The public quarrel breathed momentary life into a moribund impeachment attempt, or at least into Thaddeus Stevens who, clearly unwell, had to support himself by holding on to the table when he stood. His voice fairly strong, he asked the Committee on Reconstruction—he was its chair—to take control of impeachment proceedings by opening its own investigation. Johnson’s recommendation to Grant that he disobey the Tenure of Office law constituted a conspiracy to obstruct justice, Stevens insisted. And Johnson had actually instructed Grant to disregard Secretary Stanton’s orders. After a long
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