January 5, 1867,
vetoed the act giving negroes the right of suffrage in the District
of Columbia, but it was passed over his veto. An attempt was made to
impeach the President, but it failed. In January, 1867, a bill was
passed to deprive the President of the power to proclaim general
amnesty, which he disregarded. Measures were adopted looking to the
meeting of the Fortieth and all subsequent Congresses immediately after
the adjournment of the preceding. The President was deprived of the
command of the Army by a rider to the army appropriation bill, which
provided that his orders should only be given through the General, who
was not to be removed without the previous consent of the Senate. The
bill admitting Nebraska, providing that no law should ever be passed in
that State denying the right of suffrage to any person because of his
color or race, was vetoed by the President, but passed over his veto.
March 2, 1867, vetoed the act to provide for the more efficient
government of the rebel States, but it was passed over his veto.
It embodied the Congressional plan of reconstruction, and divided the
Southern States into five military districts, each under an officer of
the Army not under the rank of brigadier-general, who was to exercise
all the functions of government until the citizens had "formed a
constitution of government in conformity with the Constitution
of the United States in all respects." On the same day vetoed the
tenure-of-office act, which was also passed over his veto. It provided
that civil officers should remain in office until the confirmation of
their successors; that the members of the Cabinet should be removed
only with the consent of the Senate, and that when Congress was not in
session the President could suspend but not remove any official, and in
case the Senate at the next session should not ratify the suspension the
suspended official should be reinducted into his office. August 5, 1867,
requested Edwin M. Stanton to resign his office as Secretary of War.
Mr. Stanton refused, was suspended, and General Grant was appointed
Secretary of War _ad interim_. When Congress met, the Senate
refused to ratify the suspension. General Grant then resigned, and Mr.
Stanton resumed the duties of his office. The President removed him and
appointed Lorenzo Thomas, Adjutant-General of the Army, Secretary of War
_ad interim_. The Senate declared this act illegal, and Mr. Stanton
refused to comply, and notified th