- Abraham Lincoln’s VP during second term and president 1865 in assassination.
o Was slave holder but remained loyal to Union
o Refused to resign as US senator from TN when state seceded.
- 1862 appointed governor of Tennesse.
o Was an attempt to win votes from Democrats as Lincoln a Republican and Johnson a War Democrat.
- After he bcomes president immediately at conflict with Radical Republicans who wanted a sweeping transformation of southern social and economic life, permanently ending old planter class system.
o Favored granting freed slaves full citizenship including voting rights
o Also he was not a Republican.
§ Opposition led by Thaddeus Stevens of House and Charles Sumner of Massachusetts.
o Believed that whites in South were seeking to preserve the old slavery system even though South had lost war.
§ Thought that unrepentant South was featuring new state govs full of ex-Confeds when passing repressive labor laws and Black Codes targeting freed slaves.
- Black Codes prohibited freedmen from doing many things citizens were allowed to do (see text notes)
o 1866 enacted a Civil Rights Act in response to Black Codes.
o Johnson vetoed the Act claiming it was invasion of states’ rights.
§ Congress overrode veto with one vote
§ Marked beginning of escalating of power struggle b/w President and Congress.
- 1866 Congress passed 14th Amendment to the Constitution guaranteeing civil rights, prohibiting any state to deprive citizens of due process.
o Right to vote to all male adults, black and white.
§ Johnson opposed Amendment saying it did not apply to southerners who were w/o rep in Congress.
- After reports of violence against blacks in South, moderate voters in North began to lean towards Radicals.
o Johnson made matters worse when attempting to join all moderates in new party, the National Union Party to counter Radicals.
§ To get support, went through ‘swing ‘round the circle” tour
§ But only left many w/ impression Johnson’s true sympathies mainly toward defeated South.
o Repubs would land-slide 1866 elections with an anti-Johnson majority in Congress.
§ 3 consec. Vetoes overrode by Congress in 1867
§ Would pass Military Reconstruction Act, Command of the Army Act and the Tenure of Office Act.
- For Tenure of Office Act, was to protect secretary of war Edwin M. Stanton.
o Stanton had informed President that 5 military governors in South now answerable to Congress and not to President and that chain of command from Commander of Army through House of Representatives.
§ After he fired would try Johnson of “high crimes and misdemeanors”
- After impeachment of “not guilty”, would return to Tennesse, and run for Congress in 1872, lose, then run for Senate and win.
o Only former President to serve in Senate.
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