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108-553: (Redirected from Johnson Administration ) "Johnson administration" redirects here. For other uses, see Johnson cabinet (disambiguation) . President Johnson may refer to: Andrew Johnson (1808–1875), 17th president of the United States (1865–1869) Presidency of Andrew Johnson , his presidency Hilary R. W. Johnson (1837–1901), 11th president of Liberia Lyndon B. Johnson (1908–1973), 36th president of

216-401: A lame duck whose term would end in early 1869, was a Radical who supported such measures as women's suffrage, placing him beyond the pale politically in much of the nation. Additionally, many Republicans saw a President Wade as a potential obstacle to a Grant victory in the 1868 presidential election. With the dealmaking, Johnson was confident of the result in advance of the verdict, and in

324-672: A Northern Republican, to the presidency in 1860. Johnson had served as a Democrat in various offices prior to the Civil War, and he became one of the most prominent Southern Unionists after the start of the war. During the 1864 presidential election, the Republican ticket campaigned as the National Union ticket, and the National Union convention chose Johnson as the party's vice presidential nominee in large part because of Johnson's status as

432-647: A Reconstruction policy without legislative intervention, as Congress was not due to meet again until December 1865. Johnson believed that the Southern states had never truly left the Union. With the rebellion defeated, he thought that the South should re-take their place as equal partners under the United States Constitution. Despite the pleas of African-Americans and many congressional Republicans, Johnson viewed suffrage as

540-451: A War Democrat who served as the military governor of Tennessee. After the National Union ticket won the 1864 presidential election, Johnson was sworn in as vice president on March 4, 1865. On April 14, 1865, in the closing days of the Civil War , President Lincoln was shot and mortally wounded by John Wilkes Booth , a Confederate sympathizer. The shooting of the president was part of

648-588: A bargain price, maintaining the friendship of Russia, and blocking British expansion. Another treaty that failed was the Johnson-Clarendon convention, negotiated in settlement of the Alabama Claims , for damages to American shipping from British-built Confederate raiders. Negotiated by the United States Minister to Britain , former Maryland senator Reverdy Johnson , in late 1868, it was ignored by

756-450: A civil rights bill. The civil rights bill granted birthright citizenship to all individuals born in the United States, with the exception of Native Americans, and declared that no state could violate the fundamental rights of U.S. citizens. Trumbull met several times with Johnson and became convinced that the president would sign the measures. To the delight of white Southerners and the puzzled anger of Republican legislators, Johnson vetoed

864-475: A coercive labor system that left most blacks without true economic freedom. Concerns about cost and a large standing army led Congress to authorize a 54,000-man peacetime army, which was three times the size of the 1860 force but dramatically smaller than the 1865 force. Overstretched army forces kept order in towns and cities, but were forced to withdraw from most rural areas. Even in cities, mobs attacked African-Americans, " carpetbaggers " (Northerners who moved to

972-488: A conspiracy to assassinate Lincoln, Vice President Andrew Johnson, and Secretary of State William Seward on the same night. Seward barely survived his wounds, while Johnson escaped attack as his would-be assassin, George Atzerodt , got drunk instead of killing the vice president. Leonard J. Farwell , a fellow boarder at the Kirkwood House, awoke Johnson with news of Lincoln's shooting at Ford's Theatre . Johnson rushed to

1080-706: A justice to serve on the Supreme Court . In April 1866, he nominated Henry Stanbery to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by the death of Associate Justice John Catron , but Congress eliminated the seat by passing the Judicial Circuits Act of 1866. To ensure that Johnson did not get to make any appointments, the act also provided that the Court would shrink by one justice when one next departed from office. Johnson did appoint his Greeneville crony, Samuel Milligan , to

1188-512: A lower interest rate to refinance the redemption of short-term debt. while the old state bank notes were disappearing from circulation, new national bank notes, backed by species, were expanding. By 1868 inflation was minimal. In June 1866, Johnson signed the Southern Homestead Act into law, in hopes that legislation would assist poor whites. Around 28,000 land claims were successfully patented, although few former slaves benefited from

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1296-420: A majority of voters to take the loyalty oath, had passed both houses of Congress in 1864, but Lincoln had pocket vetoed it. At the time of Johnson's accession, Congress consisted of three factions. The Radical Republicans sought voting and other civil rights for African Americans. They believed that the freedmen could be induced to vote Republican in gratitude for emancipation, and that black votes could keep

1404-531: A new party consisting of the conservative elements of both parties. In August 1866, Johnson held a convention of his supporters in Philadelphia . The convention endorsed Johnson's program, but Johnson was unable to establish a durable coalition. Towards the end of his term, Johnson pursued the 1868 Democratic nomination, but his alliance with Lincoln and his patronage decisions had made him many enemies in that party. On taking office, Johnson promised to continue

1512-576: A pattern for the remainder of his presidency. Frustrated by Johnson's actions, Congress proposed the Fourteenth Amendment to the states, and the amendment was ratified in 1868. As the conflict between the branches of government grew, Congress passed the Tenure of Office Act , restricting Johnson's ability to fire Cabinet officials. When he persisted in trying to dismiss Secretary of War Edwin Stanton , he

