(Johnson, Andrew) | "Resolved, that Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, be impeached of high crimes and misdemeanors."

Property of a New York Collector

(Johnson, Andrew)

A very good collection of various printed and manuscript materials relating to the impeachment and Senate trial of President Andrew Johnson, including admission tickets to Senate Gallery, printed speeches, and eyewitness accounts in letters and diary fragments

The collection comprises: 

Three printed admission tickets to the Senate Gallery for 1, 4, and 8 April 1868; stubs of the 1 and 4 April tickets reattached by tape on verso); — House of Representatives. Printed document, Impeachment of the President. Majority Report. [Washington, D.C., 1868]. 59 pp. "Resolved, that Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, be impeached of high crimes and misdemeanors." Marginalia on p. 55 read, "From this place on was written by me. The previous part was written by [Thos] Williams of Penna."; — George Boutwell. Printed address, Impeachment. Speech of Hon. George S. Boutwell, of Massachusetts, in the House of Representatives, December 5 and 6 1867. Washington: Congressional Globe Office, [1867]. 16 pp.; — Charles Sumner. Printed address, Expulsion of the President. Opinion of Hon. Charles Sumner, in the Case of the Impeachment of Andrew Johnson. Washington: GPO, 1868. Sumner denounces Johnson’s resistance towards Congress as one of the last great battles with slavery." 52 pp.; — C. R. Wade. Two autograph letters signed to Nellie Wade, 16 April 1866 and 8 May 1868, commenting on the spectacle in Washington and observing "There seems to be no doubt in the mind of any one that Johnson’s conviction is inevitable. The vote will be taken on Tuesday next at 12 o’clock." First letter with autograph envelope franked by Wade’s father, Rep. Benjamin F. Wade.; —

Thomas McElrath(?). Manuscript diary fragment, 1 January–24-May 1868. 48 pp. in minute script, recording private conversations with many participants in the impeachment proceedings, including Grant, Sumner, Stanton, and others. The writer's attendance at a reading of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens during his second American tour is also memorialized.; — Congressional Globe. Manuscript subscription document signed, "The Speech of Hon Thads Stevens on the Presidential Question will be printed at the Globe Office at 50cts pr hundr copies." Signed by Stevens (who orders 3000 copies) and 19 others.; —  Congressional Globe. Printed subscription document signed, "Speeches of Hon. Godlove S Orth of the State of Indiana, on ___ Delivered in the House of Representatives June 14th, 1870, To be printed at the Congressional Globe Office." Signed by Orth and 14 others, ordering 3100 copies in all.; — Thomas Williams. Autograph letter signed, on Fortieth Congress House of Representatives letterhead, to a constituent, Andrew Boyd, regarding a problem obtaining "a copy of the articles of Impeachment." The trial was printed in book form by Congress.; — (Andrew Johnson). Propaganda forgery purported to be an autograph letter signed to Augusta King, 19 April 1855, lampooning the President: "I call you Smith because I consider Smith a better name than King … tailors are born to rule … I will say moreover that I expect to be President one of these days … I write badly, because all great men do …" — Benjamin Butler. Manuscript letter signed to Hon. Mr. Cave, Willards Hotel, 18 July 18 1867, declining an invitation. 2 pp.

Together 14 items. Various sizes; some scattered browning and marginal wear, 2 admission tickets repaired as described above, but generally very good.

PROVENANCE:

The Forbes Collection (Christie's New York, 22 May 2007, lot 80)