Description:

Johnson Andrew 1808 - 1875 An excellent letter to Andrew Johnson's lawyer about his work in the Impeachment proceedings
Two page bifold letter with docket on verso. 7.75" x 9.75" on line paper with header from the "Office Of The District Attorney of the United States For the Southern District of New York, New York.". Signed by "Samuel G. Courtney", and dated "May 14th, 1868". Expected folds, with faint toning. Docket to verso with the date of "May 14, 1868" and a note stating "Relative to Impeachment Trial speech". Additional notes in another hand also located on verso stating (of President Andrew Johnson, successor to Abraham Lincoln").



Samuel Courtney, as District Attorney, pens a letter to William M. Evarts, who served as defense attorney for President Andrew Johnson during his impeachment proceedings. William Evarts was renowned for his skills as a litigator and was involved in three of the most important causes of American political jurisprudence in his day: the impeachment of a president, the Geneva arbitration, and the contests before the electoral commission to settle the presidential election of 1876. Courtney's letter he commends his work saying in part: "I have read, during the progress of the impeachment trial, your defence of the President, and your assault on the articles of impeachment. As a lawyer, allow me to thank you, for the very able and eloquent effort in behalf of the President. With pride, all of the profession can refer to it, as a masterpiece of real genius. As a citizen, believing that the 'Constitution is sacredly obligatory on all,' I congratulate you, and the country, upon its noble vindication by you..."


Andrew Johnson, a Democrat, came to office as the civil war concluded and favored quick restoration of the seceded states to the Union. His plans did not give protection to the former slaves and he came into conflict with the Republican dominated Congress culminating in his impeachment on eleven articles detailing "high crimes and misdemeanors" The House's primary charge against Johnson was with violation of the Tenure of Office Act, passed by Congress the previous year. Specifically, he had removed Edwin McMasters Stanton, the Secretary of War (whom the Tenure of Office Act was largely designed to protect), from office and attempted to replace him with Brevet Major General Lorenzo Thomas. President Johnson chose Evarts as a member of his defense and was "greatly pleased with Evarts' efforts." The first vote on one of the eleven impeachment articles concluded on May 16 with a failure to convict Johnson. A ten-day recess was called before attempting to convict him on additional articles, but that effort failed on 26 May. The 35-to-19 votes on the three articles actually voted on were all one short of the required two-thirds needed for conviction.


As an aside note for thought, there would not be another serious attempt to impeach a President for 106 years when, during the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon chose to resign instead of face impeachment and trial. The only other impeachment trial of a President would occur 131 years later with the impeachment and acquittal of Bill Clinton. A wonderful reflective letter, from a highly charged era in our Country.

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