Posted in Andrew Johnson Impeachment

Brenda Wineapple: Salmon Chase Not a Good Role Model for Chief Justice During Impeachment Trial

Brenda Wineapple has been the most-quoted historian of the month. Her recent book The Impeachers tells the story of the Andrew Johnson impeachment and she…

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Posted in Andrew Johnson Impeachment

Ben Butler’s Conduct of Impeachment Questioning “A Disgraceful Spectacle”: New York Times

On April 13, 1868 The NY Times carried this article on the questioning of Gen. Lorenzo Thomas during the Johnson Impeachment Trial by House Manager…

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Posted in Andrew Johnson Impeachment

The Day of the Two Generals: Impeachment Testimony of Sherman and Thomas

On April 11, 1868, the flagging public interest in the Senate’s Impeachment Trial of Andrew Johnson was revived as two generals, Lorenzo Thomas and William…

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Posted in Andrew Johnson Impeachment

On the Third Day of Testimony in the Impeachment Trial Boredom Had Set In Among Spectators

By April 2, 1868 the Impeachment Trial of Andrew Johnson was in its third day of testimony. While the opening argument had been a crowd…

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The Second Day of Impeachment Testimony: Did the President Conspire to Use Force to Evict Stanton?

On April 1, 1868 theĀ  Impeachment Trial of Andrew Johnson was dominated by testimony about whether the president’s designee as acting War Secretary tried to…

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Posted in Andrew Johnson Impeachment

The First of 41 Witnesses Testifies In the Trial of Andrew Johnson

One major difference between the 2020 impeachment trial and the 1868 version is in the use of witnesses. The Constitution calls for a trail of…

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Posted in Andrew Johnson Impeachment

Ben Butler Gives the Opening Prosecution Argument in the Senate Impeachment Trial of Andrew Johnson

On March 30, 1868, the trial in the Senate of Andrew Johnson began. The opening statement for the prosecution was delivered by Congressman Ben Butler,…

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Posted in Andrew Johnson Impeachment

The “House Managers”: Prosecuting the Johnson Impeachment

On March 5, 1868 the seven House Managers appointed to prosecute the case for removal appeared in the Senate to begin the impeachment trial of…

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Posted in Andrew Johnson Impeachment

President Johnson’s Dream Team of Defense Lawyers Biggest Enemy? A Client Who Would Not Shut Up!

On March 13, 1865, the public saw the legal team defending President Johnson for the first time. The five prominent attorneys included a former Justice…

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Posted in Andrew Johnson Impeachment

Pres. Johnson Answered the Articles of Impeachment on March 23, 1868-Deny It All!

After being served with notice that he would be tried by the Senate on the Articles of Impeachment voted by the House, President Johnson sent…

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