Why was president Johnson impeached and do you think it was the right action to take?
* I have to write a paragraph on this and was wondering if someone could explain it a little better to me because from what im reading it says the impeachment didn't work because they didn't have enough votes and he chose to not run again.......thanks
Most sources agree with the final vote that he should not be evicted from office. However here is one that thinks the impeachment effort should have won:
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/impeach/imp_account2.html
Here is the concluding paragraph on the subject:
" The debate continues as to whether Johnson should have been convicted. David Stewart argues, and I agree, that Johnson deserved to be removed from office, but not for the arguable offense of violating the Tenure of Office Act or for being a blowhard. Instead, Johnson should have been convicted because he seriously undermined efforts to improve the lot of the country's newly freed slaves and because he stood idly by, and provided not a finger of federal assistance, even when ex-slaves were being slaughtered on southern highways. Johnson was a confrontational and insensitive president at a time when the nation desperately needed someone to heal the nation's wounds--someone like Abraham Lincoln. "
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By the way I disagree with this source. Although he was a nasty man and poor president as stated, he was actually impeached for violating a blatantly unconstitutional law, and therefore the actual charges against him were silly.
President Andrew Johnson was impeached by the House of Representatives in 1868 primarily due to his clash with Congress over Reconstruction policies following the American Civil War. The main reason for his impeachment was his violation of the Tenure of Office Act, which sought to limit the executive branch's power to remove certain officeholders without Senate approval. President Johnson dismissed Edwin M. Stanton, the Secretary of War, without Senate permission, which was seen as a violation of the law.
The impeachment process did not result in President Johnson's removal from office because the Senate ultimately acquitted him by only one vote. Some senators did not believe that the charge against him was serious enough to justify removal, while others felt that the Tenure of Office Act was unconstitutional. Additionally, there were political factors at play, as some senators may have been wary of removing a president from office during a time of important national issues.
As for whether it was the right action to take, that is a matter of personal interpretation. Supporters of the impeachment argued that Johnson's actions constituted a threat to the balance of powers and the rule of law. They believed that it was necessary to hold him accountable for violating a law passed by Congress. On the other hand, those who opposed the impeachment argued that it was politically motivated and that Johnson's actions did not meet the threshold of "high crimes and misdemeanors" required for impeachment. Ultimately, historians and scholars hold differing opinions on this matter.
To write your paragraph, you can mention the specific reasons for Johnson's impeachment, such as his violation of the Tenure of Office Act and his clash with Congress over Reconstruction policies. You can also briefly mention the outcome of the impeachment trial, emphasizing that Senate acquittal allowed Johnson to remain in office. Finally, consider presenting different perspectives on whether the impeachment was the right course of action, highlighting the arguments of both its supporters and opponents.