1620-487: A prominent Southern War Democrat. Though he never declared himself to be a Republican, when Johnson took office, he had widespread approval within the Republican Party. Johnson's Reconstruction policy quickly alienated many in the Republican Party, while Johnson's patronage decisions and alliance with Seward alienated many Democrats. Instead of allying with either of the established parties, Johnson sought to create

1728-507: A question of federalism , as well as a tug of war between the president and Congress. Despite Johnson's objections, Congress passed admission legislation for Nebraska in January 1867. Johnson vetoed the measure that same month. Less than two weeks after Johnson vetoed the Nebraska statehood bill, both houses of Congress voted overwhelmingly to override it. The territorial legislature quickly accepted

1836-530: A report, which was not endorsed by any other congressman. Butler focused on a New York–based "Astor House Group", supposedly led by political boss and editor Thurlow Weed . This organization was said to have raised large sums of money from whiskey interests through Cincinnati lawyer Charles Woolley to bribe senators to acquit Johnson. Butler went so far as to imprison Woolley in the Capitol building when he refused to answer questions, but failed to prove bribery. For

1944-589: A state issue, and was uninterested in using federal power to impose sweeping changes on the defeated South. Johnson instead sought to help working class whites overcome the elite planter class, with African Americans still relegated to the lowest rung of Southern society. Johnson decided to organize state governments throughout the South, acting quickly to reconstitute governments in states that had, until recently, been in rebellion. In May 1865, he removed Nathaniel P. Banks from command in Louisiana after Banks protested

2052-466: A time of shifting partisan alignments. Former Whigs and former Democrats contended for influence within the Republican Party , while the remaining Northern Democrats looked to redefine their party in the wake of the Civil War. Johnson's accession left a Southern former Democrat in the president's office at the end of a civil war that had as its immediate impetus the election of Abraham Lincoln,

2160-474: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Presidency of Andrew Johnson Johnson, who was himself from Tennessee , favored quick restoration of the seceded states to the Union. He implemented his own form of Presidential Reconstruction  – a series of proclamations directing the seceded states to hold conventions and elections to re-form their civil governments. His plans did not give protection to

2268-516: Is the inflation-adjusted equivalent to $ 157 million in present-day terms. On March 30, 1867, de Stoeckl and Seward signed the treaty, and President Johnson summoned the Senate into session and it approved the Alaska Purchase in 37–2 vote. Although ridiculed in some quarters as "Seward's Folly," American public opinion was generally quite favorable in terms of the potential for economic benefits at

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2376-560: The 1860 presidential election as a member of the Republican Party , but, in hopes of winning the support of War Democrats , he ran under the banner of the National Union Party in the 1864 presidential election . At the party's convention in Baltimore in June, Lincoln was easily nominated, but the party dropped Vice President Hannibal Hamlin from the ticket in favor of Andrew Johnson,

2484-527: The Fifteenth Amendment , which prohibited the restriction of suffrage on the basis of "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." Congress overrode Johnson's veto of the re-admission of the Southern states, as well as Johnson's veto of a bill denying electoral votes to the states that had not yet been reorganized. Shortly before it adjourned in July 1868, Congress adopted a concurrent resolution declaring

2592-703: The Freedmen's Bureau , an agency that had been established by Congress in March 1865. Together with the U.S. Army, the Freedmen's Bureau acted as a relief agency and police force in the South, providing aid to both whites and blacks. In September 1865, Johnson overturned a Freedmen's Bureau order that had granted abandoned land to freedmen who had begun cultivating it; Johnson instead ordered such property returned to its pre-war owners. Johnson also purged Freedmen's Bureau officers whom Southern whites had accused of favoring blacks. Johnson

2700-561: The United States Court of Claims , where he served from 1868 until his death in 1874. Johnson took office after Robert E. Lee 's surrender at Appomatox Court House , but Confederate armies remained in the field. On April 21, 1865, Johnson, with the unanimous backing of his cabinet, ordered General Ulysses S. Grant to overturn an armistice concluded between Union General William T. Sherman and Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston . The armistice had included political conditions such as

2808-607: The White House and called for an address in honor of George Washington . In his hour-long speech, he instead referred to himself over 200 times. More damagingly, he also spoke of "men ... still opposed to the Union" to whom he could not extend the hand of friendship he gave to the South. When called upon by the crowd to say who they were, Johnson named Pennsylvania Congressman Thaddeus Stevens , Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner , and abolitionist Wendell Phillips , and accused them of plotting his assassination. Republicans viewed

2916-472: The former slaves , and he came into conflict with the Republican -dominated Congress. When Southern states returned, many of their old leaders passed Black Codes to deprive the freedmen of many civil liberties, congressional Republicans refused to seat legislators from those states and established military districts across the South. Johnson vetoed their bills, and congressional Republicans overrode him, setting

