The Impeachers: The Trial of Andrew Johnson and the Dream of a Just Nation

In 1868, three years after Abraham Lincoln's death, the impeachment of Andrew Johnson marked a time of great divide and turmoil in the United States. It also brought an opportunity: removing Johnson from office would help advance the rights of African Americans, continuing one of Lincoln's signature goals.

The Impeachers: The Trial of Andrew Johnson and the Dream of a Just Nation effectively captures the tumultuous events and pivotal characters from this crucial time in American history. Through her consideration of the investigation's limited scope, Brenda Wineapple (Ecstatic Nation) dispels any lingering perceptions that Johnson's impeachment was a foregone conclusion. One reason for this was that the House could consider only indictable offenses--in this case, Johnson's violation of the Tenure of Office Act--rather than his "abuse of power."

Wineapple delves into the specific grievances against Johnson, including his broad, almost unquestioned issuing of pardons to former Confederates and his attempts to disband the Freedmen's Bureau, which was established to aid newly freed slaves. The Impeachers gives the reader a front-row seat at Johnson's Senate trial as Wineapple argues that the president's acquittal by one vote stemmed from the possible fear that radical Republican Benjamin Wade might assume the presidency.

While recognizing that the circumstances of Johnson's impeachment and the individuals involved may have faded from memory, Wineapple's work reminds us of its importance and relevance to modern times. "To forget the reasons why Andrew Johnson was impeached, to denude or belittle them, ignores how a divided, culpable nation had destroyed so many lives," Wineapple writes. "If those reasons are forgotten, the impeachment of Andrew Johnson seems unreasonable or ludicrous. It was neither." --William H. Firman Jr., presidential historian and freelance writer

Powered by: Xtenit