history of the impeachment of andrew johnson-第7章

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isbanded　and　was　never　heard　of　again。　Mr。　Lincoln；　had　he　lived；　would　doubtless　have　still　been　a　Republican；　as　Mr。　Johnson　was　still　a　Democrat；　as　before　the　warthe　purpose　of　that　war　and　of　the　Convention　that　nominated　him　having　been　accomplishedand　under　no　obligations；　especially　of　a　partisan　character；　to　adopt　or　promote　the　partisan　purposes　relative　to　reconstruction　or　otherwise；　that　came　to　actuate　the　Republican　party。

As　stated。　Mr。　。Johnson　had；　during　the　later　years　of　the　war；　been　acting　as　Military　Governor　of　Tennessee；　of　which　State　he　had　been　a　citizen　nearly　all　his　life。　His　administration　had　been　so　efficient　that　Tennessee　was　practically　restored　to　the　Union　at　the　close　of　the　War；　and　so　satisfactory　to　the　loyal　people　of　the　country；　that　though　an　old　line　Democrat　and　a　Southern　man；　Mr。　Johnson's　nomination　by　the　National　Convention　for　Vice　President　on　the　ticket　with　Mr。　Lincoln　for　President；　was；　as　has　been　shown；　logical　and　consistent。　Though　a　pronounced　State　Rights　Democrat　and　a　citizen　of　a　Southern　State　in　rebellion；　he　regarded　himself　as　a　citizen　of　the　United　States；　to　which　he　owed　his　first　allegiance。　State　Rights　meant　to　him；　the　rights　of　the　States　IN　the　Union；　and　not　OUT　of　the　Union。

In　evidence　of　the　confidence　and　esteem　in　which　Mr。　Johnson　was　generally　held　by　those　who　knew　him　and　knew　of　the　valuable　services　he　had　rendered　the　cause　of　the　Union；　the　following　letter　from　Mr。　Stanton；　then　secretary　of　War　under　Mr。　Lincoln；　is　here　reproduced。　It　was　written　to　Mr。　Johnson　on　his　tender　to　the　War　Office　of　his　resignation　of　the　Military　Governorship　of　Tennessee　to　accept　the　office　of　Vice　President　of　the　United　States：

War　Department；　Washington；　March　3；　1865。

Sir：This　Department　has　accepted　your　resignation　as　Brigadier　General　and　Military　Governor　of　Tennessee。　Permit　me　on　this　occasion　to　tender　to　you　the　sincere　thanks　of　this　Department　for　your　patriotic　and　able　services　during　the　eventful　period　through　which　you　have　exercised　the　highest　trust　committed　to　your　charge。　In　one　of　the　darkest　hours　of　the　great　struggle　for　National　existence；　against　rebellious　foes；　the　Government　called　you　from　the　comparatively　safe　and　easy　duties　of　civil　life　to　place　you　in　front　of　the　enemy　and　in　a　position　of　personal　toil　and　danger；　perhaps　more　hazardous　than　was　encountered　by　any　citizen　or　military　officer　of　the　United　States。　With　patriotic　promptness　you　assumed　the　post；　and　maintained　it　under　circumstances　of　unparalleled　trial；　until　recent　events　have　brought　safety　and　deliverance　to　your　State　and　to　the　integrity　of　the　Constitutional　Union；　for　which　you　so　long　and　so　gallantly　periled　all　that　is　dear　to　man　on　earth。　That　you　may　be　spared　to　enjoy　the　new　honors　and　perform　the　high　duties　to　which　you　have　been　called　by　the　people　of　the　United　States；　is　the　sincere　wish　of　one　who　in　every　official　and　personal　relation　has　found　you　worthy　of　the　confidence　of　the　Government　and　the　honor　and　esteem　of　your　fellow　citizens。

Your　obedient　servant；

Edwin　M。　Stanton。

His　Excellency；　Andrew　Johnson；　Vice…President　elect。



CHAPTER　III。　MR。　JOHNSON'S　ACCESSION　TO　THE　PRESIDENCY。

THE　RECONSTRUCTION　ERA。

Mr。　Johnson　succeeded　to　the　Presidential　office　on　the　death　of　Mr。　Lincoln；　April　15th；　1865。　The　conditions　of　the　time　were　extraordinary。　The　war；　so　far　as　operations　in　the　field　were　concerned；　was　at　an　end。　The　armies　of　the　rebellion　had　been　vanquished　and　practically　disbanded。　The　States　lately　in　revolt　were　prostrate　at　the　feet　of　the　conqueror；　powerless　for　further　resistance。　But　the　general　rejoicing　over　the　happy　termination　of　the　strife　had　been　inexpressibly　saddened　by　the　brutal　assassination　of　the　President　who　had　so　wisely　and　successfully　conducted　his　great　office　and　administered　all　its　powers　to　the　attainment　of　that　happy　result；　and　it　was　not　unnatural　or　strange　that　the　shocking　event　should　greatly　re…inflame　the　passions　of　the　strife　that　the　joys　of　peace　had　at　last　well　nigh　laid。

