The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
»Cartoon Title:  ANDY'S TRIP

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October 27, 1866, pages 680-681

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See the HarpWeek commentary of this cartoon below:

HarpWeek Commentary: From August 27 to September 15, 1866, President Johnson made his "Swing Around the Circle" tour to Chicago, St. Louis and other cities, to drum up election support for Democratic candidates. Thomas Nast drew "Andy’s Trip" which was published in the October 27 issue. It featured about 20 vignettes, as well as a detailed recital of Johnson’s earlier speeches. That text is reprinted here after the cartoon itself.

One of the vignettes (bottom right) shows Johnson handing a pardon to Mayor John Monroe of New Orleans, while stating: "Hang Jeff Davis" "Then I would ask you why not hang (Congressman) Thad Stevens and (abolitionist) Wendell Phillips?" Stevens and Phillips are shown hanging in the background.


Text from "Andy's Trip," Thomas Nast Illustration:

Lower Left:

"I have discharged all my duties and fulfilled all my pledges."

"Treason against the Government is the highest crime that can be committed, and those engaged in it should suffer all its penalties"…"The day for protecting the land and negroes of these authors of rebellion is past."…"After making treason odious every Union man should be remunerated out of the pockets of those who have inflicted this great suffering on the country. Their great plantations must be seized and divided into small farms, and sold to honest, industrious men."…"Many years ago I moved in the Legislature of Tennessee that the apportionment of representatives in Congress should be by qualified voters. The apportionment is now fixed until 1872; before that time we might change the basis of representation from population to qualified voters, North as well as South, and in due course of time the States, without regard to color, might extend the elective franchise to all who possessed certain mental, moral, or such other qualifications as might be determined by an enlightened public judgment."…"In calling a Convention to restore the State, who shall restore and re-establish it? Shall the man who gave his influence and his means to destroy the Government? Is he to participate in the great work of reorganization? Shall he who brought this misery upon the State be permitted to control its destinies? If this be so, then all this precious blood of our brave soldiers and officers, so freely poured out, will have been wantonly spilled."…"Why all this carnage and devastation? It was that treason might be put down and traitors punished. Therefore I say that traitors should take a back seat in the work of restoration. If there be but five thousand men in Tennessee loyal to the Constitution, loyal to Freedom, loyal to Justice, those true and faithful men should control the work of reorganization and reformation absolutely. I say that the traitor has ceased to be a citizen, and, in joining the rebellion, has become a public enemy. He forfeited his right to vote with loyal men when he renounced his citizenship and sought to destroy our Government. We say to the most honest and industrious foreigner who comes from England or Germany to dwell among us, and to add to the wealth of our country, 'Before you can be a citizen you must stay here for five years.' If we are so cautious about foreigners, who voluntarily renounce their homes to live with us, what should we say to the traitor who, although born and reared among us, has raised a parricidal hand against the Government which always protected him? My judgment is, that he should be subjected to a sever ordeal before he is restored to citizenship." - Extracts from Speeches by Andrew Johnson

Lower Right:

"Where is the man or woman who can place his finger upon one single act of mine deviating from any pledge of mine!"

"I hold it a solemn obligation in every one of these States where the rebel armies have been beaten back or expelled, I care not how small the number of Union men, if enough to man the ship of State, I hold it to be a high duty to protect and secure to them a Republican form of government until they again gain strength. They must not be smothered by inches."…"These rebel leaders must feel the power of the Government; treason must be made odious, and traitors must be punished and impoverished."…"You have been deeply pained by so me things that come under your observation. We get men in command who, under the influence of flattery, fawning, and caressing, grant protection to rich traitors, while the poor Union mans stands out in the cold. Traitors can get lucrative contracts, while the loyal man is pushed aside."…"The power of those persons who made the attempt (at rebellion) has been crushed, and now we want to reconstruct the State Governments, and have the power to do it. The State institutions are prostrated, laid out on the ground, and they must be taken up and adapted to the progress of events: this can not be done in a moment. We are making very rapid progress - so rapid that I sometimes can not realize it. It appears like a dream. We must not be in too much of a hurry. It is better to let them reconstruct themselves than force them to it; for, if they go wrong, the power is in our hands, and we can check them in any stage to the end, and oblige them to correct their errors."…"If I were in Tennessee I should try to introduce Negro Suffrage gradually: first, those who had served in the army; those who could read and write; and perhaps a property qualification for others - say $200 or $250."…"A fellow who takes the oath merely to save his property, and denies the validity of the oath, is a perjured man, and not to be trusted. Before these repenting rebels can be trusted let them bring forth the fruits of repentance. He who helped to make all these widow and orphans, who draped the streets of Nashville in mourning, should suffer for his great crime."…"If a man who gave his means to destroy the Government should be permitted to participate in the great work of reorganization, then all the precious blood so freely poured out will have been wantonly spilled, and all our victories go for naught. - Extracts from speeches by Andrew Johnson.


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