After the Civil War, Republicans yelled “I.M.P.E.A.C.H.!” President Johnson Impeachment To Bind Up The Nation’s Wounds

I.I. Impeachment in 1868  On February 21, 1868, President Andrew Johnson removed Edwin Stanton as Secretary of War and replaced him with General Lorenzo Thomas  Three days later, Radical Republicans in Congress impeached him for “high crimes and misdemeanors” President Johnson Impeachment To Bind Up The Nation’s Wounds

M.M. Mainly violated Tenure of Office Act  This 1867 law was passed over the veto of President Johnson  It said the President could not remove from office anyone appointed by the President and approved by the Senate, unless the Senate approved the removal  Johnson violated the law with his removal of Secretary Stanton  The law was repealed in 1887 and in 1926 the Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional President Johnson Impeachment To Bind Up The Nation’s Wounds

P.P. President hated by Radical Republicans  Radical Republicans supported tough treatment of the former Confederate states whereas as President Johnson was rather lenient  Johnson vetoed many Republican Reconstruction measures including the Freedman’s Bureau and a Civil Rights Act  Johnson also failed to enforce Reconstruction laws in the South that had been passed by Congress President Johnson Impeachment To Bind Up The Nation’s Wounds

E.E. Eleven charges  The House of Representatives sent eleven charges against Johnson to the Senate President Johnson Impeachment To Bind Up The Nation’s Wounds

A.A. Avoids conviction by one vote  The Senate voted in favor of conviction  However, the U.S. Constitution requires a 2/3 rd majority to remove a President from office  A single changed vote would have removed Johnson from office  Future President John F. Kennedy will write about Kansas Senator Edmund G. Ross (who cast the deciding vote that saved Johnson) in his 1957 Pulitzer Prize winning book Profiles in Courage President Johnson Impeachment To Bind Up The Nation’s Wounds

C.C. Chief Justice Chase presided  The Constitution stipulates that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the trial in the Senate  Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase had been appointed to the Supreme Court by Abraham Lincoln in 1864  In the only other Presidential impeachment trial (Bill Clinton), Chief Justice William Rehnquist presided President Johnson Impeachment To Bind Up The Nation’s Wounds

H.H. Helped by seven Republicans  Despite being brought up on charges by Radical Republicans, seven Republicans voted against conviction  Kansas Republican Senator Edmund G. Ross cast the deciding vote; Ross lost his bid for reelection in 1870 President Johnson Impeachment To Bind Up The Nation’s Wounds