3024-540: The Army Ulysses S. Grant on an interim basis. After clashing with Grant, Johnson offered the position of Secretary of War to General William T. Sherman , who declined, and to Lorenzo Thomas , who accepted. Thomas never took office; Johnson appointed John Schofield as Secretary of War as a compromise with moderate Republicans. Johnson appointed nine Article III federal judges during his presidency, all to United States district courts ; he did not successfully appoint

3132-709: The British minority government led by Boris Johnson from July to December 2019 Second Johnson ministry , the British majority government led by Boris Johnson from 2019 to 2022 United States [ edit ] Presidencies [ edit ] Presidency of Andrew Johnson , 17th president of the United States Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson , 36th president of the United States Governorships [ edit ] Governorship of Gary Johnson , 29th governor of New Mexico Topics referred to by

3240-514: The Civil Rights Act, the president vetoed it, marking a permanent break with the moderate faction of the Republican Party. In his veto message, Johnson argued that the bill discriminated against whites and a dangerous expansion of federal power. Within three weeks, Congress had overridden his veto, the first time that had been done on a major bill in American history. According to Stewart, the veto

3348-594: The Confederacy was defeated, Johnson and Grant sent General Phil Sheridan with 50,000 combat veterans to the Texas-Mexico border to emphasize the demand that France withdraw. Johnson provided arms to Juarez, and imposed a naval blockade. In response, Napoleon III informed the Johnson administration that all his troops would be brought home by November 1867. Maximilian was eventually captured and executed in June 1867. Seward

President Johnson - Misplaced Pages Continue

3456-424: The Confederacy, war criminals, and those with taxable property greater than $ 20,000. In late 1865 and early 1866, on the advice of the Southern governors that he had appointed, Johnson pardoned much of the elite planter class. Subsequently, the planter elite largely re-took power in the South, contrary to Johnson's earlier plans for Reconstruction. Foner notes that the motivation for Johnson's decision to re-empower to

3564-558: The Constitution, the resolution was defeated in the House of Representatives. Johnson notified Congress of Stanton's suspension and Grant's interim appointment. In January 1868, the Senate disapproved of his action, and reinstated Stanton, contending the president had violated the Tenure of Office Act. Over Johnson's objection, Grant stepped down as Secretary of War, causing a complete break between

3672-655: The Constitution. Seven Republicans—Senators Grimes, Ross, Trumbull, William Pitt Fessenden , Joseph S. Fowler , John B. Henderson , and Peter G. Van Winkle —joined their Democratic colleagues in voting to acquit the president. After the vote, the Senate adjourned for the Republican National Convention , which nominated Grant for president. The Senate returned on May 26 and voted on the second and third articles, with identical 35–19 results. Faced with those results, Johnson's opponents gave up and dismissed proceedings. Stanton "relinquished" his office on May 26, and

3780-728: The Democratic Party was dominated by whites hostile to black voting rights, African Americans overwhelmingly chose to join the Republican Party. Aside from protecting African-American voting rights and disqualifying ex-Confederates from voting, the First Reconstruction Act also required the appointment of commanders for five districts that covered all of the former Confederate state other than Tennessee, which had been re-admitted in 1866. In consultation with General Grant, Johnson appointed Generals John Schofield, Daniel Sickles , John Pope , Edward Ord , and Philip Sheridan to command

3888-459: The Democratic Party, while the Republican Party in the South consisted of African-Americans, carpetbaggers, and " scalawags ", Southern whites who had largely opposed secession and now aligned with the Republicans. By early 1868, every former Confederate state but Texas had convened a constitutional convention and produced a new state constitution. As the conventions had been dominated by Republicans,

3996-613: The Fourteenth Amendment to be a part of the Constitution, as the requisite number of states had ratified the amendment. Though it made provisions for a reconvening in September should Johnson defy its policies, Congress did not reconvene until after the 1868 election. The Civil War had been financed primarily by issuing short-term and long-term bonds and loans, plus inflation caused by printing paper money, plus new taxes. Wholesale prices had more than doubled, and reduction of inflation

4104-502: The Fourth Reconstruction over Johnson's veto. The act allowed for the ratification of new state constitutions with the approval of a majority of those voting, rather than a majority of those registered to vote. On March 2, 1867, in response to the president's statements indicating that he planned to fire Cabinet secretaries who did not agree with him, Congress passed the Tenure of Office Act . The act required Senate approval for

4212-562: The Freedman's Bureau bill on February 18, 1866. By late January 1866, Johnson had become convinced that winning a showdown with the Radical Republicans was necessary to his political plans – both for the success of Reconstruction and for re-election in 1868. In his veto message, he argued that the Freedman's Bureau was an unconstitutional and unwise exercise of federal power, and added that Congress should not consider major legislation while

4320-518: The Homestead Act, the expansion of railroads, especially rebuilding the devastated Southern railroads and in opening the transcontinental line to the West Coast, and especially the flourishing of manufacturing during the war. The goal premium over greenbacks was hundred and $ 145 in greenbacks to $ 100 in gold, and the optimists thought that the heavy demand for currency in an era of prosperity would return

