Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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COLUMBIA. Thursday Jot?iii*, Feb. 27,1868. Tit? Troubles Im Washington. Naturally, much interest has been excited in the publie mind by the events transpiring at Washington in connection with the order of the President for the removal of Mr. Stanton from the Department of War and the appointment of Gen. Thomas as Secretary of War ad interim. A good deal of excitement has ensued on the subjeot-more, perhaps, than is justified by. the step taken-and the action of the President has been seized upon with avidity by the dominant party in Congress to revive the heretofore twioe buried impeach? ment measure, with a view to rush? ing it through in the most summary manner possible. The Baltimore Sun suggests that the steps taken by the President might have been with . view of bringing to the test the constitutionality of the tenure of office Jaw, which he hos always held to conflict with the Constitution of the United States, and which he, as it directly applies to the Executive, seems to have felt it incumbent ou him to test. As was set forth in the veto message of the tenure of office bill, the question of the power of the President to remove any of the civil officers whose terms of service are not limited by law, without the con? sent of the Senate, is by no means u new one, and the principle that ho may do so, the President holds, has been distinctly declared by judicial authority, and uniformly practiced apon by the legislative and executive departments of the Government. The legislative construction of the Constitution on this subject has been acquiesced iu and acted upon down to the time of the passage of the tenure of office bill, and the Presi? dent, in the step he has taken, has executed no coup d'etat and no act of revolution or violence, but simply resorted to a mode, out of several perhaps, of having the constitutional question legally adjustod by the civil tribunals-a privilege which every individual who conceives himself wronged under a statute may claim and exorcise in legitimate form, ac? cording to circumstances. Theuctiou of tho President has led to the pro? ceeding which Mr. Stanton has taken in causing the arrest, on a civil war? rant, of Gen. Thomas, and his ar? raignment nt tho bar of tho Supreme Court of tho District of Columbia, on tho charge of a high misdemeanor, in having, as is alleged, "unlawfully accepted" the office of Secretary of War, nqd "unlawfully" holding and exercising tho said office, contrary to the provisions of the civil ton ure of office Act. lu the affidavit on which the warrant of uriest was issued, Mr. Stanton puts forth the claim that he "legally holds" the office of Secretary of War, that the order of his re? moval from that office is "wholly illegal and void," and that tho ap? pointment of Genoral Thomas "is wholly unauthorized and illogal." Thus the question is brought in this form before the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia. The 5th section of the civil service act, under which General Thomas has been arrested, provides that any poraon accepting or holding un office contrary to the provisions of tho Act shall be declared guilty of a high misdemeanor, and, upon conviction, bo punishable by a fine not exceed? ing $10,000, or by imprisonment not exceeding fivo years, or by both pun? ishments, in the discretion of the court. General Thomas was bailed to appear yesterday, for a prelim? inary hearing, before the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, but iu viow of the proceedings to be instituted by quo warranto to obtain B> decision in the . Supremo Court of the jjnited SUtea-of the legal ques? tions' involved, the status of the case may bo considered quito different from what it then -was. Thg> 6th sec? tion of the civil tenure Act declares the exercise of the appointing power in violation of the provisions of the law a high misdemeanor, punishable by the same penalties prescribed above for those accepting each ap? pointments. While this ia the legal penalty of this Act, Congress pro? poses to inflict npon the President a different penalty nnd in a different court from that which the Act pre? scribes, by dragging him before the Senate for a trial on impeachment, a proceeding evidently partizan and high-handed-such as ought to pro? voke the indignant condemnation of the whole country, for it is but the imperiling of the vital interests of all by political agitation for purely par? tizan purposes. It is not one section more than another that is interested in the suppression of these desperate resorts of politicians for the perpe? tuation of their party power, destroy? ing