Question

congress accused president johnson of abusing his presidential powers, and johnson thought that congress over-stepped its authority in carrying out radical reconstruction. what differing assumptions led to these conclusions?

Answer 1

After Lincoln´s assassination, Andrew Johnson became the president on April 15, 1865. After a couple of months, Johnson started executing his plan for the South's reconstruction. When the Congress met to assess the situation there was outrage. One of the assumptions that lead to the conclusion that president Johnson was overstepping his boundaries was fueled by most Republicans who thought the reconstruction of the South was the job of Congress and the Congress alone.

The Congress created a plan to distribute the land amongst freedmen and create schools for their children but this bill was vetoed by the president who found it extremely expensive and unconstitutional. There was clear disagreement between the President and the Congress. After further debate and the establishment of several bills from the Congress to address the afterwar issues, the government crisis came to a climax. The Congress passed another bill to restrict the president from firing anyone from his cabinet without previous authorization from the Senate, a decision that was automatically rejected by Johnson who stated this was a violation to the separation of powers, these were the assumptions that led to both conclusions.

Answer 2

After Civil War, President Andrew Johnson clashed repeatedly with the Republicans at the Congress, over reconstruction of the South.   Johnson vetoed legislation that Congress passed to protect the rights of those freed from slavery, and every opportunity, he tried to block actions by the Republicans. Johnson also vetoed the Freedmen's Bureau bill in February of 1866. His enemies were repeatedly promoting his impeachment, until he left office as american President on March 4, 1869.