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The Impeachment
of Andrew Johnson |
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»Impeachment, Trial, and Acquittal |
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Domestic Intelligence
Harper's Weekly, March 7, 1868, page 147 |
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IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON
On Friday, February
21, President Johnson transmitted to both Houses of Congress a message announcing that he
had removed Secretary of War Stanton, and had appointed Adjutant-General Lorenzo Thomas in
his place. Great excitement ensued in both Houses. The Senate at once went into executive
session to consider the extraordinary action of the President, and after due deliberation
passed a resolution declaring that under the Constitution and laws of the United States,
by virtue of whose authority Mr. Johnson claimed to have acted, the President had no power
to remove the Secretary of War and designate any other person to perform the duties of
that officer ad interim.In
the House action was not less prompt. A resolution to the effect that Andrew Johnson be
impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors was offered, and referred to the Committee on
Reconstruction. This resolution was reported back by the Committee on February 22, and the
debate was begun with great spirit on the same day. It ended on Monday, February 24, at
five oclock p.m., when a vote was taken, and the resolution (which reads thus:
"Resolved, That Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, be impeached of high
crimes and misdemeanors") was adopted by a vote of 126 yeas to 47 nays.
In the mean time Adjutant-General Thomas
had repeatedly demanded possession of the War-office, and had as repeatedly been refused
by Secretary Stanton, who also caused his arrest for exercising or attempting to exercise
the duties of the Secretary of War.
Articles Related to the Impeachment, Trial, and
Acquittal:
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