4428-552: The National Union Convention, using the label that the Republican ticket had campaigned on during the 1864 presidential election. Johnson hoped to unite his conservative supporters into a new party, but the convention ended only with a pledge by attendees to support Johnson and his policies in the 1866 campaign. Republican supporters like Seward and Thurlow Weed , and Democratic supporters like Samuel L. M. Barlow , were unwilling to fully break with their party. Following

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4536-663: The National Union banner, Johnson sought the 1868 Democratic presidential nomination, but it went to Horatio Seymour instead. Seymour's defeat by Grant in the 1868 presidential election left Northern Republicans firmly in control of Reconstruction. Though he was held in high esteem by the Dunning School of historians, more recent historians rank Johnson among the worst presidents in American history for his frequent clashes with Congress, strong opposition to federally guaranteed rights for African Americans , and general ineffectiveness as president. President Abraham Lincoln had won

4644-795: The Navy Gideon Welles and Secretary of the Treasury Hugh McCulloch . He had less esteem for Postmaster General William Dennison Jr. , Attorney General James Speed , and Secretary of the Interior James Harlan . Harlan, Dennison, and Speed resigned in June 1866 after Johnson had broken with congressional Republicans. Speed's replacement, Henry Stanbery , emerged as one of the most prominent members of Johnson's cabinet before resigning to defend Johnson during his impeachment trial. Johnson suspended Stanton after disagreements related to Reconstruction and replaced him with General of

4752-540: The Pacific, which would be officially claimed by the U.S. in 1898 . By 1867, the Russian government saw its North American colony (today Alaska ) as a financial liability, and feared eventually losing it if a war broke out with Britain. Russian minister Eduard de Stoeckl was instructed to sell Alaska to the United States, and did so deftly, convincing Seward to raise his initial offer from $ 5 million to $ 7.2 million. This sum

4860-462: The Republicans in power. Radical Republicans were defined by their views on Reconstruction, the protection of minority rights, and the necessity of a stronger postwar role for the federal government; they did not hold unified views on economic matters. The Moderate Republicans were not as enthusiastic about the idea of African-American suffrage as their Radical colleagues, either because of their own local political concerns, or because they believed that

4968-538: The Senate grew by two, and the Fourteenth Amendment gained one ratification vote. Another bill passed over Johnson's veto granted voting rights to African Americans in the District of Columbia. Johnson also vetoed legislation admitting Colorado Territory to the Union, but Congress failed to override it, as enough senators agreed that a district with a population of only 30,000 was not yet worthy of statehood. Meanwhile, state legislatures in every former Confederate state—with

5076-422: The Senate subsequently confirmed Schofield as Secretary of War When Johnson renominated Stanbery to return to his position as Attorney General after his service as a defense manager, the Senate refused to confirm him. Allegations were made at the time and again later that bribery dictated the outcome of the trial. Even when it was in progress, Representative Butler began an investigation, held hearings, and issued

5184-689: The South during Reconstruction), and federal forces in upheavals such as the Memphis riots and the New Orleans riot . These riots shocked many in the North and discredited Johnson's Reconstruction policies, resulting in increased support for a continued federal presence in the South. Facing opposition in Congress, Johnson sought to boost his supporters in the November 1866 congressional elections. In August 1866, Johnson held

5292-402: The Southern prewar elite, despite his earlier support for the punishment of rebel leaders, "has always been something of a mystery." Foner speculates that Johnson believed that an alliance with the planters would ensure ongoing white domination of the South and boost his 1868 re-election bid. Johnson's 1865 program of presidential reconstruction extinguished any hope of enforcing black suffrage in

5400-593: The Third Reconstruction Act over Johnson's veto. The act established the supremacy of the military governments in the South, and gave the military the power to remove state officials from office. After Secretary of War Edwin Stanton opposed Johnson's decision to veto the Third Reconstruction Act, Johnson decided to remove Stanton, setting the stage for a battle that would consume much of the second half of his presidency. Throughout 1867, Southern politics polarized along partisan lines. Most Southern whites favored

5508-520: The Union during the Civil War. Johnson did not impose many conditions on his governors, asking only that they seek the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment and the repudiation of secession ordinances and the Confederate debt. Alabama Governor Lewis E. Parsons , a Johnson appointee, declared that "every political right which the state possessed under the federal Constitution is hers today, with

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5616-574: The United States (1963–1969) Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson , his presidency William Johnson, fictional president of the United States in the TV series The First Family Other uses [ edit ] SS  President Johnson , named for the 17th president of the United States See also [ edit ] Johnson Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with

5724-500: The acceptance by the territory of a prohibition against voting restrictions based on race or color. The amendment won the support of radical Republicans and others hoping to impose similar conditions on the former Confederate states. But it drew fire from Democrats and Johnson, who opposed the condition on constitutional grounds. They argued that the federal government could not infringe on the power of states to establish their own qualifications for suffrage. The issue of statehood had become

