The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson A devious man, with an end goal in mind, took the biggest risk to get what he wanted. In 1864 Abraham Lincoln ran for President with Andrew Johnson as his running mate. Though they were in different political parties, Lincoln was impressed with the former Governor of Tennessee. Lincoln chose Johnson as his Vice President to gain support from the South. Johnson was a racist Democrat from North Carolina who became president in 1865 when Lincoln was assassinated.
During his presidency Johnson was put on trial for impeachment. While in office he violated the Tenure of Office Act by replacing the Republican Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, chosen by Lincoln. After a grueling trial, Johnson was acquitted by one vote and is known as the first president in American history to have an impeachment trial Andrew Johnson was a poor tailor’s apprentice from North Carolina lacked a proper education. Surprisingly, Johnson acquired a talent for public speaking and debate, which aided in his quick rise to political power.
First, Johnson joined the Tennessee State legislature and, then, became the Governor of Tennessee. During his fast climb up the political ladder, Johnson became known as a racist southerner who supported slavery. One of his most famous quotes was, “I am for a white man’s government in America” Some people who met Johnson said he was a proper, well-dressed man who displayed a grim presence. Others described him as temperamental and intimidating. I think Johnson was an all around deceptive man when it came to getting his way, each persona of his showing up at just the right time.
Leading up to the Civil War, Southern states started seceding from the union. Johnson was the only Southern senator from a seceding state who stayed loyal to the Union. Lincoln who was already impressed with his hard work in the political world, offered Johnson the role as Military Governor of Tennessee to gain his trust. Lincoln picked Johnson as his running mate in the election of 1864, and they won with 55% of the votes. It came time for Vice President Johnson’s inaugural address and he made it clear this would be “the effort of his life”(-Johnson).
A few days prior, Johnson fell ill with typhoid fever and on the day of his speech, decided to try and cure it with whiskey. After drinking three tumblers worth, which is the equivalent of about six ounces of whiskey, poor drunk Johnson had to take the arm of Hannibal Hamlin, a fellow politician and be escorted onto the stage. Johnson’s speaking style, already being quite intimidating and direct, was turned to all out angry and barbaric once mixed with alcohol.
He started off with a red face, mumbling incomplete sentences here and there but, soon after, Johnson viscously called out cabinet members by name, telling them that “the power comes from the people” and referring to himself as a plebeian or commoner. Though Hamlin made many attempts to stop him, even at one time pulling on the collar of his coat, Johnson went on until he was asked to sit down while trying to swear in new senators. The audience was astonished, many had gaping mouths or expressions of disgust displayed on their faces. President Abraham Lincoln showed an expression of’unutterable’ sorrow on his face while senator Charles Sumner covered his face with his hands”. Johnson was left with a tainted reputation, many believed he was deranged and his political enemies from Tennessee made him out to be an alcoholic, one of them stating, “enjoyed the meanest whiskey hot from the still,… stuff which would vomit a gentleman”. I think that though Johnson did consume alcohol before one of the most important days of his life, he did in to cure a sickness which does not make him deranged nor an alcoholic.
With the Civil War coming to an end, the main issue head government officials were faced with was the reconstruction of the defeated South. Lincoln’s plan for the South’s re-admittance to the Union was pretty lenient but still included, the emancipation of slaves and the seizing of high confederate leader’s land. On April 14th, 1865 sadly Abraham Lincoln was shot and killed at Ford Theater which made Andrew Johnson the President of the United States. Johnson was inaugurated the next day, on April 15th of 1865 at the Kirkwood House in Washington D. C. When Johnson assumed his presidency, he said he would stay loyal to Lincoln’s plan for reconstruction.
Soon enough, the Southern democrat started pardoning ex-confederate soldiers and vetoing act regarding the South’s re- admission to the Union. His congress was Republican dominated and was run by Radical Republicans who wanted to take a very harsh approach when it came to restoring the South. Their plan included appointing new Governors to each state and having them write new Constitutions where Slavery would be banned and the laws on secession would be reformed.
On the other hand Johnson strayed more and more from the original plan of reconstruction, he stated that “there is no such thing as reconstruction” thus formally rejecting the entire plan. This allowed ex confederate states to adopt their old ways of life and restore their governments. Black codes we implemented by the South which did not allow african americans many freedoms. These codes were said to have “Practically deprived the Negro of every trace of liberty”. Johnson would not publicly comment about the South’s reckless behavior and soon formed an alliance by silence with the newly re-admitted states.