and unsettling values, disturbing business and interrupting and de? pressing all the practical employ? ments of the people. But the Sun and other conservative papers at the North have faith that the good sense of the people everywhere will vin? dicate itself on this, as on other occa? sions, against the machinations of desperate would-be leaders. The Houses of Representatives hav? ing passed a resolution impeaching the President of the United States of high crimes and misdemeanors, the Richmond Dispatch gives the follow? ing as the probable programme of tho proceedings : "The Chief Justice of the United States will preside upon the trial, just as in the British House of Lords the Lord Chancellor of England pre? sides npon similar occasions. All the Senators are required to take an oath (or to affirm) that thoy will 'well and truly try and true deliverance make,' &c. The case will be con? ducted on the part of the prosecu? tion by managers to be appointed by the House of Representatives, and on the part of the President by coun? sel of his own choosing. Mr. Stan bery, Mr. O'Conor and Judge Black, are said to have been engaged by the President. The House of Repre? sentatives will select ns many mana? gers as it jdeases, and will probably, ns a compliment, select Mr. Stevens as their chief manager. Tho num? ber will probably bo less than half a dozen. Tho Constitution provides that punishment in eases of impeach? ment shall not extend further than removal from oflice, nnd disqualifica? tion to hold any office under the Go? vernment. It requires tho concur? rence of two-thirds of the Senators present to do even this. "The Senute sits ns a court, and may as a court make some order which will virtually suspend the Pre? sident during trial. The Scnato do liberates with closed doors, but the judgment is given with open doors. "No President of the United States has ever before been impeached, and therefore the Chief Justioo has never beforo presided over the Senate, since ho does so only in such case: "It may require weeks or months to complete tho trial. All depends upon the temper of tho Senate." Th 3 reader will do well to remem? ber that Gen. Thomas was appointed Secretary of War ad interim, and thut Mr. Ewing is nominated for Sec retary of War. There is no conflict botwoen the appointments. Speaking of tho political move? ments in New York State, the Now York Herald says: "The town elec? tions thus for in this State havt shown Democratic gains ovor tho 50,000 majority in 18G7. Wo Lave already given tho results in tho Coun? ties where elootions have thus far been held this yoar. These Conntief represent different sections of thc State, showing that the Democratic gains cannot be ascribed to local causes." A man who always warrants hil work-the sheriff. VIEW? OP TH? PRKSB.-Tho New York Tribune, reft*rtbg to the im? peachment of President Johnson, says: . "There ia no avoiding this conclu? sion-no explaining it away-no mid? dle course. Congress raufet asBumo the responsibility of impeaching him. Not to do so, in the face of this flagrant and insolent proceeding, is to become partner in the crime. It is no time to consider party influence of impeachment, or its effect upon Presidential candidates. We would rather see the Republican party, can? didates and all, driven to the deserts of Arabia, than to have them trem? ble one mon ent in the presence of this high duty. "We believe the impeachment, conviction and removal of Andrew Johnson, would work an important revolution in the future conduct of Presidents who might, be disposed to usurp the powers of Congress; to violate laws; to join hands with trai? tors in the oppression of the weak; to sell their appointments and par? dons to the most worthless and aban? doned characters; and to seek syste? matically either to coerce Congress into doing their will or to defeat thc execution of the laws when passed, The impeachment and removal ol Androw Johnson would not onbj remove all obstacles to the executior of the laws, bul. would operate as ar I example to secure the country to al future time aguinst Presidential des potism." The Herald thinks, notwithstand ing all the excitement in Washingtoi and throughout the country, on ac count of tho events of tho past fev days, there need be little apprehen sion that the conflict of authority a the capital will result in anything bu a mere legal struggle, and says: "The conflict between the Exeou tive and Congress has become ver; exciting. Under that our republicai institutions and the Government ar undergoing a strain snch as they hav never been subjected to before. . W are in a condition when a spar' might create a conflagration through out the whole