Impeachment Trial of 1868

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Impeachment Trial of 1868
Andrew Johnson
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Civil War Stats and Facts

• Preserve the Union
• Over 600,000 killed (equals 12-
• 14 million today)
• 4 million slaves freed
• Strengthened Federal Govt.
• Death of states rights

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Andrew Johnson

• Lifelong Democrat and slave owner.
• Despised elite of Northeast and southern
  planters.
• Pro-Unioncame to prominence when. . .
• as Senator, denounced secession as treason.

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Andrew Johnson

• Republicans nominated him for VP in 1864.
• Hoped to gain pro-war Democrat support.
• Promote wartime unity of Southern Unionists.
• Became Lincolns VP and eventually President.

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Reconstruction TheoriesTheory 1

• State sovereignty cannot be forfeited to federal
  govt.
• Task of federal govt. was to
• Suppress insurrection
• Replace its leaders
• Opportunity for free govt. to re-emerge

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Reconstruction TheoriesTheory 2

• War was struggle between 2 govts.
• Southern territory was conquered land.
• Federal govt. rules territory how it pleases
• No internal bordersno right to
• statehood.
• Govt. admitted states under their own rules

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Johnsons Restoration Plan

• Proponent of Theory 1 (lenient theory)
• Amnesty for Southerners only if they took oath
  of allegiance to the Constitution.
• NO high ranking Confederates or wealthy
  planters.
• Elite pardoned only by Johnson.

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Johnsons Restoration Plan

• Restored state governors only if
• Revoke their ordinances of secession.
• Repudiate their Confederate debts.
• Ratify 13th Amendmentabolishing slavery.
• Within months, all former Confederate states
  complied.

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Content for the Moment

• Republicans were happy.
• Moderates agreedup to the states, not
  federal govt. to define rights of freedmen.
• Radicals held their fire
• Liked stern treatment of Confederate leaders.
• Hoped new southern govts. would treat slaves
  well.

Radical Republican Thaddeus Stevens
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The Black Codes

• Legislatures reestablished slavery in disguise.
• Black Codesremove rights of the freed.
• Drive former slaves back to plantations.
• New govts. Formed by southern Unionists.
• Not much different from Confederates.
• Confederates soon filtered back into power.

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Johnsons Vetoes

• Freedmens Bureau Bill and Civil Rights Act.
• This is a country for white men, and by God, as
  long as I am president, it shall be a govt. for
  white men.
• Johnson vetoed bothCongress defeated vetoes.
• Congress passes First and Second Reconstruction
  Acts.

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Radical Reconstruction

• Republicans took chargeJohnson strongly
  opposed.
• Congress passed laws to limit President
• Enter . . . Tenure of Office Act
• Could not remove govt. officials without
• Senate approval.

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Andrew Johnson vs. Edwin Stanton

• August 1867, Johnson suspended Stanton no
  approval
• Replaced with Ulysses S. Grant.
• Congress reconvened, overturned suspension
• Feb. 21, 1868, Johnson dismissed Stanton.
• Replaced with Lorenzo Thomas.
• Feb. 24, 1868, Impeachment Resolution adopted.

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Congress vs. Andrew Johnson

• Impeach formally charge with wrongdoing.
• First time in history this happened!
• House approved 11 counts of misconduct.
• Sent to Senate for full trial.

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Key Figures
Chief Justice
Prosecuting Attorney
Defense Attorney
Salmon P. Chase
Benjamin Butler
Benjamin Curtis
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ProsecutionBenjamin Butler

• 3 hour opening argument.
• Dismissed argument that T.O.A. didnt cover
  Stanton.
• Read parts of Johnsons 1866 speeches.
• Basis of 10th article of impeachment.
• Referred to President as accidental Chief.
• Witness testimony actually helped the Defense.

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DefenseBenjamin Curtis

• Stanton was not covered by T.O.A.
• Term ended with Lincolns death.
• Not successful in removing Stanton (no violation
  of T.O.A.).
• Act deemed unconstitutionalinfringed upon
  Presidents powers.
• 10th article of impeachment violated 1st
  Amendment right to free speech.

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VERDICT

• Vote was 35-19 . . .
• One vote short of conviction.
• Many argued President should not be removed from
  office for political differences!