I think you just took a narrative stance . Which means he has more time to write and more time to talk and more time to educate all of us. I am honored that he has come here again and he was here a couple years ago. I am honored that he was back today. [ applause ] two i hope we have time for questions and answers. They can state a popular memory, largely as betrayal and popular media. I want to look at the politics of the betrayal of Andrew Johnsons impeachment. My primary works would be Thomas Dixons klansman. And john f. Kennedy run the kennedy room. My thesis is that these were for trailed as part of the misrule. Although political factors inevitably influence impeachment under the misdemeanor, only theres been a legal trance aggression. Because many of you know the reschedules of senator with personal principle patriotism and bylaw over partisan politics. This one chapter on johnsons impeachment which as most of you know failed by conviction by one vote. These are the illustrations that kennedy has for this chapter. Heres the ticket to the impeachment trial. Last at most two months. Heres the cartoon of the senate chambers. He was the can the senator who sacrificed the political career when previously undecided he delivered the decision. Filling his sworn duty to follow the law of political pressure. To keep the presidency from becoming subservient to the legislative will. In doing so they perform what one historian called the most heroic act in American History more difficult than any deed upon the field. In fact it was so valid that he wrote his own account of the impeachment which you can still buy. This is a really nice story of courage. Kennedy ignored certain evidence that the senator remained on the side at the last minute, because you are shopping for the highest bidder. Although theres no indication that kennedy intentionally distorted the fact, it was political motivation for him to highlight the refusal for the pressure. Kennedy of course had president ial ambition. He was well aware that there eventually need support to. Secure the democratic nomination. In 1957 its really important to remember that Many Americans consider johnson a hero. He was determined to carry out and bring him begins reconciliation with the seek of the nation. And treat with mercy and fairness. Johnson faced congress would clash with lincoln. Administered in Southern States and conquered provinces. They were unconstitutional and too harsh in the treatment of the south, or an military rule with the authority of the executive branch. Those bills included the 1866 Civil Rights Act which states citizenship an extension of the Previous Bureau between 1867, they were all unconstitutional themselves. No accident that the villains best selling betrayal lost on the own Benjamin Butler and charles schaller. Respectively as new orleans, and this is the south most implacable enemy we hope to make the reconstruction period a nightmare the south would never forget. Kennedy assured southerners that this massachusetts politician could be trusted. And a little more to the time, if you can invert for a moment your eye away from the fact that this is that addition, he my time you see that, is written by the story and alan evans was a prize historian. Is not only one who wrote that addition, he was the chairman kennedy, and he read the manuscript best was accurate. It was a time of defacement when the bad got the upper hand in congress. Johnson was partly broken for the courage. This is an example of the false kind of courage that flew out. As a sideline, but unfortunately this guy who has this reconstruction is still influential to my office today. Enough on that. Became the basis of the nation. Which led to the impeachment trial. They do have the trial, and is for trailed that they have significant similarities deploying to tell the story of the here is him. Dixon relies on kennedys forces. He does have different dramatic focus from kennedy. He focuses on the character austin who stands for that was threatening the foundation of the republic. They came and argued with lincoln. In fact stevens would allow butler to take over the prosecutor and couldnt finish the one page. Dixon needed a villain who was ruled to have a mistress. Kennedy was a black nightmare. Add to the film, tennessee johnson. The johnson always in the focus is a lot on joe johnson. Johnson is played by heflin who won an oscar. They acknowledged that they require taking certain liberties. Even though johnson didnt appear in the trial he comes in and gives the extent. They produce trauma by pinning johnson against stevens who is perfectly casted after playing its a wonderful life. That wrote a screenplay. These are the three different works. They have lots of similarities. Kennedy, was at stake the balance of government. The independence of the executive office has its coordinated branch of the government was on trial. Dixon agrees with that. Is the chapter called the supreme test. He says almost exactly same as kennedy. The part of the majority of congress can move by the Supreme Court the ability to city because constitutions would be at an end. The real supreme question was will the u. S. Remain a white republic . In the film, it wants to rally support by stressing national unity. He escapes tos tennessee. He learns how to read and write and becomes a spokesman for poor white. They would be needed for the war effort. His love of the union made him loyal even when tennessee succeeded causing lincoln to choose as Vice President in 1864. As president he is committed to following lincolns policy rather than