It　was　an　especial　misfortune　that　he　who　had　so　wisely　and　safely　conducted　the　Nation　through　the　conflict　of　arms　and　had　foreshadowed　his　beneficent　measures　of　peace　and　the　restoration　of　the　shattered　Republic；　was　taken　away　as　he　and　the　Nation　stood　at　last　at　the　open　door　of　successful　rehabilitation　on　a　broader　and　grander　basis　than　had　ever　been　reached　in　all　previous　efforts　of　man　at　Nation　building。　From　day　to　day　he　had　watched；　with　his　hand　on　the　key…board；　the　development　and　trend　of　events。　They　had　resulted　as　he　had　planned；　and　he　had　become　the　most　conspicuous；　the　best　loved；　and　the　most　masterful　of　living　man　in　the　control　of　the　future。　In　his　death　the　Union　lost　its　most　sagacious　and　best　trusted　leader；　and；　the　South　its　ablest；　truest；　and　wisest　friend。

It　was　under　these　circumstances　that　Mr。　Johnson　came　to　the　Presidency　as　Mr。　Lincoln's　successorwithout　a　moment　of　warning　or　an　hour　of　preparation　for　the　discharge　of　the　crushing　responsibilities　that　had　so　suddenly　fallen　to　his　direction。

Actuated；　doubtless；　and　not　unnaturally；　by　feelings　of　resentment　over　the　manner　and　circumstances　of　Mr。　Lincoln's　death；　Mr。　Johnson　at　first　gave　expression　to　a　spirit　of　hostility　toward　the　leaders　of　the　rebellion；　and　foreshadowed　a　somewhat　rigorous　policy　in　his　methods　of　Reconstruction　in　accordance　with　the　views　of　the　leaders　of　the　Republican　party　in　Congress　who　had　differed　with　Mr。　Lincoln　on　that　subject；　but　later　on；　under　the　advice　of　his　Cabinetnotably；　it　is　understood；　of　Mr。　Sewardand　under　the　responsibility　of　actionhis　views　became　modified；　till　in　time；　it　is　not　impossible；　but　by　no　means　certain；　that　he　went　even　beyond　the　humane；　natural　and　logical　views　and　purposes　of　Mr。　Lincoln　in　that　regard。

This　did　not　comport　with　the　purposes　of　the　Congressional　faction　that　had　opposed　Mr。　Lincoln's　plans；　which　faction；　under　the　pressure　of　the　general　indignation　over　his　murder；　quickly　rose　to　the　absolute　control　of　Congress。　Mr。　Lincoln　no　longer　stood　in　their　way；　and　Mr。　Johnson　was　then　comparatively　unknown　to　the　great　mass　of　the　dominant　party；　and　therefore　at　a　corresponding　disadvantage　in　the　controversy。　He　had　risen　step　by　step　to　his　new　position　from　the　humblest　walks　of　Southern　life；　and　each　succeeding　step　to　advancement　had　been　made　through　personal　conflicts　such　as　few　men　in　public　life　in　this　or　any　other　country　had　ever　borne。　It　was　not　unnatural；　therefore；　that　he　should　have　faith　in　himself；　and　in　the　superiority　of　his　judgment；　or　little　in　that　of　othersand　more　especially　when　he　was　approached　by　those　who　had　opposed　Mr。　Lincoln's　plans　in　an　attitude　of　dictation；　and　with　suggestions　and　unsought　advice　as　to　the　course　he　should　pursue　in　the　then　absorbing　question　of　the　restoration　of　the　States　lately　in　rebellionhimself　a　citizen　of　one　of　those　States；　and　for　the　preservation　of　which；　as　a　State　in　the　Union；　he　had　staked　his　life。

