The New Student's Reference Work/Impeachment

Impeachment is the name applied in England and the United States to a special form of trial, by which high state-officials can be called to account for their manner of managing the interests committed to them. In England the house of commons presents the charges and prosecutes the case. The house of lords acts as judge, and the accused may be defended by counsel. In the United States the house of representatives makes the accusation; the senate, with the chief-justice of the supreme court presiding, acts as judge. The trials are for “treason, bribery or other misdemeanors.” In the various states the legislatures can also bring an action before the state senate against any state officer. In England members of parliament can be impeached; but in the United States only the civil officers of the government are subject to trial. The most noted cases of impeachment are those of Judge Samuel Chase in 1804 and President Johnson in 1868 in the United States, and in England that of Warren Hastings.