Edited by Gerald Boerner
Commentary:
For many us, the term “impeach” is rather meaningless. It is an event included in Article II of the Constitution of the United States. It is the way a President or Supreme Court Justice can be removed from office. But the only time it has been invoked in recent history when it has been used was with President Bill Clinton; he was charged with impeachment by the House but not convicted by the Senate. I believe that the structure of our government by the Founding Fathers has worked quite well!
Previous to Clinton, the only President faced with an impeachment trial in the Senate was the case of Andrew Johnson. Johnson, Abraham Lincoln’s 1864 running mate and became President after Lincoln’s assassination. Johnson broke with the mainstream republican leadership in Congress; he became less supportive of the equality of the African American slave population. He was the head of the Executive Branch at a time when the southern states has not yet had their representatives returned to the Congress. The Moderate sector of the Republican Party was attempting to pass civil rights legislation BEFORE this occurred.
Johnson opposed too much civil rights to be granted to freed slaves. This included the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. Johnson’s position on the civil rights and his administration’s organization was opposed by the moderates. This set the stage for the impeachment confrontation to follow.
So, let’s commence our exploration of the presidency and impeachment of Andrew Johnson… GLB
These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved[ 3717 Words ]
Quotations Related to ANDREW JOHNSON:
“Honest conviction is my courage; the Constitution is my guide.”
— Andrew Johnson
“If I am shot at, I want no man to be in the way of the bullet.”
— Andrew Johnson
“Slavery exists. It is black in the South, and white in the North.”
— Andrew Johnson