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Articles of impeAcHment presented AgAinst president AndreW JoHnson, februAry 24, 1868 Trial of Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, Before the Senate of the United States, on Impeachment by the House of Representatives for High Crimes and Misdemeanors (Washington D.C.: Government Printing office, 1868), 1:6–10. In February 1868, Congress made constitutional history when it voted to impeach President Andrew Johnson—the first presidential impeachment in united States history. What in time proved a political and legal calculation, Congress took this extreme step in response to Johnson’s obstruction of Congress’ plans for proceeding with Reconstruction, and because Johnson violated the march 2, 1867, Tenure of office Act by removing Secretary of War edwin m. Stanton from his office while installing major-General lorenzo Thomas in his place. Because of the president’s actions that supported the defeated South, because Johnson had vetoed each and every significant bill passed by Congress to deal with the status of African American, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1866, and because congressional leaders believed they, and not the president , should establish Reconstruction policy, Congress impeached Johnson. Although the congressional leadership had warned President Johnson not to interfere with Congress regaining the direction of legislative policy as it had done prior to the Civil War, Johnson ignored their advice and obstructed the plans and visions of the large majorities of Republicans in the House and Senate. Better reflecting the sense of the northern and midwestern electorate in the country, Republicans had the political majorities to carry into law any bill vetoed by Johnson, which they regularly did. Regardless of their warnings to Johnson in meetings with him and by passing legislation over his veto, the president continued to resist the policies of Congress; and, when Johnson’s clash with Stanton crescendoed to Stanton’s removal by the chief executive, contrary to the Tenure of office Act, Congress acted and impeached Johnson. The House Judiciary Committee met and handed down ten articles that outlined the charges against the sitting president. After Documentary History of the American Civil War era 250 a trial in the Senate, the body acquitted Johnson, but by only one vote. Thus, while Johnson may have won the battle of impeachment by not being removed from the office of the president, he lost the political war to set and guide Reconstruction policy. on monday, February the 24th, 1868, the House of Representatives of the Congress of the united States resolved to impeach Andrew Johnson, President of the united States, of high crimes and misdemeanors, of which the Senate was apprised and arrangements were made for the trial. on monday the 2d of march, articles of impeachment were agreed upon by the House of Representatives, and on the 4th they were presented to the Senate by the managers on the part of the House, who were accompanied by the House, the grand inquest of the nation, as a Committee of the Whole on the state of the union. mr. Bingham, chairman of the managers, read the articles as follows: Articles exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United States, in the name of themselves and all the people of the United States, against Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, in maintenance and support of their impeachment against him for high crimes and misdemeanors in office. Article I. That said Andrew Johnson, President of the united States, on the twentyfirst day of February, in the year of our lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, at Washington, in the District of Columbia, unmindful of the high duties of his office, of his oath of office, and of the requirement of the Constitution that he should take care that the laws be faithfully executed, did unlawfully and in violation of the Constitution and laws of the united States issue and order in writing for the removal of edwin m. Stanton from the office of Secretary for the Department of War, said edwin m. Stanton having been theretofore duly appointed and commissioned, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate of the united States, as such Secretary, and said Andrew Johnson, President of the united States, on the twelfth day of August, in the year of our lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, and during the recess of said Senate, having been suspended by his order edwin m. Stanton from said office, and within twenty days after the first day of the next meeting of...

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