“When Andrew Johnson took upon himself the duties of his high office he swore to obey the Constitution and take care that the laws be faithfully executed. That, indeed, is and has always been the chief duty of the President of the United States. The duties of legislation and adjudicating [making a judgment on] the laws of his country fall in no way to his lot. To obey the commands of sovereign power of the nation, and to see that others should obey them, was his whole duty—a duty which he could not escape, and any attempt to do so would be in direct violation of his official oath…”

Question

“When Andrew Johnson took upon himself the duties of his high office he swore to obey the Constitution and take care that the laws be faithfully executed. That, indeed, is and has always been the chief duty of the President of the United States. The duties of legislation and adjudicating [making a judgment on] the laws of his country fall in no way to his lot. To obey the commands of sovereign power of the nation, and to see that others should obey them, was his whole duty—a duty which he could not escape, and any attempt to do so would be in direct violation of his official oath…”

—Thaddeus Stevens, Closing Remarks in the Impeachment Trial of Andrew Johnson, 1868
Question
Use the quotation to answer the following question:

According to the quotation, why does Stevens believe that Johnson should be removed from office?

(4 points)

Answer 1

Stevens believes that Johnson should be removed from office because he violated his official oath by not faithfully executing the laws and obeying the commands of the sovereign power of the nation. This failure to carry out his duties as President is seen as a direct violation of his oath and therefore grounds for impeachment.

Answer 2

now make the over complicated words easy to understand

Answer 3

According to the quotation, Stevens believes that Johnson should be removed from office because he did not do his job properly. As President, his main duty is to obey the Constitution and make sure that the laws are followed. By not fulfilling this duty, Johnson broke his promise when he took office, and that is why he should be impeached and removed from his position.