Evening star., 1925-04-26
Andrew johnson Had Hard Fight
Trying to Remove War Office Head

masquerade party. The doughty
official insisted on seeing the Presi-
dent before going 10 Jail. and the mar
shall consented. on condition that the
prisoner would not leave his sight.
Accordingly Thomas and the marshal
both went to the White House, where
the President was the next early
riser, and the marshal stood by while
the two outlined a plan of action.
Thomas arranged bail of $4,000, and
was released. whereupon he imme-
diately started for the War Depart
ment.
Stanton and his friends were peer
ing out the windows and when they
saw the white-headed soldier start
across the lawn toward the building
they exclaimed, Here he comes =
The defenders ranged themselves in
front of Stanton, ready for any emer-
gency. Thomas, calm as if on parade
and with no thought of danger, strode
into the building. The scene which
followed is preserved to history
through the notes of three members
of Congress present. which were after
ward made into the following record:
AT 20 minutes past l. m Gen.
Thomas. adjutant general. came into
the Secretary of Wars office. saying,
Good morning the Secretary reply
ing, Good morning. sir Thomas
looked around and said. I do not wish
to disturb these gentlemen and will
wait Stanton said, Nothing private
here; what do you want. sir?'
Thomas demanded of Secretary
Stanton the surrender of the Secre.
tary of War office. Stanton denied
it to him and ordered him back TO his
own Office as adjutant general.
| Thomas refused to go. I claim the
office of Secretary of War. he said.
| and demand it by order of the Presi-
dent
Stanton-I deny your authority TO
act and I ordered you back to your
own Office.
Thomas will stand here.
want no unplea santness in the pres
| ence of these gentlemen.
Stanton-You can stand there if
! you please, but you cannot act as
Secretary Of War. I am Secretary of
! War. l ordered you out of this office
and to your own.
Thomas refuse to so and will
stand here.
"Stanton-How will YOU get pos
| session? Will you use force?
Thomas do not care to use
force, but my mind is made up as to
what / shall do. l want no unpleas-
antness, though. / will stay here and
! act as Secretary of War
"Stanton-You shall not and I
order you, as your superior back to
| your office.
Thomas departed and Stanton bar
| ricaded himself in his office. No fur
| ther effort was made to remove him.
he continued to act as Secretary of
| war until after Johnson's imDeac ch..
ment trial, when he resigned but he
never saw or communicated with the
President or attend cabinet meet
| ings and the President never COM
i munfcated with him.
! TOHNSON'S action in ordering
Stanton's removal in spite Of the
tenure of Office act was just the anu ;,
milton needed by the extremists In
| Congress. led in the House by the
aged but vigorous, embittered Grip
! pie. Thaddeus Stevens of PennsyI--
vania, and in the Senate by the mer-
ciless Charles Sumner of Massa =
! chusetts. Angered beyond the point
| of nationality by Johnson's antag-
| onism to their rigid reconstruction~
| policies, they rushed a resolution
| through the House declaring that
Andrew Johnson, President of the
United states, be impeached OF high
day, the thirteenth" of March, 1885,
| Chief Justice Salmon P Chase of the
United States Supreme Court strobe
into the Senate chamber and the
| "a members of that body took oath
as a jury to try the President, the
! first and only time such a proceed
! ings was ever undertaken The man
| ayers, or prosecutors, for the House,
! Representatives Thaddeus Stevens.
| George S. Boutwell,, James F. Will
| son. Benjamin F. Butler, George f.
! Miller. John A. Bingham, William
Lawrence, William Williams and
John A. Logan, filed in and formally
read their charges against the Presi-
| dent. who, when his presence was
called for in loud tone, appeared
| by counsel.
! Intense dramatic interest marked
] the months trial, which ended in
/ breath taking suspense when the
| vote on the first article of impeach-
ment was taken, May Is, and re-
suited in 35 for conviction and 10
, for aequittal. leaving the Presidents
| enemies one vote short of the two
| thirds necessary for conviction
| Thirty five Senators had voted guilty
and 10 not guilty. The latter con-
sisted of Il Democrats and Z Repub-
| licans.
kCopyrtght. 1884