History of the Impeachment of Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, by the House of Representatives, and his trial by the Senate for high crimes and misdemeanors in office, 1868Ross, Edmund G. (Edmund Gibson)
History
History of the Impeachment of Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, by the House of Representatives, and his trial by the Senate for high crimes and misdemeanors in office, 1868
Ross, Edmund G. (Edmund Gibson)
Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875 -- Impeachment
I maintain that the President of the United States is in duty bound
to test the legality of every law which he thinks interferes with his
rights and powers as the Chief Magistrate of this nation. Whenever he
has powers conferred upon him by the Constitution of the United States,
and an act of Congress undertakes to deprive him of those powers, or any
of them, he would be false to his trust as the Chief Executive of this
nation, false to the interests of the people whom he represents, if he
did not by every means in his power seek to test the constitutionality
of that law, and to take whatever steps were necessary and proper to
have it tested by the highest tribunal in the land, and to ascertain
whether he has a right under the Constitution to do what he claims the
right to do, or whether Congress has the right to deprive him of the
powers which he claims have been vested in him by the Constitution of
the United States, and that is all that he proposes to do in this case.
* * *
Mr. Logan, (Rep. of Ills.) Now, Mr. Speaker, let us examine this
question for a moment. It seems to me very plain and easy of solution.
It is not necessary, in order to decide whether this action of the
President of the United States comes within the purview and meaning of
this statute, for us to talk about revolutions or what this man or that
man has said or decided. What has been the act of the President is the
question. The law is plain. If the President shall appoint or shall give
a letter of authority or issue a commission to any person, without the
consent of the Senate, he is guilty of--what? The law says of a high
misdemeanor. And, under and by virtue of the Constitution, the President
can be impeached--for what? For high crimes or misdemeanors. This law
declares the issuing a commission to, or giving a letter of authority
to, or appointing to or removing from office, any person, without the
advice and consent of the Senate of the United States, shall be a high
misdemeanor, which is within the meaning and within the pale of the
Constitution of the United States.
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