Democrat Andrew Johnson’s Veto of the Civil Rights Act, 1866

After Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, Andrew Johnson ascended to the presidency. Lincoln had selected Johnson, a former Democrat from Tennessee, as his vice presidential candidate because Johnson’s presence appeased southern sympathizers who desired a quick peace process. Johnson, however, fought constantly with the Republican majority in Congress. One of their major disagreements was over the federal government’s role in promoting social, political, and economic equality for former slaves and other blacks. On March 27, 1866, in a message to Congress regarding their proposed civil rights legislation, Johnson explained his constitutional concerns about the bill. In the end, Johnson refused to sign the bill because he believed Congress had no right to guarantee citizenship within the states or to enforce legislation on the individual states. In addition, he challenged the portions of the law that guaranteed full social, political, and economic equality for freedmen by challenging their fitness to vote and become fully functioning members of society.