stevens. You can see through world war ii you will have a huge opportunity. You need to have north and south reconcile, you need to have democrats and republicans getting together. Africanamericans were needed as well. Reversing, johnson is a fugitive and he has a shackle on his leg. He has to have that cut off. He keeps a shackle all his life. Then when stevens comes in and offers to help him, ill help you in the next election. Johnson replies ive been chain before. He promises that he will free southerners. You can imagine they were so happy with this, and they protested. Worker gave a copy of the script to the daily worker. Daily worker then pass it to the office of war information within pressured to make changes when it came out. They saw a less demonic portrayal. That angle as far as hoped, because they advised that this is the original script. Which unfortunately was true at the time. Some scenes of stevens were reshot making him a little more human. In many scenes of African Americans were deleted. Historians of the Civil Rights Movement sometimes pointed to this alliance between the office of formation, and a strategy that would work a Civil Rights Movement. At the same time, even today is an example of political righteousness. All three of them, we have this. They all agree on the politics of reconstruction, and they all have a common source. I will give you a sense of what that agreement about reconstruction was. People dont remember this, but he actually came back to the senate in 1875, and this is describing johnsons return. The triumph of his policy was more significant. One by one africanized borough despite support of the federal administration have fallen or are falling. No relic will remain at that empire. Does give you a sense of how long this lasted, in 1960 the book was praised by one of the phd advisors. It something of a classic whose narrative account is not likely, if indeed ever. This is the deal of reconstruction not only with david about the politics of reconstruction, but about the policy easement which was all three betray johnsons against johnson with no legal basis. Congress was trying to restrict johnson. Senate approval needed to remove a cabinet member that the president appointed during the senate. Nonetheless johnson fires in order to keep him from using military to intervene in the south. Johnson had really good attorneys. s attorneys responded with a legal claim of charge by saying that didnt even come onto the act, why . He was appointed by lincoln and not johnson. Even if he did come onto the act, the only reason johnson was serious was to get the Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of the act. Is a crucial question, county president defy law in order to get a constitutional ruling . Are they represented in these three works . Theres highlight and there was one, johnson was actually helping. And sensationalism. The other two do deal with a legal issue. All film says the office ask will be a dismissal. Paper tray the office act more or less accurately. Delighted in knowing the act was said to be unconstitutional. Which is true, but they failed to mention homes for both senate. How do we get the end of this notion . For dixon it was all politics. For kennedy is a little more new on. I will let kennedy speak for the two of them. They do not give the president a fair trial on the formal issue upon which impeachment was drawn. They refused to accept the policies. Was left out of this account is still there today about the impeachment. Many of those policy disagreements became law. One of the charges against johnson was of the political not doing his constitutional duty to execute them. At the time there was a strong argument for political grounds for impeachment. Will go back to charles he tried to get rid of the electoral votes. He may crucial points. He said the fact that the house impeachment and senate tried indicates that they recognize the political aspect. Because of the residing officer benefit from impeachment. You to have another figure. Besides hamilton who says you can have impeachment for abuse or violations of some public trust which is political. Some sites show a story that you can have impeachment or misconduct with disregard in the discharge of a duty of a political office. Besides the most famous constitutional historian was prior to the civil war and wrote that someone could be unfit for office but there is no offense that has been committed. When curtiss brother benjamin is a former Supreme Court of justice and became one of johnsons attorneys for political reasons george changed his position. And said no, has to be legal. And indeed you have quotations for some of the people who voted not to content. In the opposition between legal and political grounds political is almost always become partisan. The Founding Fathers also saw the healing terms as the art of the possible. In my title is politics and a third way. My argument here is the combo get a part. The republic could be impeached for legal and political. They can include the fighting power. The hope was the senate could determine if someone was unfit for office. Remember this Opposition Group at the time. When those are supported by thought johnson study one of his biographies and battle radicals threaten the welfare of the public the partisanship. What about those recent studies . That acknowledge the possibility now of convention with an illegal transaction. It was his politics they say. Who threatened to go further. They want to bring three studies. They are very important. The and the power of impeachment. All of these