5832-497: The address as a declaration of war, while one Democratic ally estimated Johnson's speech cost Democratic Party 200,000 votes in the 1866 congressional midterm elections. Even after the veto of the Freedman's Bureau bill, Moderate Republicans were hopeful that Johnson would sign the Civil Rights Act of 1866 , which had passed Congress with nearly unanimous support from Republicans. Though most of Johnson's cabinet urged him to sign

5940-601: The aftermath of the Civil War, as re-empowered Southern whites were no longer willing to accept sweeping changes to the pre-war status quo. Though not all Republicans favored black suffrage, the passage of the Black Codes and the restoration to power of former Confederate leaders elicited widespread outrage in the party. On its return in December 1865, Congress refused to seat the Southern Congressmen who had been elected by

6048-510: The appointment of former Confederate officials by Governor James Madison Wells . That same month, Johnson recognized Francis Harrison Pierpont 's government in Virginia, and appointed William Woods Holden as Governor of North Carolina. Johnson subsequently appointed governors to lead the other former Confederate states. He chose those governors without regard to their previous political affiliation or ideology, instead focusing upon their loyalty to

6156-498: The army and the Freedmen's Bureau, the First Reconstruction Act asserted Congress's ability to protect the rights of African Americans and prevent ex-Confederates from re-establishing political dominance. Following the passage of the act, African-Americans began to participate in elections en masse for the first time; the share of black adult males registered to vote rose from 0.5% in December 1866 to 80.5% in December 1867, with all of that increase occurring in former Confederate states. As

6264-495: The cabinet and the nation's top generals. After less than two months in office, Johnson had cultivated the reputation of someone who would be tough on the defeated Confederacy, and his esteem among congressional Republicans remained high. In the final days of Lincoln's presidency, Congress had approved what would become the Thirteenth Amendment , which abolished slavery and involuntary servitude nationwide. The amendment

6372-698: The condition imposed by the Edmunds Amendment, thus eliminating racial restrictions on voting. On March 1, 1867, Nebraska became the first–and to this day the only–state to be admitted to the Union by means of a veto override. France had established the Second Mexican Empire in 1863, despite American warnings that this was an unacceptable violation of the Monroe Doctrine . The French army propped up Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico and defeated local political opposition led by Benito Juárez . Once

6480-572: The conspirators might have intended for him. In the vain hope of having his life spared after his capture, Atzerodt spoke much about the conspiracy, but did not say anything to indicate that the plotted assassination of Johnson was merely a ruse. Conspiracy theorists point to the fact that on the day of the assassination, Booth came to the Kirkwood House and left one of his cards. This object was received by Johnson's private secretary, William A. Browning, with an inscription, "Are you at home? Don't wish to disturb you. J. Wilkes Booth." Johnson took office at

6588-503: The convention, Johnson campaigned vigorously, undertaking a public speaking tour known as the " Swing Around the Circle ". The trip, including speeches in Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis and Columbus, proved politically disastrous, as the president made controversial comparisons between himself and Christ and engaged in arguments with hecklers. These exchanges were attacked as beneath the dignity of

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6696-441: The days leading up to the ballot, newspapers reported that Stevens and his Radicals had given up. On May 16, the Senate voted on the 11th article of impeachment, accusing Johnson of firing Stanton in violation of the Tenure of Office of Act once the Senate had overturned his suspension. 35 senators voted "guilty" and 19 "not guilty", and thus the Senate fell short by a single vote of the two-thirds majority required for conviction under

6804-630: The eleven former Confederate states were not represented in Congress. Johnson considered himself vindicated when a move to override his veto failed in the Senate the following day. Johnson believed that the Radicals would now be isolated and defeated, and that the Moderate Republicans would form behind him; he did not understand that Moderates too wanted to see African Americans treated fairly. On February 22, 1866, Washington's Birthday , Johnson gave an impromptu speech to supporters who had marched to

6912-460: The exception of Tennessee—refused to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment. This refusal prompted Congressman Thaddeus Stevens to introduce legislation to dissolve the Southern state governments and reconstitute them into five military districts, under martial law . State governments would be reformed after holding constitutional conventions. African Americans could vote for or become delegates to these conventions, while former Confederates could not. During

7020-435: The firing of Cabinet members during the tenure of the president who appointed them. The Tenure of Office Act was immediately controversial; some senators doubted that it was constitutional and questioned whether the act's terms applied to Johnson, whose key Cabinet officers were Lincoln holdovers. The validity of the Tenure of Office Act would be tested by Johnson's clash with Secretary of War Stanton. Johnson both admired, and

7128-504: The five districts. To ensure that Johnson would not have a free hand over Reconstruction, as he had had in 1865, the 39th United States Congress passed a law that called the 40th Congress into session in March 1867 rather than in December 1867, when it would usually have convened. One of the first actions taken by the 40th Congress was to pass the Second Reconstruction Act, doing so over Johnson's veto. The act provided for