country. There is th most bitter and determined war bc tween the Executive and Congre? Where lies the responsibility for thi deplorable state of things? Ur donbtedly in our Jacobin radici Congress. For party purposes alone and to perpetuate their politic' power, they are abolishing as fast c they can the constitutional powei and rights of the President. If w had not the examples in history c the insane violence of extreme polit cal parties, such a state of thing would seem incredible in this repul lie. A party that endeavors to mail tain its power by destroying tl: Executive, by violnting tho Constiti tion, and through the support of tl barbarous negroes, has reached tl climax of folly and tyranny, and bound to destruction." "Thc conflict of authority sugges tho question, who is really Comma: der-in-Chief of the army of tl United ?States-who has any nutho ity over tho officers in command tho different departments? Som body must issue orders, and the orders must bo obeyed. Accordii to tl e Constitution under which A were supposed to live, tho Preside of the United States was Commn der-in-Chief of the army and nav Tho Executive was always so regard and always exercised tho privileges bis office in that respect. Now, ho over, the President is ruled out ai pronounced to havono constitutioi rights whatsoever. Who, then, Commander-in-Chief? Grant, Sin man, Lorenzo Thomas, Stanton, Bc Wade, Schuyler Colfax, Old Thc Stoveus, Bingham, of Ohio, or wh It is a matter of some interest to t country to know in reaiiy command of the army, and, for 1 matter of that, who is President." Of course, Forney's papers, i Press and tho Chronicle, aro wrong np into the most hideous fret about affairs at Washington. "I drew Johnson, by the wrath of G President," is charged with plotti wor and conspiring bloody murd besido being guilty of treason a every other crime; and theroupon I threatenings and fury of the t papers reach a pitch that is alto ther frightful. Tho livery stables 619 Sixth avoni New York, were destroyod by i yesterday morning, and twenty-th horses consumod. THB NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CON VENTION.-Tho Notional Democratic Oommitteo hold n meeting in Wash? ington, on Saturday, 22cl inst., Hon. August Belmont, of New York, pre? siding. No distinction whatever was made in the committee between members from loyal and so-called rebel States, and the representatives ?D the National Convention aro to consist of twice the number of Congressional representatives to which eaoh State is entitled by the last apportionment. La this resolution no allusion is made to excluded States. Eight States were not represented in the Convention, viz: California, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Louisiana, Virginia, Rhode Island and New Jersey. After considerable debate, the committee agreed upon the city of New York as the place for holding the Presidential Nominating Convention, and the fourth of July as the time. The only other action taken was an agree? ment to give this annonncement, ac? companied by an earnest invitation to all tho opponents of radicalism to unite in this movement to select anti-radical candidates for the Presi? dency and Vice-Presidency of the United States. The proceedings wore harmonious, and the result, it is understood, meets the almost una? nimous approval of the members of the committee. The proposition brought forward by petition in tho Senate, the other day, by Mr. Sumner, to abolish the Presidency and commit the Executive Department of the Government to a Commission appointed by Congress, is advocated in some journals in the West. It is rather a significant straw, showing the direction of what claims to be the progressive current of public sentiment. It proposes substantially the same kind of De? mocratic government which was adopted during the French Revolu? tion, when the Directory, appointed by tho Convention, wielded the ex? ecutive power of the nation. It is a little curious, though perfectly natural, the New York Times thinks, that the ultra radicals of the present day find all their models for an im? proved government, in the worst days of the worst government that ever existed. No progress, it seem1?, has been made in the matter of go? vernment by this country or anj other si nco t he French Roigu oj Terror. -?-??- ? ' ? BANKRUPTCY.-The followiug ia H ?ist of those who havo filed petitions for the benefit of tho Bankrupt Act in Newberry: Thad. S. Duncan Marshall it Brother, Peter Hair, Jus Y. McFall, R. V. Gist, L Herbert John W. Rhodes, Henry Summer A. M. Wicker, Drayton J. Living ston, W. H. Jones, Levi Livingston J. C. S. Brown, Noah E. Rhodes Henry Stone. _ ALMOST A FATAL ACCIDENT IN TIC HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.