As Johnson kept vetoing important acts which would aid in the rebuilding of former slaves lives from the ex-confederate states, tensions rose with Congress. When Johnson vetoed the Freedmen’s Bureau Act a full on fight brewed, Congress passed the 14th and 15th amendments which guaranteed political rights to African Americans, in retaliation. Congress soon passed the Tenure of Office Act, which disallowed President Johnson from firing or replacing selected government officials. Though Johnson tried to veto this act, Congress’s vote overruled his
Presidential powers. Congress passed the Tenure of Office act to limit Johnson’s powers and hopefully protect their harsh approach to Southern Reconstruction. Johnson was extremely frustrated by this because he had been having issues with the Secretary of War Edward Stanton who was an extreme Radical Republican. Johnson wished to replace him but, now lacked the power to do so. In 1867 when Congress was out of session Johnson suspended Stanton and once Congress was back in session and stopped the suspension Johnson had, had enough.
Knowing that somehow he had to get the attention of the supreme court, Johnson fired Edwin Stanton and replaced him with Stanton’s longtime foe Lorenzo Thomas. It was February of 1868 when Thomas marched up to Stanton’s office with the note of termination in hand and a chip on his shoulder. Hearing the news, Stanton barricaded himself in his office. Angrily he called security and had Lorenzo Thomas arrested for violating the Tenure of Office Act. Soon enough, Johnson was also arrested.
Andrew Johnson’s trial was supposed to start on March 13th pf 1868, but with many delays from the defense to collect evidence, the trial officially began on March 30th. In total there were eleven articles of impeachment put against the president. Nine of which, had to do with his violating the Tenure of Office Act, one regarding his power as a commander and chief of the United States army and the last concerning the ridicule of congress in various speeches he gave. The trial was presided over by Chief Justice Salmon Chase.
The Prosecution fought skillfully for the impeachment of their president, claiming his guilt in violating the Tenure of Office Act as well as sending orders to army officers without General Grant’s permission. Later on in the trial, the prosecution’s case started to lack, especially when one of their witnesses, General William T. Sherman testified in Johnson’s favor. The Defense was lead by Attorney General Henry Stanbery. They argued that Johnson replaced Stanton in order to keep the war department staffed.
The defense also stated that Johnson did not violate the Tenure f Office Act because Stanton was employed by Lincoln therefore Johnson did not have to support his service and could dismiss him. I think this was a brilliant plan on the part of the defense because it forced the jury to look at the seemingly simple trial in a whole different light. The senate voted on the first ten articles on May 16th. With thirty six guilty votes need to impeach the president, the result was thirty five guilty votes to nineteen non guilty. Ten days later the senate voted on the last article which had the same outcome. Andrew Johnson escaped impeachment by one vote.
There was a lot of corruption during the trial on both sides. Commonly, Jobs and cash cards were used to bribe senators into voting for one side. In one case, the prosecution promised Senator Fessenden with the job as Minister to Great Britain as long as he voted to impeach Johnson. Butler, one of the prosecution lawyers was, so angered by the defense bribery that, he held hearings to determine whether senators had actually been bribed to vote for acquittal, after the trial Andrew Johnson seemed like a bad president who did not have the best interest for our country in mind.
I disagree. When I first started learning about Johnson I did have similar beliefs but as I dug deeper into his motives during his presidency I found out that he was pretty brilliant. The Tenure of Office Act did not serve any purpose besides weakening the president’s power, Johnson thought of this as unconstitutional. He knew that there would have to be some drama in order to get this act tried in the supreme court which is why he broke the law in the first place. This was such an intelligent move on Johnson’s part.
His plan ended up working because the Tenure of Office Act was tried in the supreme court and officially repealed in 1887. Though Johnson may not have been the nicest guy he was still extremely smart. I think Johnson was a great politician because he set out with an end goal in mind and his goal was reached. Johnson left the legacy of one of the worst presidents in American history but, even though the public viewed him as a bad president, he removed an unconstitutional act, which he thought was the right thing to do. I think he deserves much more credit than we give to him.
