Andrew Johnson's Impeachment: The First U.S. President to Face Impeachment (1868) and His Acquittal

Andrew Johnson's Impeachment: The First U.S. President to Face Impeachment (1868) and His Acquittal

Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States, holds the dubious distinction of being the first president in American history to be impeached. His presidency, which began in 1865 following the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, was fraught with political conflicts, tensions with Congress, and struggles over the Reconstruction of the Southern states after the Civil War. 

The impeachment of Johnson in 1868 was the culmination of his strained relationship with Congress, particularly with Radical Republicans, and became a defining moment in the history of U.S. politics.

Background: The End of the Civil War and Johnson’s Ascension

Andrew Johnson’s rise to the presidency was shaped by the events of the Civil War. Born in 1808 in Raleigh, North Carolina, Johnson was a self-educated man who worked his way up from poverty. He served as a tailor, a state legislator, and governor of Tennessee, where he became known for his staunch Unionist stance. Despite being a Southern Democrat, Johnson remained loyal to the Union during the secession crisis, which ultimately led to his appointment as the military governor of Tennessee in 1862 by President Lincoln.

In 1864, Lincoln sought to balance the ticket and appeal to War Democrats by selecting Johnson as his vice-presidential running mate. This decision was made to bolster support for the Union cause among Northern and Southern Democrats, and Johnson, as a Southern Unionist, was an unlikely but strategic choice. Johnson became Vice President in March 1865, just months before the assassination of Lincoln.

When Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, Johnson became president at a time when the nation was still deeply divided over the issues of slavery, the war’s aftermath, and the future of the Southern states. Johnson’s initial political stance was supportive of a quick and lenient Reconstruction, a policy that would ultimately place him at odds with Congress, particularly the Radical Republicans who sought a much harsher approach toward the South.

The Reconstruction Conflict

Reconstruction, the process of reintegrating the Southern states back into the Union and determining the fate of the formerly enslaved population, was the defining issue of Johnson’s presidency. Johnson believed in a relatively lenient approach, one that would quickly restore Southern states to the Union with minimal conditions. His plan allowed Southern states to re-enter the Union after ratifying the 13th Amendment (which abolished slavery) and swearing allegiance to the Union. Additionally, he offered pardons to many former Confederate officials and military leaders, which angered many in the North, especially the Radical Republicans.

The Radical Republicans in Congress, led by figures such as Thaddeus Stevens and Charles Sumner, viewed Johnson’s approach as too lenient and believed it would fail to protect the rights of freedmen or guarantee that Southern states would fully embrace the abolition of slavery. They demanded a more thorough Reconstruction process, including protections for the newly freed African Americans, and were determined to reshape the Southern social and political order.

The conflict between Johnson and Congress came to a head over the passage of the Tenure of Office Act in 1867. This law, passed by Congress, was designed to limit the president’s power to remove certain officeholders without the approval of the Senate. The law was intended to protect key members of Johnson’s cabinet, most notably Edwin M. Stanton, the Secretary of War, who was an ally of the Radical Republicans.

Johnson, who believed that the law was unconstitutional, was determined to test its limits. In 1867, he attempted to remove Stanton from office and replace him with a more sympathetic individual. This move directly challenged the authority of Congress and escalated the tensions between the president and the legislature.

The Impeachment Crisis

Johnson’s decision to dismiss Stanton and appoint a replacement was the spark that ignited the impeachment process. On February 24, 1868, the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Johnson on charges of violating the Tenure of Office Act, accusing him of misconduct and abuse of power. The specific charges focused on Johnson’s violation of the law by removing Stanton and attempting to replace him without Senate approval. Additionally, Johnson’s public statements and actions against Congress were cited as evidence of his failure to execute the laws of the United States in good faith.

The House vote to impeach Johnson was largely along party lines, with most Republicans supporting impeachment and most Democrats opposing it. The impeachment vote passed with a majority of 128 votes in favor and 47 against. Johnson became the first U.S. president to face impeachment, and the case was sent to the Senate for trial.

The Senate trial, which began in March 1868, was a dramatic and highly contentious affair. Johnson’s defense was largely based on the argument that the Tenure of Office Act was unconstitutional and that he had not violated the law. He also maintained that his actions in removing Stanton were justified by his constitutional duty to ensure that the laws were faithfully executed. Johnson’s lawyers contended that the act was an overreach of legislative power and that the president had the authority to remove executive branch officials as he saw fit.

The prosecution, led by Republican leaders in Congress, argued that Johnson’s actions were part of a larger pattern of obstructing Reconstruction and undermining the will of the people as expressed through Congress. They believed that his dismissal of Stanton was an illegal and partisan move that threatened the integrity of the government and the Reconstruction process.

The Trial and Acquittal

The Senate trial was presided over by Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase, who was tasked with ensuring that the proceedings were conducted fairly and according to the law. The trial was largely a political contest, as the Senate was deeply divided between Republicans and Democrats, and the outcome of the impeachment depended on how individual senators viewed Johnson’s actions and their broader political objectives.

The trial concluded in May 1868, and on May 16, the Senate held a vote on whether to convict Johnson. The impeachment resolution required a two-thirds majority for conviction, which meant that at least 36 of the 54 senators present would need to vote for conviction. In the end, 35 senators voted to convict, and 19 voted to acquit, resulting in Johnson’s acquittal by a single vote. The failure to reach the necessary two-thirds majority meant that Johnson remained in office, but the impeachment process had deeply damaged his reputation and political authority.

The vote was largely split along party lines, with Republicans voting for conviction and Democrats voting for acquittal. However, there were a few notable defections from the Republican ranks, including Senator Edwin M. Stanton, who had been appointed by Lincoln and was a staunch ally of the Radical Republicans. These defections ultimately prevented Johnson’s removal from office.

Aftermath and Legacy

While Johnson was acquitted, the impeachment trial had far-reaching consequences for both Johnson and the nation. Johnson’s political power was severely diminished, and he was unable to effectively lead the nation through the remainder of his term. His acquittal did not restore his influence, and he became a largely impotent figure in the White House.

In the years following the impeachment, Johnson’s presidency remained a topic of debate and controversy. Many historians have viewed his impeachment as a product of the intense political struggles of the Reconstruction era, a time when the nation was deeply divided over how to rebuild the South and integrate formerly enslaved people into American society. The Radical Republicans, who were committed to ensuring civil rights for African Americans, saw Johnson as an obstacle to their goals, and his impeachment reflected the broader struggle for power between the executive and legislative branches of government.

Johnson’s impeachment also set an important precedent for the future of presidential impeachment. While he was acquitted, the impeachment proceedings demonstrated the willingness of Congress to hold a president accountable for perceived abuses of power. In the years that followed, the impeachment of President Bill Clinton in 1998 and the impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump in 2019 and 2021 would be compared to Johnson’s trial, though none resulted in removal from office.

The impeachment of Andrew Johnson remains a pivotal event in American political history. It highlighted the deep divisions within the country during the Reconstruction period and the tense relationship between the presidency and Congress. Though Johnson was acquitted, his presidency was forever overshadowed by the impeachment crisis, and the event continues to be studied as a key moment in the evolution of presidential power and accountability in the United States.

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