Why Was Andrew Johnson Assassination Justified

In the spring of 1868, all of America was focused on Congress to see if the President of the United States was going to be removed from office. On May 16, 1868, Congress was crowded with government officials, journalists, and citizens all waiting for the outcome of the trial. Individuals were impeached and removed from office before, however, President Andrew Johnson was the first president to be impeached. This raises numerous questions such as why Johnson was put on trial; what made radicals hell-bent on impeaching him; did he even commit a high crime and misdemeanor; and was Andrew Johnson’s impeachment justified. Andrew Johnson was not what the United States had expected. By all means, Johnson was nothing like his predecessor, did not encourage

Lincoln’s assassination was part of a larger conspiracy to assassinate that involved more than just Lincoln, but it also involved Secretary of State William Seward and Andrew Johnson himself. These assassinations were to take place on the night of April 14, 1865. John Wilkes Booth successfully assassinated Lincoln while he was at Ford’s Theater and William Seward barely survived his wounds after being viciously stabbed several times by Lewis Powell. The assassination of Andrew Johnson turned out to be a complete failure. Johnson’s would-be assassin, George Atzerodt, could not gather the courage to murder him. Instead, Atzerodt got drunk rather than killing Johnson. Upon discovering Booth’s evil deed, the Vice President rushed to Lincoln’s deathbed. While he visited Lincoln for the last time, Johnson promised “They shall suffer for this. They shall suffer for this.” Following the assassination, Atzerodt was arrested as well as the rest of the conspirators. Eventually, George Atzerodt and the rest of the conspirators were all sent to the gallows. In the past, William Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor were the only presidents that died in office; Lincoln was the third president to die during his term and the first president to be assassinated. After Lincoln died, Johnson was sworn in by Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase. After taking the oath of office, Johnson addressed the nation: “I have been almost overwhelmed by the announcement of the sad event which has so recently occurred. I feel incompetent to perform duties so important and responsible as those which have been so unexpectedly thrown upon me.” Johnson was not prepared to unexpectedly assume the