Were the Radical Republicans justified in impeaching President Johnson?

Answer 1

The Radical Republicans wanted to impeach Tennessee-native President Andrew Johnson because they perceived him to be a Southern sympathizer who wanted to allow the Southern states that had seceded back into the Union immediately and almost unconditionally. They saw Johnson as a threat to their Reconstruction plans.

The conflict over Reconstruction was the underlying reason for Johnson's impeachment; the stated reason for impeachment was that he violated the 1867 Tenure of Office Act by (attempting to) fire Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, among other things.

In February 1868, the US House of Representatives voted to bring eleven articles of impeachment against Johnson. He was later acquitted at his Senate trial.

Answer 2

That question is difficult to answer with a yes or no. The Radical Republicans had good reasons for wanting Andrew Johnson out of office, since he threatened the integrity of Reconstruction and allowed the southern states to pass Black Codes, but the impeachment proceedings were conducted in a somewhat corrupt manner. A few Senators in the Republican party who would have voted him out of office if the impeachment proceedings had been conducted fairly (the prosecutors manipulated perceptions and presented a one-sided view of the President's actions), broke rank with their party and voted for acquittal. As a result, Johnson was found not guilty by a single vote.

Answer 3

The Radical Republicans brought eleven articles of impeachment against Johnson for violating the 1867 Tenure of Office Act, among other things. Some of the Articles were a bit ridiculous (libeling Congress). They actually succeeded in impeaching him: The House of Representatives voted for impeachment, which means the House voted to charge him with wrongdoing. Impeachment must be followed by a trial in the Senate to decide whether the official is guilty of the charges, which would result in removing him (or her) from office. Johnson was acquitted (found not guilty) by a single vote, so he continued to serve as President until the end of his term.