7236-473: The 💕 (Redirected from Johnson cabinet (disambiguation) ) Johnson cabinet , Johnston cabinet or Johnson government may refer to: Canada [ edit ] Boss Johnson ministry , government of British Columbia from 1947 to 1952 Johnston ministry , government of British Columbia in 1991 United Kingdom [ edit ] Johnson cabinets , of Boris Johnson as Mayor of London (2008–2016) First Johnson ministry ,

7344-414: The freedman would be likely to cast his vote badly. Nonetheless, they were committed to ensuring that African-Americans were granted more than "nominal freedom," and they opposed restoring Confederate officials to power. The third faction in Congress, Northern Democrats, favored the unconditional restoration of the Southern states and opposed African-American suffrage. Johnson was initially left to devise

7452-408: The full language of the amendment, and the deal fell through. Johnson vetoed the resulting First Reconstruction Act on March 2, 1867, but Congress overrode his veto on the same day. The First Reconstruction Act served as the legislative centerpiece of Radical Reconstruction, as Congress fully seized leadership of Reconstruction from Johnson. Though Johnson retained the power to command and undermine

7560-470: The governments established under Johnson. It also established the Joint Committee on Reconstruction , led by Moderate Republican Senator William P. Fessenden , to investigate conditions in the South. Despite these moves, most members of Congress were reluctant to directly confront the president, and initially only sought to fine-tune Johnson's policies towards the South. According to Trefousse, "If there

7668-496: The issue of black suffrage and congressional apportionment in light of the abolition of slavery. In late April, the Joint Committee on Reconstruction proposed an amendment that addressed most of the major issues facing Congress. The first section of the proposed amendment enshrined the principle of birthright citizenship in the constitution, and required states to observe the principles of due process and equal protection of

7776-402: The law, fraud was rampant, and much of the best land was reserved for railroads. In June 1868, Johnson signed a law passed by Congress that established an eight-hour workday for laborers and mechanics employed by the federal government. Although Johnson told members of a Workingmen's party delegation in Baltimore that he could not directly commit himself to an eight-hour day, he nevertheless told

7884-417: The law. Other sections temporarily disenfranchised former Confederate officials, prohibited the payment of Confederate debts, and provided for the reduction congressional representation in proportion to the number of male voters denied suffrage. Johnson was strongly opposed to this proposed Fourteenth Amendment , which he saw as a repudiation of his administration's actions, and he used his influence to oppose

7992-471: The legislative process, Congress added to the bill a provision requiring that restoration to the Union would follow the state's ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment. Johnson and the Southerners attempted a compromise, whereby the South would agree to a modified version of the amendment that did not include the disqualification of former Confederates and that limited black suffrage. The Republicans insisted on

8100-516: The legitimacy of Congress. Johnson thus became the first U.S. president to be impeached by Congress. On March 5, 1868, the impeachment trial began in the Senate. Congressmen George S. Boutwell , Benjamin Butler , and Thaddeus Stevens acted as managers for the House, or prosecutors, while William M. Evarts , Benjamin R. Curtis and former Attorney General Stanbery were Johnson's counsel. Chief Justice Chase served as presiding judge. The defense relied on

8208-473: The measure. Despite unanimous opposition from congressional Democrats, the amendment passed both houses of Congress in June 1866 and was formally proposed to the states for ratification. While Johnson clashed with Congress over Reconstruction, ex-Confederates and other Southerners used increasingly violent methods to oppose federal authority and re-establish their own dominance. Through a mix of legal and extra-legal means, many African-Americans were forced into

8316-550: The new state constitutions mandated suffrage for men (except leading ex-Confederates) without regard to race or property. Under the Reconstruction Acts, the new constitutions required ratification by a majority of registered voters to take effect. Southern Democrats boycotted the ratification votes, and groups such as the Ku Klux Klan engaged in terrorist campaigns to suppress voter turnout. In February 1868, Congress passed

8424-465: The new, Radical-influenced constitutions ratified in South Carolina and Arkansas would be transmitted to the Congress without delay, an action which would give him and other senators political cover to vote for acquittal. Other factors also favored a Johnson acquittal. If he was removed from office, Johnson's successor would have been Ohio Senator Wade, the president pro tempore of the Senate. Wade,

8532-789: The next meeting of Congress, as permitted under the Tenure of Office Act. Grant agreed to serve as temporary replacement while continuing to lead the army. Although Republicans expressed anger with his actions, the 1867 elections generally went Democratic. No seats in Congress were directly elected in the polling, but the Democrats took control of the Ohio General Assembly , allowing them to defeat for re-election one of Johnson's strongest opponents, Senator Benjamin Wade . Voters in Ohio, Connecticut, and Minnesota turned down propositions to grant African Americans

8640-418: The policies of his predecessor, and he initially kept Lincoln's cabinet in place. Secretary of State William Seward became one of the most influential members of Johnson's Cabinet, and Johnson allowed Seward to pursue an expansionary foreign policy. Early in his presidency, Johnson trusted Secretary of War Edwin Stanton to carry out his Reconstruction policies, and he also had a favorable opinion of Secretary of