-Mud excitemeut and alarm wore produced this afternoon in the House of Rep resentatives, by the breaking of om of tho thick heavy plates of glass ii tho roof, tho gas-lighter having slip ped and falling upon it while in tin discharge of his duty. He caugh himself by the iron frame, thus pre venting hi? falling to tho floor. J R. GrTnnell, of Iowa, formerly i member of the House, was standiu; under tho glass at the time, receivini tho wolcome of his friends, and heat ing tho crash, threw np his hands which saved his head from in jury; his right hand was badly cu by a large fragment of the glass, bu not dangerously. Mr. Price, o Iowa, was also struck by a piece c glass, but he was not injured. Som time elapsod before thc business c the House was resumed. I Wash. Cor. New York Herald, 22d. England seems to bo thoroughl frightened by the Feuiaus. Th English Government has determine to fortify all its police stations, au has begun with those of Londoi which aro uow provided with bullo proof iron shutters, aud stocked wit small arms and ammunition. .f Iiooal .-.teTna. UNrvKBsrrr OJ? SOUTH CAROLINA. In consequence of the un favorable state of the weather, the next lecture will be delivered on Thursday next, the 6th of March, by Prof. Hivers. Subject: "The connection of Epic Poems with the history of the times in which they were produced, illus? trated from Homer, Yirgil, Tusso aud Milton.",., MAGIC FEED.-A hog was pur? chased by Mr. Lee, the superinten? dent of the penitentiary, thirteen days ago, and in, that time the animal bas gained twenty-four pounds. If Mr. Lee's prisoners increase in the same proportion, he will soon be compelled to enlarge his cells. NEEDS RECONSTRUCTION.-The weather, as well as the State, needs reconstruction badly. For several days there has been a surfeit of rain, cold and slush, which j according to the prophecy of a learned pundit, will likely culminate in an earth- fl quake, or some other equally terrible fl event to-day-the 27th of February; fl although another equally learned, fl puts off the affair until the 27th of I March. DEATH OP A FAVORITE ACTRESS.- fl The New York papers announce tho fl death on the 22d instant, of a talent-1 ed comic actress, Mary Gannon, fl Twenty-seven years ago, she was re-fl garded one of the most fascinating H danseuses then on the stage. She fl pirouetted in Columbia for severalfl seasons, completely turning the headsfl of the young men. While exhibit-H ing her skill in horsemanship, in ourfl streets, she was thrown and veryfl severely injured, and the'night efl her re-appearance the old theatre wasfl jammed, and Mary was repeated lyfl called before the curtain to receivefl the hearty congratulations of thosefl present. Mary abandoned Ter psi-fl chore early in life, and applied her-H self studiously to the higher branchesfl of the histrionic profession. Thatfl she achieved the utmost success isfl proven by the very complimentary H manner in which the papers speak of fl her-the theatrical critic of the TW-fl bune asserting that "in losing her, I the American stage loses the best fl comic actress of this generation." fl Her last appearance on the stage was I at "Wallack's, on tho 27th of Jami- I ary, aud when she laid aside her fl stage dresses, that night, sho said fl that sho should never use them again, fl She had long kuowu that the end was fl approaching-that the black curtain I was about to fall. She has passed fl away in the prime of her years and fl in the fullness of her fame; aud shel is happy iu leaviug a name that will fl often bo thought of with a sigh, and fl that will never be mentioned without fl a smile. Sorao surprise has been manifested j by philologists at tho fact that the fl word "sack," variously spelled, is fl found in many languages. Ono of I tho most ingenious explanations is fl that of Becunas, who said that at the I dispersion of mankind at tho foot of Kg tho tower of Babel, every one ?uok S away his valuables in a sack, the fl most indispensable article for a long M journey, aud that no one forgot the fl name of the thing which was all in all I to him. MAIL ARRANGEMENTS.-Tho post! office open during tho weok from S.'.j fl a. m. to 6 p. m. On Sundays, from fl lJ?to2??p. m. I The Ci.arleston nud Western mails fl are open for delivery at 2 p. m., and fl close at 9 a. m. Northern-Open for doli very ut I 101 j II. m. closes at 1 p. m. Greenville-Open for delivery at 3 fl p. m., closes at 8 p. m. NEW AnvKKTi.HKMENTS-Attention in call - fl cd to tho following advortieemonts, pub- I lifdiod this morning for the first time: Regular Meeting Acacia Lodge. Fisher A- Ileinitsh- -A Real Paiu, kc. A. Y. Leo-Calisthenic flail.