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to vote； and from the consideration mentioned。 I was totally unaware of my name being recorded as voting on the proposition until long after I left the Senate； when of course there was no opportunity to secure a correction of the journal。）
This was an extraordinary proceeding。 A proposition to impeach the President had till recently been pending in the House for nearly a year； and the ingenuity of the majority had been taxed to the utmost to find some basis for an indictment upon which a successful impeachment might be possible。 There is ground for the suggestion that much was hoped for in that direction from the Tenure…of…Office Bill； at least so far as the House was concerned。 That hoped for opportunity had now comenor is it an unreasonable surmise； that this very extraordinary action of the Senate was forced by outside as well as inside influences for the purpose of testing the Senate； and committing it in advance and in anticipation of the preferment of another impeachment by the House。
As to the question of the guilt or innocence of the President of the commission of an impeachable offense； this vote of the Senate was in the nature of a vote of 〃guilty。〃 It was therefore to a degree an impeachment and conviction combined by the Senate； prior to the bringing of an accusation by the House of Representatives； the constitutional body for the preferment of an impeachment of the Presidentand was an improper； and not far removed from an indecent proceeding on the part of the Senate。 In effect； the President was thereby condemned by the Senate without trial； and his later arraignment was simply to receive sentence…it being solely upon the removal of Mr。 Stanton that the impeachment was brought by the House。
It is noticeable； and possibly indicative； that the names of twenty out of fifty…four members of the Senate do not appear in this lista very unusual occurrence in divisions of that body； especially in the exciting conditions that then prevailed。 The absentees； or at least abstentions from voting； were fifteen Republicans and five Democrats； more than one…third of the body。 That very unusual absence or abstention from voting may well be attributed to the very proper hesitancy of Senators to commit themselves in advance； either way； on a proposition that was reasonably certain to lead to an impeachment of the President； then virtually pending and imminent in the House； and upon which the Senate was equally certain to be called upon to act。
The action of the President was also communicated to the House of Representatives by Mr。 Stanton； at the same hour of the same day； February 21st； 1868； in the following communication； enclosing a copy of the President's notification of his dismissal。
War Department； Washington City； Feb。 21； 1868。
Sir：Gen。 Thomas has just delivered to me a copy of the enclosed order； which you will please communicate to the House of Representatives。
（Signed） E。 M。 Stanton； Secretary of War。 Hon。 Schuyler Colfax； Speaker House of Representatives。
This gave new life to the impeachment cause； which had a few weeks before been defeated in the House and since then had； for lack of material； been laming； to the discouragement of many of its advocates： and the gleeful ejaculations； on the floor of the House； in the lobbies； and on the streets； on receipt of this news； and more especially after the action of the Senate became known； which was not long in reaching the public； with a common greeting slid clasping of hands： 〃Well； we've got him now！〃
The communication of Mr。 Stanton to the House of Representatives was immediately； after reading； referred to the Committee on Reconstruction。
In the evening of the same day； Mr。 Covode； of Pennsylvania； offered a resolution to impeach the President； which was also referred to the same Committee。
On the next day； Feb。 22d； 1868； Mr。 Stevens； Chairman of that Committee； made the following report：
The Committee on Reconstruction； to whom was referred； on the 27th day of January last； the following resolution：
〃Resolved； That the Committee on Reconstruction be authorized to inquire what combinations have been made or attempted to be made to obstruct the due execution of the laws； and to that end the committee have power to send for persons and papers and to examine witnesses oil oath； and report to this House what action。 if any； they may deem necessary； and that said committee bade leave to report at any time。〃
And to whom was also referred； on the 21st day of February； instant； a communication from Hon。 Edwin M。 Stanton； Secretary of War； dated on said 21st day of February； together with a copy of a letter from Andrew Johnson； President of the United States； to the said Edwin M。 Stanton； as follows：
Executive Mansion； Washington。 D。 C。； Feb。 21； 1868。
Sir：…By virtue of the power and authority vested in me； as President； by the Constitution and laws of the United States； you are hereby removed from office as Secretary for the Department of War； and your functions as such will terminate upon the receipt of this communication。
You will transfer to Brevet Major General Lorenzo Thomas； Adjutant General of the Army； who has this day been authorized and empowered to act as Secretary of War ad interim； all records； books； papers； and other public property now in your custody and charge。
Respectfully yours。 Andrew Johnson。 Hon。 Edwin M。 Stanton； Washington； D。 C。
And to whom was also referred by the House of Representatives the following resolution； namely：
〃Resolved； That Andrew Johnson； President of the United States； be impeached of high crimes and misdemeanors。〃
Have considered the several subjects referred to them； and submit the following report：
That in addition to the papers referred to the committee； the committee find that the President； on the 21st day of February； 1868； signed and issued a commission or letter of authority to one Lorenzo Thomas； directing and authorizing said Thomas to act as Secretary of War ad interim； and to take possession of the books； records； and papers； and other public property in the War Department； of which the following is a copy：
Executive Mansion； Washington； Feb。 21； 1868。
Sir：Hon。 Edwin M。 Stanton having been this day removed from office as Secretary for the Department of War； you are hereby authorized and empowered to act as Secretary of War ad interim； and will immediately enter upon the discharge of the duties pertaining to that office。 Mr。 Stanton has been instructed to transfer to you all the records； books； papers； and other public property now in his custody and charge。
Respectfully yours； Andrew Johnson。
To Brevet Major General Lorenzo Thomas； Adjutant General of the United States Army。 Washington； District of Columbia。
Official copy respectfully furnished to Hon。 Edwin M。 Stanton。
L。 Thomas。 Secretary of War ad interim。
Upon the evidence collected by the committee； which is herewith presented； and in virtue of the powers with which they have been invested by the House； they are of the opinion that Andrew Johnson； President of the United States； be impeached of high crimes and misdemeanors。 They therefore recommend to the House the adoption of the accompanying resolution。 Thaddeus Stevens； George S。Boutwell； John A。 Bingham； C。 T。 Hulburd； John F。 Farnsworth； F。 C。 Beaman； H。 E。 Paine。
Resolution providing for the impeachment of Andrew Johnson； President of the United States。
Resolved； That Andrew Johnson； President of the United States； be impeached of high crimes and misdemeanors in office。
The following is a brief synopsisof the debate which ensued： Mr。 Stevens； of Pennsylvania。 Mr。 Speaker； it is not my intention in the first instance to discuss this question； and if there be no desire on the other side to discuss it we are willing that the question should be taken upon the knowledge which the House already has。 Indeed； the fact of removing a man from office while the Senate was in session without the consent of the Senate； if there were nothing else； is of itself； and always has been considered； a high crime and misdemeanor； and was never before p racticed。 But I will not discuss this question unless gentlemen on the other side desire to discuss it。 It they do； I shall for the present give way to them and say what I have to say in conclusion。
Mr。 Brooke； （Dem。 of N。 Y。） Mr。 Speaker； I had hoped to have an opportunity； at least； to submit a minority report before we entered upon this august proceeding of impeaching the chief executive officer of this Government。 Bat after a session of the Committee on Reconstruction； hardly an hour in length； violating an express rule of this House by sitting during the session…for Rule 72 provides that no committee shall sit during the session of the House without special leave…we have been summoned upon a very partial submission of facts； without any comprehension； in reality； of the charges which are made against the President of they United States； upon a new indictment； in a new form once more； and in a more alarming manner than ever； in this but a partial Congress； representing but a section of a portion of the people…in my judgment not representing the people of the United States at allto act