8748-422: The presidency. The Republicans won major gains in Congress and made plans to control Reconstruction. Johnson blamed the Democrats for giving only lukewarm support to the National Union movement. Reconvening in December 1866, an energized Congress began passing legislation, often over a presidential veto. In February 1867, Congress admitted Nebraska to the Union over a veto. As a result, the Republican majority in

8856-610: The president's deathbed, where he remained a short time, on his return promising, "They shall suffer for this. They shall suffer for this." Lincoln died at 7:22 am the next morning; Johnson's swearing in occurred between 10 and 11 am with Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase presiding in the presence of most of the Cabinet. Johnson's demeanor was described by the newspapers as "solemn and dignified". Johnson presided over Lincoln's funeral ceremonies in Washington, before his predecessor's body

8964-542: The proceedings, and except for a pair of interviews in April, he complied. Behind the scenes, Johnson maneuvered to gain an acquittal; for example, he pledged to Iowa Senator James W. Grimes that he would not interfere with Congress's Reconstruction efforts. Grimes reported to a group of Moderates that he believed the president would keep his word. Johnson also promised to install the respected John Schofield as War Secretary. Kansas Senator Edmund G. Ross received assurances that

9072-408: The provision of the Tenure of Office Act that made it applicable only to appointees of the current administration. Since Lincoln had appointed Stanton, the defense maintained Johnson had not violated the act; they also argued that the president had the right to test the constitutionality of an act of Congress. Johnson's counsel insisted that he make no appearance at the trial, nor publicly comment about

9180-465: The question of what to do with the states that had formed the Confederacy. President Lincoln had authorized loyalist governments in Virginia, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee as the Union came to control large parts of those states and advocated a ten percent plan that would allow elections after ten percent of the voters in any state took an oath of future loyalty to the Union. Many in Congress considered this too lenient. The Wade–Davis Bill , requiring

9288-439: The question of whether the military officers placed in command of the South could override the civil authorities. The president had Attorney General Stanbery issue an opinion backing his position that they could not. On August 5, after Stanton refused to endorse Johnson's position, the president demanded Stanton's resignation. The secretary refused to quit at a time when Congress was out of session. Johnson then suspended him pending

9396-465: The ratio to 100. A compromise was reached in April 1866, that limited the treasury to a currency contraction of only $ 10 million over six months. Meanwhile, the Senate refunded the entire national debt, but the House failed to act. By early 1867, postwar prosperity was a reality, and the optimists wanted an end to contraction, which Congress ordered in January 1868. Meanwhile, the Treasury issued new bonds at

9504-426: The recognition of existing Confederate state governments. On May 2, Johnson issued a proclamation offering $ 100,000 for the capture of Confederate President Jefferson Davis , who many thought had been involved in the assassination of Lincoln. Davis was captured on May 10. In late May, the final Confederate force in the field surrendered, and Johnson presided over a triumphant military parade in Washington, D.C. alongside

9612-415: The registration of only those voters that could show their loyalty to the Union, as well as the calling of state conventions to create new governments. Johnson's Attorney General, Henry Stanbery, asserted that the governments established by Johnson, rather than the military governments established by Congress, reigned supreme in the South. Disturbed by Johnson's defiance, Congress reconvened in July to pass

9720-430: The remaining months of his term, Johnson was a nonentity with little influence on public policy. In the months after the impeachment vote, Congress re-admitted the seven Southern states that had written new constitutions and ratified the Fourteenth Amendment. As Radical Republicans feared that these Southern states would deny African-Americans the right to vote in 1868 or future elections, they also drafted what would become

9828-419: The same delegation that he greatly favored the "shortest number of hours consistent with the interests of all." According to Richard F. Selcer, however, the good intentions behind the law were "immediately frustrated," as wages were cut by 20%. In June 1866, Nebraska Territory voters narrowly approved a draft constitution; one of its provisions limited voting rights to white males. A bill to admit Nebraska to

9936-427: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Johnson cabinet . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Johnson_cabinet&oldid=1162838124 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

10044-464: The single exception relating to slavery." The Southern governors called state conventions that in turn organized new governments and called new elections, from which former secessionists emerged triumphant. The new governments passed strict Black Codes that constituted a virtual re-establishment of slavery. Johnson refused to interfere, as he firmly believed that such matters were state, rather than federal, issues. Johnson frequently acted to undermine

10152-543: The title President Johnson . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=President_Johnson&oldid=1235124280 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Title and name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Johnson cabinet (disambiguation) From Misplaced Pages,

10260-433: The two. Johnson then dismissed Stanton and nominated Lorenzo Thomas as Stanton's replacement. Stanton still refused to leave his office, and on February 24, 1868, the House impeached the president for intentionally violating the Tenure of Office Act, by a vote of 128 to 47. The House subsequently adopted eleven articles of impeachment , for the most part alleging that he had violated the Tenure of Office Act, and had questioned

