Home » History » U.S. History 1865-1900 » Just One More Vote

Just One More Vote

© Melanie Storie

The split between Johnson and the Radicals grew increasingly wider as the 1866 congressional elections loomed. To try to rally support for his more moderate plan of reconstruction Johnson toured the East and Midwest in a "swing around the circle." This speaking tour was a complete failure since Johnson got into shouting matches with people in the audience. Even his supporters were appalled at the President's unruly behavior in public. As a result the Radicals won an overwhelming victory and took control of Congress. Johnson had his wings clipped so to speak since the Radicals proceeded to implement a new plan to reconstruct the South and to enact legislation designed to limit Johnson's powers.

The final breach between the President and the Radical Congress came when Johnson violated the Tenure of Office Act. This law prohibited the President from removing Senate-confirmed officeholders, without the consent of the Senate. Johnson, who thought the law unconstitutional, removed Secretary of War Edwin Stanton without consulting the Senate. Stanton, a Radical who had been a thorn in Johnson's side from the beginning, was replaced by Ulysses S. Grant. The Senate refused to confirm Grant and the Radicals began to take steps to impeach Johnson.

The House of Representatives, on February 24, 1868, voted to impeach Johnson for "high crimes and misdemeanors"; and on March 5 the trial began in the Senate. Johnson, it was ruled, would not have to personally appear at the trial, thus sparing him some personal embarrassment. The trial lasted two months and in the end Johnson was just narrowly acquitted. The Radicals were only one vote shy of gaining the necessary two-thirds vote for conviction.

Johnson left the White House in 1869 and returned to Tennessee. However, he was not finished with politics. He ran for U.S. senator three times and was finally elected in 1874. When he returned to the Senate chamber, the body that had almost removed him from office, there was a silence for a moment or two and then he received handshakes from past friends and foes. (You know that took guts!) He served only briefly before his death. Nevertheless, Johnson remains the only president who served in the Senate after his term in the White House.

For newspaper coverage of the Andrew Johnson impeachment trail from Harper's Weekly check out (I highly recommend this site!): http://www.andrewjohnson.com

Also, for a perspective on how the impeachments of Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton compare, go to: