The "Does This Sound Eerily Familiar?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading highlights of the latest book written by Brenda Wineapple titled "The Impeachers: The Trial of Andrew Johnson and the Dream of a Just Nation.  

Author Brenda Wineapple

Her book was published this past May, 2019 with a Kirkus Review stating:  The impeachment of a president is a court of last resort —even one who willfully breaks laws while in office.  Thus this lucid, timely study of the sole impeachment trial convened until 1998.  After reading that I was hooked into finding more about her book and how it might mirror the current impeachment trial we are now experiencing in the United States.  But, what greatly influenced my decision to read more about her book was the fact that Lancaster's congressman, Thaddeus Stevens, was part of the proceedings.  

Wineapple's new book

I have written many stories about Thaddeus Stevens over the past 10 years and find him to be not only interesting, but a loyal American.  And, to top off my interest about Stevens' role in the impeachment, I opened the local newspaper a week or so ago and found an article written by Lancaster's "The Scribbler" (known to all in Lancaster, PA as Jack Brubaker) titled "Thaddeus Stevens at forefront of 1st presidential impeachment."  His article opened with...Thaddeus Stevens, looking "emancipated but inexorable," limped into the Senate chambers in late February 1868.  "We do impeach Andrew Johnson, President of the United States," Lancaster's congressman told the assembled senators, "of high crimes and misdemeanors in office."  Wow!  Wanting to read more about Brenda's book, I "Googled" her.  

Thadeus Stevens

She began her book with...Six years ago-deep into Obama presidency-when impeachment wasn't on anyone's mind.  But fascinated by the first-ever impeachment of a U.S. president, she learned what happened and now dramatically recounts the story of the period shortly after Abraham Lincoln's assassination, when Vice-President Andrew Johnson, known as "the Accidental President," ignored Congress, pardoned rebel leaders, promoted white supremacy, opposed civil rights, and called Reconstruction unnecessary.  Congress had to stop the American president who acted like a king.  As far as Thaddeus Stevens is concerned, he expressed his concern about Johnson's pro-Southern polices shortly after Abraham Lincoln's assassination elevated Johnson to the presidency.  

Sketch on the front page of Harper's Weekly
for March 14,1868 portrays U.S. Rep.
Thaddeus Stevens, with cane, accounting
to the Senate the decision by the House
to impeach Andew Johnson. 

Stevens wanted to know if there was any way to arrest the insane course of the President.  He also said that if something is not done the President will be crowned king.  Stevens was one of a few who assembled evidence to indict the president.  Brenda Wineapple is said to be enthralled by Stevens, one of seven House managers of evidence against the president at his Senate trial.  In May of 1868, 54 senators serving at the time voted 35 to 19 to convict Johnson, one man short of the two-thirds majority required to force Johnson from the White House.  Thaddeus Stevens died that summer, but only after he had said, "The country is going to the devil."  Little did he know that although impeachment had not succeeded, neither had it failed.  Johnson's presidency, with only a few months to run, was ruined.  Will history repeat itself, once again?  I guess only time will tell!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.