10368-569: The union was then introduced in Congress, where it was adopted just before the session ended in late July, notwithstanding some resistance from Republicans who opposed the "white suffrage" clause in the new constitution, as well as Democrats who were leery of granting statehood to another Republican stronghold. President Johnson pocket vetoed the bill after Congress adjourned. The issue was renewed shortly after Congress reconvened in December 1866. This time, however, an amendment sponsored by Senator George F. Edmunds effectively conditioned statehood on

10476-469: The vote. The adverse results momentarily put a stop to Republican calls to impeach Johnson, who was elated by the election results. Nevertheless, once Congress met in November, the Judiciary Committee reversed itself and passed a resolution of impeachment against Johnson. After much debate about whether anything the president had done was a high crime or misdemeanor, the standard for impeachment under

10584-669: Was "for many his defining blunder, setting a tone of perpetual confrontation with Congress that prevailed for the rest of his presidency". Congress also passed the Freedmen's Bureau Act a second time, and again the president vetoed it; this time, the veto was overridden. Congressional Republicans were angered by Johnson's obstruction of Congress's Reconstruction program, which eventually led to his impeachment. The battle over Reconstruction encouraged both radical and moderate Republicans to seek Constitutional guarantees for black rights, rather than relying on temporary political majorities. Congress had already begun to consider amendments to address

10692-470: Was a priority for Secretary of the Treasury Hugh McCulloch. A high priority, and by far the most controversial, was the currency question. The old paper currency issued by state banks had been withdrawn, and Confederate currency was worthless. The national banks had issued $ 207 million in currency, which was backed by gold and silver. The federal treasury had issued $ 428 million in greenbacks, which

10800-444: Was a time when Johnson could have come to an agreement with the moderates of the Republican Party, it was the period following the return of Congress". Illinois Senator Lyman Trumbull , leader of the Moderate Republicans and chairman of the Judiciary Committee, was anxious to reach an understanding with the president. He ushered through Congress a bill extending the Freedmen's Bureau beyond its scheduled abolition in 1867, as well as

10908-572: Was an expansionist, and sought opportunities to gain territory for the United States. In 1867, he negotiated a treaty with Denmark to purchase the Danish West Indies for $ 7.5 million, but the Senate refused to ratify it. Seward also proposed to acquire British Columbia as a trade-off against the Alabama Claims , but the British were uninterested in this proposal. Seward was successful in staking an American claim to uninhabited Wake Island in

11016-458: Was exasperated by Secretary of War Stanton, who, in combination with General Grant, worked to undermine the president's Southern policy from within his own administration. Johnson considered firing Stanton, but respected him for his wartime service as secretary. Stanton, for his part, feared allowing Johnson to appoint his successor and refused to resign, despite his public disagreements with his president. In mid-1867, Johnson and Stanton battled over

11124-596: Was impeached by the House of Representatives , making him the first U.S. president to be impeached. Johnson narrowly avoided conviction in the Senate and removal from office, but he exercised little power in his last year in office. In foreign policy, Johnson presided over the purchase of Alaska , and his presidency saw the end of the French intervention in Mexico . Having broken with Republicans, and failing to establish his own party under

11232-571: Was legal tender but not backed by gold or silver. In addition about $ 275 million of coin was in circulation. The new administration policy announced in October would be to make all the paper convertible into specie, if Congress so voted. The House of Representatives passed the Alley Resolution on December 18, 1865, by vote of 144 to 6. In the Senate it was a different matter, for the key player was Senator John Sherman , who said that inflation contraction

11340-518: Was less active in curbing the army's authority than that of the Freedmen's Bureau, but the army nonetheless saw its influence decline as soldiers were demobilized following the end of the war. In addition to quickly restoring state governments and interfering with the work of the Freedmen's Bureau, Johnson also sought to restore the property and civil rights of white Southerners. On May 29, 1865, Johnson offered amnesty to most former Confederates. The order did not include high military and civil officers of

11448-426: Was not nearly as important as refunding the short-term and long-term national debt. The war had been largely financed by national debt, in addition to taxation and inflation. The national debt stood at $ 2.8 billion. By October 1865, most of it in short term and temporary loans. Wall Street bankers typified by Jay Cooke believed that the economy was about to grow rapidly, thanks to the development of agriculture through

11556-405: Was ratified by the requisite number of states (then 27) in December 1865, becoming the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution . Though Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation had freed many slaves in the former Confederacy, the Thirteenth Amendment permanently abolished slavery nationwide and freed slaves in border states like Kentucky. With the end of the Civil War, Johnson faced

11664-445: Was sent home to Springfield, Illinois , for burial. At the suggestion of Attorney General James Speed , Johnson allowed a military commission to try the surviving alleged perpetrators of Lincoln's assassination. A six-week trial culminated in death sentences for four of the defendants, along with lesser sentences for the others. The events of the assassination resulted in speculation, then and subsequently, concerning Johnson and what

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