162 a short history of the united states
began. Those white southerners who cooperated with Radical Recon-
struction were labeled “scalawags” and those northern whites who trav-
eled into the military districts to advance the Radical cause were called
“carpetbaggers.” It was not surprising that when eligible voters were
tabulated, at least five southern states—Louisiana, Mississippi, Ala-
bama, Florida, and South Carolina—had a majority of blacks. There
were over 700 , 000 black registered voters, compared with 60,000 white
registered voters.
Over the next several months these southern conventions met and
prepared constitutions as required. By June 1868 , six of the former
Confederate states were admitted, and with their approval the Four-
teenth Amendment was ratifi ed on July 28 , 1868. The six included Ar-
kansas (June 22 ), Florida ( June 25 ), North Carolina (July 4 ), Louisiana
(July 9 ), South Carolina (July 9 ), and Alabama (July 13 ). Georgia had
been restored on July 21 , but Congress did not seat its representatives. It
was readmitted on July 15 , 1870 , and its members took their seats the
following January.
President Johnson tried to block Radical Reconstruction by remov-
ing those officers and commanders who he felt were particularly ardent
in enforcing the Reconstruction Acts. Accordingly, he removed several
military commanders, and on August 12 , 1867 , he dismissed Secretary
of War Edwin Stanton, a holdover from the Lincoln administration,
and replaced him with General Grant. In complying with the Tenure
of Office Act, Johnson submitted to the Senate his reasons for sus-
pending Stanton, which the upper house rejected, 36 to 6 , in January
1868. Grant was persuaded by the Radicals to relinquish his offi ce, and
Stanton resumed his position.
Undaunted and still defiant, Johnson sacked Stanton a second time
on February 21 , 1868 , accusing Grant of treachery, and appointed Adju-
tant General Lorenzo Thomas to take Stanton’s place. That same day,
Representative John Covode of Pennsylvania offered a motion on the
House floor that “Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, be
impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors in office.” The motion
was referred to the Joint Committee on Reconstruction, which in turn
brought the motion to the floor for a vote with its approval. After an
intense debate, the House, by a vote of 126 to 47 , gave its approval on
Februar y 24 , 1868 ; a committee was formed to prepare the articles of