draw lessons through the impeachment. Not one that he should been convicted. He says failure to convict johnson offers unappreciated lessons. Although impeachment proceedings are political, they are also technical. The house put forth the lead case. Thats a good lesson if you want to impeach. How about johnson was pieced with just one reason. Violating the office act which was purely part of johnson. He says was unconstitutional. How about nature . He says the trial offers a lesson today. They found an attempt to renew the president. Then he concludes without a clear violation of law the senate he says rightly decided that the voters acting to the electoral process were to determine the occupancy. Its true, it was a bit of a mess because of republicans themselves were divided over whether the violation of the law was needed. The 10th article of impeachment, the 10th accused johnson of bringing them through disgrace. 11th article combined legal and political arguments including the political claim that he was probably executing the reconstruction act. We leave it up to the voters. They should remind us that exactly what the voters were at the time. He was targeting and not letting them vote. I want to turn to historian, and much more the john f. Kennedy. From her at the time, johnson considered a good president. He voted to see why the impeached. And they destroyed any chance of bringing the nation together in a way that wouldve done justice to the defeat itself and to africanamericans. His voice wont get hurt as much as it should. Sure there is rectitude. Johnson was in different. He never learned that the president United States could not afford to be there. Apprentice is to the frontier tennessee. Johnson continued to make some speeches from the white house. All too often he spoke and permitted hecklers. You can see why i need to float a little bit from this. Andrew johnson never learned of the president of the United States must function as a party leader. All make up his mind he appears to all ideas. When he made a decision he defended his course with all. He was no longer sympathetic to the harsh petulance. Publicity and persuasion could create the following. After noting he concludes by insisting that perhaps before the street so theres need a even graver charge. I am going to start drawing to my conclusion. One of the points ive been trying to make is while the dismissal didnt originate in the reconstruction it is not an accident that the law of impeachment rose during reconstruction which is by a radical. To be sure in the post trump world more scholars see the political factors. What is the failure to make a case that has johnsons conviction. In the middle of this essay we find out the speculation that the fate of reconstruction hinged on whether the political argument meets the definition of impeachable sense. Of course he exaggerates. Johnson was threatening the welfare of the public. Was it a weeks case . That not executing the reconstruction act was impeachable. That charge was originally proposed by thomas jenkins. It was he who sponsored. The reason it failed, as they look for the newly clear violation. In the meantime the narrative of roach still is. The narrative in which the radical republic were bipartisan, and couldnt even well enough to handle impeachment. Those big allegations that echoed and it was deliberately excused. In the conclusion of impeachment in American History they resurrect kennedy with high praise to defend did trumped up charges by considering the constituents. I watched a special on the history of impeachment. All the experts agree that it rained in the ground for impeachment. For the treatment of johnsons impeachment suggests the reconstruction made an unfinished revolution. I am happy to take questions if we can. Im going to ask you to sit down. Two okay. Are the people who like to come up and ask questions . There is a microphone over there. I am shocked. Im going to ask one of brooke. Which is as most political historians who have studied this have argued that the real reason for the defeat of the impeachment was the fact that the person who had succeeded johnson was then wade of ohio who despised by an enormous number of people in the senate including fellow republicans, and that radical republicans who were pushing for grand to be the nominee in 1868 did not want to have to deal with the incumbent. It was much easier to stomach johnson for what would have been less than another year until a new president came into office. [ indiscernible speaker too far from microphone. ] if i had a longer talk, i wouldve included that. Is obviously more complicated. Because there is no Vice President he would have succeeded in taking over as president for the short time. Not all, but maybe two or three votes, you need one. In the film they have a figurative way in which johnson says between him and me, and he starts laughing. The film is about no questions . No comments . Does anyone have a further comment for Randy Kennedy . I can bring you up here as well. If not, we get to leave a few minutes early. I want to thank everybody. I want to thank chuck and lawrence were on the back. I like you to stand one more time for an applause. And the rest of you, because they are the ones who made this happen. I think all of you for coming, and next year probably pretty much the same time possibly even same place. There would be another conference as the u. S. Capital of Historical Society does its best to educate the American People on the history that has helped take us to where we are today, thank you all very much. [ applause ]