2. Johnson impeachment trial takes place – avoids removal by one vote.
Overview
April 15, 1865
Andrew Johnson takes over as President after assassination of President Lincoln.
The 17th President, Andrew Johnson, becomes the the FIRST U.S. President to be impeached in 1868.
Johnson was in office just under THREE years when the House of Representatives formally brought impeachment charges.
March 16, 1868
Johnson impeachment trial takes place – avoids removal by one vote.

3. Owned slaves prior to war
April 15, 1865
Johnson becomes President of the United States upon the death of President Abraham Lincoln
- Even though Lincoln’s Vice President, Johnson was a Southerner (from Tennessee) and was a Democrat (unlike Lincoln).
Owned slaves prior to war
“He held no views on race that could be considered ‘unorthodox’ in the South.”

4. After he kept Lincoln’s cabinet, Congress started to oppose him.
Late-April, 1865
In spite of strong opposition from Republicans in Congress, Johnson keeps Lincoln’s cabinet in tact.
Interior
Caleb Smith
John Usher
Treasury:
Salmon Chase,
Hugh McCulloch
Navy:
Gideon Welles
Republicans in Congress hoped Johnson would be tougher on the South than Lincoln was.
After he kept Lincoln’s cabinet, Congress started to oppose him.
Postmaster General:
Montgomery Blair
William Dennison
Note: Since Lincoln was only President for one month into his second term, no good pictures exist of him with his second cabinet. Therefore, pictures with two names show (on top) the name of the man in that position in the first term and (on the bottom) the name of who served there second term. Names in bold yellow show cabinet members from the state of Ohio.
War: Edwin Stanton
Attorney General:
Edward Bates,
James Speed
State
William Seward

6. an official pardon for people who have been convicted of political offenses
May 29, 1865
Johnson issues his Proclamation of Amnesty, which proposes his plan for Reconstruction. He does this while Congress is not in session…on purpose.
- There had been an ongoing struggle between the Executive and Legislative branches of government over who would direct Reconstruction.
By issuing his plan when Congress was not in session, it made it clear to the public who was in charge…

7. Cite election fraud/abuse in Southern states
December, 1865
Radical Republicans in Congress refuse to seat those elected from rebel states
Cite election fraud/abuse in Southern states
Radicals in Congress advocate a Congressional-takeover of Reconstruction

8. Congress eventually overrides veto
February 19, 1866
President Johnson vetoes a bill to increase funding for, and extends, Freedman’s Bureau.
Many in Congress begin to rise up and stop Johnson’s efforts to dismantle Reconstruction
Congress eventually overrides veto

9. Speech delivered one day after Congress overrides veto
February 22, 1866
Johnson gives a speech on George Washington’s birthday, calling radicals in Congress “dis-unionists.”
Speech delivered one day after Congress overrides veto
Johnson called out many Congressmen by name; accused them of being disloyal to Union

10. March 27, 1866
Johnson vetoes the Civil Rights Bill. This bill extended citizenship to “all persons born in the United States…of every race and color…without regard to previous condition of servitude.”
Congress overrides the veto 3 weeks later
But, Congress worried the act wouldn’t survive future Congresses.
Resolutions are brought forward in Congress that would later become the 14th Amendment.

12. May, 1866
Tensions heighten between the President and Congress due to race riots in Memphis, TN.
Conflict between black soldiers and white peace officers leads to death of 46 men, women, and children; 4 black churches and 12 schools burned.
Pushes public opinion closer toward the Radical Republican plan for Reconstruction.

13. Race riots take place in New Orleans, LA.
July, 1866
Race riots take place in New Orleans, LA.
Riots are cited as evidence that the President’s “Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction” was not working.

14. Speeches viewed as ineffective.
August, 1866
To save his plan (and his image) Johnson travels across the country, delivers famous “Swing Around the Circle” speeches
Speeches viewed as ineffective.
Johnson continues to label the Radicals in Congress as “dis-unionists.”
Intended to garner support for those in Congress who supported his plan before the mid-term elections.

15. the proposed 14th amendment.
November, 1866
Radicals win many victories in the 1866 mid-term elections – gain majorities of over two-thirds in each branch of Congress.
What does this mean, if the Radicals now have over 2/3 support in each side of Congress?
Radicals believed themselves to be in a good position to demand that Southern states accept
the proposed 14th amendment.

17. March 2, 1867
The new Congress passes the first Reconstruction Act. Johnson vetoes the act, but is quickly overridden by the new Congress (remember, radicals have 2/3 majority in both sides).
Divides the south into 5 military districts to enforce a stricter Reconstruction policy.
Required states ratify the 14th Amendment before it could be readmitted or have its representatives seated in Congress
Firmly placed control of Reconstruction into the hands of Congress, not the President.

19. March 2, 1867
Congress overrides Johnson’s veto of the Tenure of Office Act.
Required Senate approval before the President could dismiss any government official who was originally approved by the Senate (including members of the cabinet)
Done to protect Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, since he was supporter of Radical agenda
- Law eventually struck down in 1926 as unconstitutional!

20. August 12, 1867
Johnson temporarily suspends Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and replaces him with General Ulysses S. Grant. Congress is out of session at the time.
Oh, snap! Is this legal?

21. Johnson ignores Senate vote and presents Stanton with formal dismissal
January, 1868
The Senate votes when they return and they do not consent to removing Stanton.
Johnson ignores Senate vote and presents Stanton with formal dismissal
This was a flagrant violation of the Tenure of Office Act, and sufficient grounds for impeachment.

22. 9 of 11 charges are on violation of Tenure of Office Act
February 24, 1868
Impeachment charges filed against Johnson by the House of Representatives.
9 of 11 charges are on violation of Tenure of Office Act
The remaining 2 charges dealt with his libelous speech against members of Congress.
Libel: published false statements that are damaging to one’s character

23. March 30, 1868
The Senate begins the first ever impeachment trial of a U.S. president.
While a president who is found guilty can remain in office, most Americans agreed that if found guilty then he had to leave.

24. May 16, 1868
The Senate fails to convict Johnson of the impeachment by only one vote.
Andrew Johnson was acquitted of all charges filed in the impeachment.
A later Supreme Court (1926; Myers vs. United States) ruling that the Tenure of Office Act was “invalid.”
Johnson had the power to dismiss Stanton all along!
acquit: free someone from a criminal charge by a verdict of not guilty.

25. The aftermath of Johnson’s impeachment?
- Vetoed virtually every act of Congress through the remainder of his term and Congress continued to override him
Johnson was the only President to be impeached until the 1998 impeachment of Bill Clinton. The only two presidents to be impeached were both acquitted!
- Could not secure the Democratic nomination for President in (Horatio Seymour got it!)
- Replaced by Ulysses S Grant in 1868