Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-30
The American Congress
VIII-Johnson VS.. Congress
Bv Frederic L HaSki7

an overwhelming Republican majority
in both houses passed measures over
his veto without difficulty johnson I'M
mediately attracted the support OF eV-
cry Democrat in congress, but there
was only a "corporaPs guard" of Re-
publicans who supported the admins
tration. The president sought to use
the patronage of his office to bolster
up his strength, but congress promptly
disarmed him by passing the tenure OF
office act, taking away from the pres
ident the right of removing federal Oh
flee holders without the consent OF the
senate. There were many clashes or
authority, but the fight finally centered
about Edwin M. Stanton, whom john
son had inherited with Lincolns cabl-
net as secretary of war. stanton had
barely tolerated Lincoln. He complete
ly ignored Johnson. The president sus-
pended him from office under the pro-
visions OF the tenure of office act ana
reported his action to the senate, whlch
body refused to confirm 1t. Later john
son took the bull by the horns and
removed Stanton from office.
Then the wrath of the congressional
party broke all bounds. A movement
to impeach Johnson early in 1867 failed.
But on the very day Stanton was re-
moved, February 21, 1868, resolution
impeaching the president was offered
IN the house. Next day 1t was adopted
by vote of 1876 to AZ, the division be-
ing strictly according to party lines,
every Republican voting AYE and ev-
cry Democrat no" 1t was charged
in all gravity that johnson was remov-
ing stanton so that he could get hold
of the munitions of war and perpetuate
himself in the White House by force
of arms.
The next day Johnson allayed the
fears of the more conservative ele-
ment by appointing Thomas Ewing to
be secretary of war. Men might doubt
Johnson, but they could not doubt
Ewing and his loyalty to the Union.
But no one reCkoned that the senate
would soberly try the president on
the charges presented. Everywhere it
was predicted: I'm ten day honest
Ben Wade will be in the white house"
Wade was president pro tempore OF tho
senate, and under the law as 1t pre-
vailed until 1856 would succeed to the
presidency in case of the death or re-
moval of Johnson.
The trial in the senate began on
March 5, 1868, and was finally con-
cluded on May 26. Thad Stevens was
one Of the managers of the part of
the house charged with the prosecu-
tion, but the hand of death was upon
him. He was carried in chair TO
the capitol to read his speech in the
argument against the president but
he failed and was forced to hand the
manuscript to General Ben Butler. 1t
was Stevens last fight.
The first roll-call of the senate on
the trial was had on May 16. Thirty
five senators voted Guilty" and nane-
teen Eoted Not Guilty" A change
OF one vote would have meant con-
viction, as it would have completed
the two-thirds vote required by the
constitution. All twelve of the Demo-
Gratis in the senate voted. mot Guilty
as did seven Republicans. These seven
men were denounced by their partisans
at the time as traitors, and the Re
publican national convention which
met on May 20, between the time of
the first roll-call and the last, formally
communicated them. The seven
senators who saved johnson and the
prestige of the presidency were Will
liam Fessenden of Maine, Joseph S.
Fowler of Tennessee, James w.
Grimes of Iowa, John b. Hen
derson Of Missouri, Edmund G.. Ross Of
Kansas, Lyman Trumbull of Illinois
and Peter G. Van Winkle of West Vir-
ginia. OF this number John Il. Hen
derson is the only survivor.
Johnson was acquitted and Ben
Wade's hopes of the presidency died
with the verdict OF the senate. The
fourteenth amendment had been made
prerequisite to the readmisson of the
southern states to the Union, and negro
suffrage had been assured over the
protest of the president. Yet the more
radical plans of the Stevens party,
such as the conflscation of the lands
in the south and their division among
the freed slaves, had been defeated
by the stubbornness of Johnson.
Had congress not opposed the john
son scheme of reconstruction the
southern states would have been re-
ceived at once into the councils of the
nation, their representation In congress
would have been increased because of
emancipation, and they would have
formed a political coalition with the
northern Democrats which would have
driven the Republican party out of
power at once To prevent this con-
gress forced the adoption of the four
teenth and fifteenth amendments to
constitution.
But even these did not suffice long
to secure Republican supremacy, for
in 1874 the Democrats gained control
of the house of representatives and
in 1876 they contested the election of
president 1t was to meet this con-
dition that Republican congresses
sought to enact legislation providing
for federal control of elections.
Tomorow-The American Congress.
IN Tho s'Torce Rill" and CiOture.