Category Archives: Aftermath

Butler for the prosecution

On March 23, 1868 President Andrew Johnson’s defense lawyers answered impeachment charges in the United States Senate – the trial court. The next day “the replication of the House was filed by the Managers of Impeachment. The House simply reasserted … Continue reading

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Where’s Andy?

Friday, March the 13th in 1868 was a dramatic day in Washington, D.C. Having been summoned by the impeachment court on March 8th, President Andrew Johnson was expected to appear in the United States Senate 150 years ago today. Things … Continue reading

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summons served

On March 6, 1868 Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase completed organizing the impeachment court by swearing in the rest of the United States senators, including President Pro Tempore Benjamin F. Wade. The Senate notified the House of Representatives and it … Continue reading

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cannonball express

On March 2, 1868 the United States House of Representatives agreed to nine Articles of Impeachment against President Andrew Johnson. The next day it added two more. You can read a summary of the charges at Wikipedia. Article One was … Continue reading

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first time for “last resort”

On February 22, 1868 the United States House of Representatives began debating its Reconstruction Committee’s report recommending the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson. After a Sabbath Day’s rest the debate resumed on Monday the 24th. By 6:00 PM the full … Continue reading

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“kill the beast”

During Washington Birthday remarks in 1866 President Andrew Johnson identified Northerners Wendell Phillips, Senator Charles Sumner, and Congressman Thaddeus Stevens as being just as much traitors to their country as the rebels who fought against the Union for four bloody … Continue reading

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anti-siesta

150 years ago today the United States Congress got so riled up that the House even canceled its intended Washington’s birthday holiday. Congress would be taking care of business the next day, but it wouldn’t exactly be business as usual. … Continue reading

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Johnson vs. Grant

In August 1877 President Andrew Johnson suspended Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton and named General Ulysses S. Grant Secretary of War ad interim. The president’s actions complied with the Tenure of Office Act enacted the previous March. When the … Continue reading

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unfunded mandate

In November 1867 the state of Georgia conducted an election to choose delegates for a convention that would rewrite the state constitution. The convention convened in early December 1867 in Atlanta; one of the first issues it faced was the … Continue reading

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happy bleak year

Duties evaded in the past press with increasing urgency in the future. On Christmas Day 1867 an editorial in The New-York Times lamented the terrible condition of the American South: “the Christmas Day of 1867 will be a black day … Continue reading

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