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UNION REPUBLICAN
Presidential Campaign Club
At a Meeting of this Club, held at Union Headquarters, corner Broadway and 22d Street, on Tuesday Eve'g, Feb. 25th, 1868, the following preamble and resolutions, offered by Hon. Charles S. Spencer, were unanimously adopted:
Whereas,
the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States, by a vote of 126 to 47 has resolved that Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, be impeached of high crimes and misdemeanors; and,
Whereas,
on the 2d day of March. 1867, Congress passed an act entitled βAn act regulating the tenure of certain civil offices,β among other provisions, enacting that no officer who had been appointed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate should be removed from office without the consent of the Senate, and that if, during vacation, a suspension should be made for cause, such cause should be reported to the Senate within twenty days after their next meeting. If the Senate should deem the reasons of the suspension sufficient, then the officer should be removed and another appointed in his stead; but if the Senate should refuse to concur with the President, and declare the reasons insufficient, then the officer suspended should forthwith resume the functions of his office, and the powers of the person performing its duties should cease; and especially providing that the Secretary of War shall hold his office during the term of the President by whom he may have been appointed and for one month thereafter, unless removed by and with the consent of the Senate as aforesaid; and,
Whereas,
by the sixth section of the act alluded to it is provided that all removals, appointments, or employments, made or exercised contrary to the provisions
Whereas,
in willful and deliberate defiance of the law, still standing intact upon the statute books and not declared unconstitutional by any judicial tribunal of competent jurisdiction, Andrew Johnson, during a recess of Congress, attempted to create a vacancy in a civil office by removing from office Edwin M. Stanton as Secretary of War, and appointing in his stead General Ulysses S. Grant as Secretary of War
ad interim;
and,
Whereas,
by his own written statement, published to the country, Andrew Johnson has shown himself to be guilty of misprision of bribery by offering to General Grant, if he would unite with him in disregarding and nullifying the contemplated action of the Senate of the United States in its restoration of Edwin M. Stanton to the office from which he had been illegally displaced, to assume in his stead the penalties and to endure the imprisonment prescribed by the laws; and,
Whereas,
bribery is one of the offences specifically enumerated in the constitution of the United States, for which a public officer may be impeached; and,
Whereas,
the representatives of the people in Congress assembled did reinstate Edwin M. Stanton in the office from which he had been illegally removed, and the patriot and hero General Ulysses S. Grant, refusing participation in the Presidential conspiracy, acquiesced in this action, obeyed the law and surrendered to Mr. Stanton his office, who forthwith took possession of such office, assumed its duties, and still holds such possession and discharges such duties; and,
Whereas,
in flagrant, infamous and reckless violation of constitution and law, Andrew Johnson has again attempted, and now, during a session of the Senate of the United States, to create a vacancy in the office of Secretary of War, has appointed one Lorenzo Thomas to be Secretary of War
ad interim,
and has instructed him to demand and obtain possession of such office; and,
Whereas,
these high crimes and misdemeanors have been preceded by the perpetration by Andrew Johnson of a long series of gross wrongs to his country, by which loyal men have died in thousands, by which the reconstruction of the late rebel States has been harassed and delayed, rebellion encouraged and rebels rewarded, liberty throttled and shackled, labor oppressed, corruption nourished, and the honor of the nation disgraced; therefore,
Resolved,
that this, the Union Republican Presidential Campaign Club of the city of New York, most earnestly and fully approves the action of the House
Resolved,
that punishment should as promptly as surely follow crime; that this is both justice to the criminal and to the people, who are in the future to be protected by the example; and that the Congress of the United States ought not to pause, or hesitate, or falter, or rest, until the impeachment of Andrew Johnson is prosecuted to an end.
Resolved,
that while awarding deserved praise to every member of the House of Representatives who contributed in any manner to this impeachment of an apostate and a traitor, there is one who most especially is entitled to our gratitude and honor. Aged, dying, as he approaches the grave nearly and yet more nearly, brighter grows his face, more radiant, more beautiful his immortal crown of glory. When the dishonored name of Andrew Johnson shall stink in the nostrils of the people of this Republic in the ages to come, the honored name of Thaddeus Stevens, in every family that loves liberty and justice to all, shall be a household word.
Resolved,
that copies of this preamble and these resolutions, attested by the officers and executive committee of this club, be printed in circular form, and one transmitted to each Republican member of Congress.
CHARLES S. SPENCER,
President.
ISAAC J. OLIVER,
Chairman of Ex. Com.
Secretaries.
WILLIAM DRUMMOND,
ALLAN COOPER,
Robert L. Darragh,
Samuel Nash,
Orlando L. Stewart,
Jotham Wilson, Sen.
John W. Farmer,
Charles S. Strong,
James B. Hunt,
Alexander Bain,
Nathan Kingsley, Sen.
Cornelius Van Cott,
Alexander McLeod,
Theodore C. Williams,
William T. Ashman,
Benjamin Merritt,
John E. Flagler,
John J. Foley,
Daniel S. Duvall,
James Cumming,
James Cushing, Jr.
Wm. H. McKinney,
Simon Hazelton,
William Laimbier, Jr.,
Robert C. Brown,
George B. Van Brunt.
UNION REPUBLICAN
Presidential Campaign Club,
OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK.
1864β1868.
At a large and enthusiastic Meeting of this Club, held at corner Broadway and 22d St., Tuesday Evening, May 12, 1868, the following Resolutions offered by Hon. CHARLES S. SPENCER, were unanimously adopted. It was also resolved that a copy be sent to each member of the two Houses of Congress:
Resolved,
That the Republicans of the city of New York most profoundly regret the course of those United States Senators elected by Republican votes, who have hesitated or faltered in their discharge of their duty under their oath of office and to their constituencies, to earnestly by their speeches and votes, aid the prompt removal for high crimes and misdemeanors clearly proven from the office he dishonors and disgraces of the apostate and traitor Andrew Johnson, that the public sentiment of the Republicans of the States, whose Senators in this hour, through cowardice or jealousy, are favoring the acquittal of Andrew Johnson, should immediately in every possible way be manifested in condemnation of their recreant representatives.
Resolved,
That any Senator of the United States elected by the votes of the Union Republicans, who at this time blenches and betrays is infamous and should be dishonored and execrated while this free government exists.
Resolved,
That the faithful Senators of the United States, who have to this time urged the conviction of Andrew Johnson, are entitled to honor and gratitude and are earnestly requested to be faithful to the end, and by every legitimate and honorable means to secure that removal of the acting President which his crimes deserve, which the people demand and which is necessary for the honor, the freedom and the prosperity of the country.
Resolved,
That the vote upon the articles of impeachment preferred against Andrew Johnson should not be taken, unless conviction is certain, until by prompt action Arkansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida, are represented in the Senate, and that the Republicans in Congress are earnestly urged to take immediate action in this matter.
ISAAC J. OLIVER,
Chairman Executive Committee.
Secretaries.
WM. DRUMMOND,
ALLAN COOPER,