Non-fiction: Fourth Annual Message to Congress, 1868

Overview
Andrew Johnson's Fourth Annual Message to Congress, delivered late in 1868 as his presidency neared its end, is a forceful defense of his Reconstruction policies and a pointed rebuke of congressional measures he viewed as unconstitutional. Addressing a nation still fractured by the Civil War, Johnson frames his argument as an appeal to the Constitution, to national reconciliation, and to a limited view of federal authority. The message speaks with the urgency of a president under attack, coming amid impeachment proceedings and intense partisan conflict.

Reconstruction and national reunification
Johnson insists that the foremost task of government is to restore the Union rapidly and with as little disruption to civil authority as possible. He criticizes Congressional Reconstruction acts that imposed conditions on Southern states and placed them under military rule, arguing that such measures treat those states as conquered provinces rather than reinstated members of the Union. For Johnson, leniency and the extension of amnesty to former Confederates are central to healing national wounds; he frames punitive approaches as counterproductive to reconciliation and unity.

Civil rights and the status of freedmen
While expressing sympathy for the welfare of freedmen, Johnson objects to national legislation that, in his view, overrides state responsibility for civil rights and social order. He defends the principle that citizenship and the protection of civil rights are primarily matters for state governments, and he warns that sweeping federal interventions risk creating new inequalities by centralizing power. Johnson's language reflects skepticism about statutory civil-rights measures passed or proposed by Congress, and he repeatedly emphasizes constitutional limits on congressional authority.

Constitutional principles and federal power
A central thread of the message is a robust defense of constitutional separation of powers and states' rights. Johnson argues that Congress has overstepped its constitutional bounds with Reconstruction legislation, and he characterizes certain acts as assaults on individual liberty and on the structure of the Republic. He repeatedly calls for adherence to the Constitution as the ultimate restraint on governmental action, framing his opposition to Reconstruction legislation as principled rather than merely political.

Impeachment, tone, and political defense
Delivered during the turbulence of his impeachment, the message is both legal argument and political manifesto. Johnson adopts a combative yet constitutionalist tone, seeking to rally public opinion by casting his critics as partisan actors undermining the rule of law. He defends his exercise of executive discretion, especially in appointments, pardons, and enforcement decisions, and portrays impeachment as an attempt to usurp executive functions and destroy the balance among the branches of government.

Legacy and historical significance
The message exemplifies the deep constitutional and political fault lines of Reconstruction: competing visions of federal power, citizenship, and how to reunite a divided nation. Though Johnson's appeals had limited success in altering congressional policy, Republican-led Reconstruction continued and key amendments and acts were enacted, his address illuminates the era's debates and his steadfast commitment to a limited federal role. The rhetoric and arguments he deployed helped shape later discussions about federalism and civil rights even as they marked the end of his influence at the national level.