From February to August 1867 there was a great deal of bad news for Andrew Johnson and very little good news. The earlier struggles between Congress and the president intensified, and threats of impeachment continued unabated, fed by the activity of the House Judiciary Committee. The Papers of Andrew Johnson will number some sixteen volumes. Devoted principally to correspondence, speeches, and official documents, they will also be significant for their insights into the mind of mid-nineteenth century America.

This volume encompasses the last six months of Andrew Johnson's presidency (September 1868 February 1869) and March and April of 1869. During this time Johnson moved from being a considerably diminished president to becoming an ex-president. But by April he sought to rejuvenate his political career by undertaking a speaking tour across Tennessee.
Despite being a "president in limbo" in the last months of his term, Johnson remained surprisingly active. Requests and nominations for presidential patronage did not slow down, but Johnson enjoyed only limited success in securing Senate...

Is there life after the presidency? That is the question with which Andrew Johnson wrestled after his return to Tennessee in March 1869 until his death in the summer of 1875. He answered that question with a resounding yes and revitalized his political ambitions.
For his six post-presidential years, Johnson relentlessly pursued a vindication of earlier setbacks and embarrassments. He had hardly arrived back in Greenville before he began mapping his strategy to recapture public acclaim. Johnson eschewed the opportunity to compete for the governor s chair and opted instead to set his sights...