As　with　Mr。　Lincoln；　so　with　Mr。　Johnsonthe　first　thing　to　be　done；　or　sought；　was　the　restoration　of　the　Union　by　the　return　of　the　States　in　rebellion　to　their　allegiance　to　the　Constitution　and　laws　of　the　country。　Mr。　Lincoln；　to　use　one　of　his　characteristic　Western　phrases；　had　〃blazed　the　way；〃　and　Mr。　Johnson　took　up　that　trail。　A　few　weeks　after　his　inauguration　he　issued　a　Proclamation　outlining　a　plan　for　the　reorganization　of　the　State　of　North　Carolina。　That　paper　was　confessedly　designed　as　a　general　plan　and　basis　for　Executive　action　in　the　restoration　of　all　the　seceded　States。　Mr。　Lincoln　had；　of　course；　foreseen　that　that　subject　would　come　up　very　shortly；　in　the　then　condition　of　affairs　in　the　South；　and　it　had　therefore　been　considered　in　his　later　Cabinet　meetings；　as　stated；　more　especially　at　the　meeting　immediately　preceding　his　death；　and　a　plan　very　similar　to　that　afterwards　determined　upon　by　Mr。　Johnson；　if　not　identically　so；　was　at　that　meeting　finally　adopted。　That　plan　was　set　out　in　the　North　Carolina　Proclamation；　the　essential　features　and　general　character　of　which　became　so　conspicuous　a　factor　in　the　subsequent　controversies　between　the　President　and　Congress。　It　was　as　follows：

Whereas：　The　Fourth　Section　of　the　Fourth　Article　of　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States　declares　that　the　United　States　shall　guarantee　to　every　State　in　the　Union　a　Republican　form　of　Government；　and　shall　protect　each　of　them　against　invasion　and　domestic　violence；　and　whereas；　the　President　of　the　United　States　is；　by　the　Constitution；　made　Commander…in…Chief　of　the　Army　and　Navy；　as　well　as　chief　civil　executive　officer　of　the　United　States；　and　is　bound　by　solemn　oath　faithfully　to　execute　the　office　of　President　of　the　United　States；　and　to　take　care　that　the　laws　be　faithfully　executed；　and　whereas；　the　rebellion　which　has　been　waged　by　a　portion　of　the　people　of　the　United　States　against　the　properly　constituted　authority　of　the　Government　thereof　in　the　most　violent　and　revolting　form；　but　whose　organized　and　armed　forces　have　now　been　almost　entirely　overcome　has；　in　its　revolutionary　progress；　deprived　the　people　of　the　State　of　North　Carolina　of　all　civil　government：　and　whereas；　it　becomes　necessary　and　proper　to　carry　out　and　enforce　the　obligations　of　the　United　States　to　the　people　of　North　Carolina　in　securing　them　it；　the　enjoyment　of　a　republican　form　of　Government：

Now；　therefore；　in　obedience　to　the　high　and　solemn　duties　imposed　upon　me　by　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States；　and　for　the　purpose　of　enabling　the　loyal　people　of　said　State　to　organize　a　State　Government；　whereby　justice　may　be　established；　domestic　tranquility　insured；　I；　Andrew　Johnson；　President　of　the　United　States　and　Commander…in…Chief　of　the　Army　and　Navy　of　the　United　States；　do　hereby　appoint　William　W。　Holden　Provisional　Governor　of　the　State　of　North　Carolina；　whose　duty　it　shall　be；　at　the　earliest　practicable　period；　to　prescribe　such　rules　and　regulations　as　may　be　necessary　and　proper　for　convening　it　Convention；　composed　of　delegates　to　be　chosen　by　that　portion　of　the　people　of　the　said　State　who　are　loyal　all　to　the　United　States　and　no　others；　for　the　purpose　of　altering　or　amending　the　Constitution　thereof；　and　with　authority　to　exercise；　within　the　limits　of　said　State；　all　the　powers　necessary　and　proper　to　enable　such　loyal　people　of　the　State　of　North　Carolina　to　restore　said　State　to　its　constitutional　relations　to　the　Federal　Government；　and　to　present　such　a　republican　form　of　State　Government　as　will　entitle　the　said　State　to　the　guarantee　of　the　United　States　therefor；　and　its　people　to　protection　by　the　United　States　against　invasion；　insurrection　and　domestic　violence：　PROVIDED；　that　in　any　election　that　may　be　hereafter　held　for　choosing　delegates　to　any　State　Convention　as　aforesaid；　no　person　shall　be　qualified　as　an　elector；　or　shall　be　eligible　as　a　member　of　such　Convention；　unless　he　shall　have　previously　taken　and　subscribed　to　the　oath　of　amnesty；　as　set　forth　in　the　President's　Proclamation　of　May　29th；　A。　D。　1865；　and　is　a　voter　quali