Andrew Johnson's Impeachment

One of the most conspicuous attempts in the United States to circumvent the intent of the Constitution's framers took place in 1868, when the Radical Republicans in control of the House of Representatives impeached Pres. Andrew Johnson in an obvious attack on the federal system of checks and balances. Johnson and Congress became adversaries soon after he took office in April 1865. The president, a Southerner, was more sympathetic toward the defeated Confederacy than was the Radical …

…he was represented by able counsel. The defense stressed that presidents had long asserted the right to remove appointees and that Johnson, in removing Stanton, had sought to test the Tenure of Office Act in the courts. In its first vote the Senate divided, 35 to 19, in favor of conviction, 1 vote short of the required two-thirds. Ten days later, after votes on two more articles fell short by the same margin, the Radicals abandoned their efforts.