Impeachment; the President of the Senate responded that 〃the Senate will take order upon the subject of impeachment; of which proper notice will be given to the House of Representatives。〃

In addition to the Speaker and Managers; a large number of the members of the House of Representatives were present to witness the extraordinary and impressive proceedings; and at its close all withdrew and the Senate resumed the routine business of the day's session。

On Monday; March 23rd; 1868; the President; by his attorneys; appeared at the bar of the Senate and made answer to the several Articles of Impeachment; as follows:

(Answer to only the 1st; 2nd; 3rd; and 11th Articles; are here given; as the 2nd; 3rd and 11th were the only Articles put to voteall others being abandoned; and as the 1st Article; though never put to vote; contained practically all there was of the impeachment。)

ANSWER TO ARTICLE I。

For answer to the first article he said: That Edwin M。 Stanton was appointed Secretary for the Department of War on the 15th day of January; A。 D。 1862; by Abraham Lincoln; then President of the United States; during the first term of his presidency; and was commissioned; according to the Constitution and laws of the United States; to hold the said office during the pleasure of the President; that the office of Secretary for the Department of War was created by an act of the first Congress in its first session; passed on the 7th day of August; A。D。 1789; and in and by that act it was provided and enacted that the said Secretary for the Department of War shall perform and execute such duties as shall from time to time be enjoined on and intrusted to him by the President of the United States; agreeably to the Constitution; relative to the subjects within the scope of said department; and furthermore; that the Secretary shall conduct the business of the said department in such a manner as the President of the United States shall; from time to time; order and instruct。

And this respondent further answering; says that by force of the act aforesaid and by reason of his appointment aforesaid the said Stanton became the principal officer in one of the executive departments of the government within the true; intent and meaning of the second section of the second article of the Constitution of the United States; and according to the true intent and meaning of that provision of the Constitution of the United States: and; in accordance with the settled and uniform practice of each and every President of the United States; the said Stanton then became; and so long as he should continue to hold the said office of Secretary for the Department of War must continue to be; one of the advisers of the President of the United States; as well as the person intrusted to act for and represent the President in matters enjoined upon him or entrusted to him by the President touching the department aforesaid; and for whose conduct in such capacity; subordinate to the President; the President is; by the Constitution and laws of the United States; made responsible。

And this respondent; further answering; says he succeeded to the office of President of the United States upon; and by reason of; the death of Abraham Lincoln; then President of the United States; on the 13th day of April; 1865; and the said Stanton was then holding the said office of Secretary for the Department of War under and by reason of the appointment and commission aforesaid; and; not having been removed from the said office by this respondent; the said Stanton continued to hold the same under the appointment and commission aforesaid; at the pleasure of the President; until the time hereinafter particularly mentioned: and at no time received any appointment or commission save as above detailed。

And this repondent; further answering; says that on and prior to the 5th day of August; A。 D。 1867; this respondent; the President of the United States。 responsible for the conduct of the Secretary for the Department of War; and having the constitutional right to resort to and rely upon the person holding that office for advice concerning the great and difficult public duties enjoined on the President by the Constitution and laws of the United States; became satisfied that he could not allow the said Stanton to continue to hold the office of Secretary for the Department of War without hazard of the public interest; that the relations between the said Stanton and the President no longer permitted the President to resort to him for advice; or to be; in the judgment of the President; safely responsible for his conduct of the affairs of the Department of War; as by law required; in accordance with the orders and instructions of the President; and thereupon; by force of the Constitution and laws of the United States; which devolve on the President the power and the duty to control the conduct of the business of that executive department of the government; and by reason of the constitutional duty of the President to take care that the laws be faithfully executed; this respondent did necessarily consider and did determine that the said Stanton ought no longer to hold the said office of Secretary for the Department of War。 And this respondent; by virtue of the power and authority vested in him as President of the United States by the Constitution and laws of the United States; to give effect to such his decision and determination; did; on the 5th day of August; A。 D。 1867; address to the said Stanton a note; of which the following is a true copy:

Sir:Public considerations of a high character constrain me
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