ipl-logo

Andrew Johnson Impeachment Charges In 1868

474 Words2 Pages

Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States, was brought up on impeachment charges in 1868 for multiple reasons. One of the reasons was that he vetoed 20 congressional bills. He also Failed to consult congress at the start of reconstruction. But the biggest charge was that he violated the Tenure act because he removed Edwin M. Stanton from the cabinet without the permission of Senate. Johnson's action was seen as an abuse of power and an attempt to undermine the authority of Congress. In response to Johnson's dismissal of Stanton, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Johnson, and he was tried by the Senate. During the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson in 1868, Senator Edmund Ross faced several pressures, dangers, …show more content…

Ross was a Republican, and the majority of Republicans in Congress supported Johnson's impeachment. There was pressure on Ross to vote in line with his party, even if he personally disagreed with their position. Ross also faced personal pressure as he struggled with his own beliefs about the trial. He was torn between his party loyalty and his own sense of fairness and justice. There were also dangers associated with the trial. The political climate was volatile, and there were fears of violence and unrest if Johnson was either acquitted or convicted. Ross and the other Senators involved in the trial had to be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others. Finally, Ross may have also faced fear of the unknown. The impeachment of a President was a relatively new and untested process, and there was uncertainty about how the trial would unfold and what the consequences would be. Ross and the other Senators may have been uncertain about what the future held, both for themselves and for the country. Senator Edmund Ross voted not guilty on the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson in 1868 because he believed that the evidence presented during the trial was not strong enough to justify Johnson's removal from office. Ross was one of 35 Senators who served as jurors in the trial, and he was one of seven Senators who voted not guilty on the main charge of

Open Document