As I understand it. After the Lincoln assassination, Andrew Johnson ascends to the presidency. But, as there is no mechanism for selecting a new vice-president at that time, the office is unfilled for the duration of his term.
Then he is impeached; but not convicted nor subsequently removed from office.
If he had been removed…what was the plan for who would be president?
At the time, the next in line was the Senate Pro Tempore.
Whenever the office of the vice presidency was vacant, as it was on ten occasions between 1812 and 1889,[11] the office garnered heightened importance, for although he did not assume the vice presidency, the president pro tempore stood next in line for the presidency.
ETA: At the time it was Benjamin Franklin Wade, Wade’s unpopularity may have been a factor in Johnson being acquitted.
And also from Wiki:
So this was obviously well-known at the time, and may have been a factor in why Johnson was acquitted by the Senate.
Thanks…I should have known this. Benjamin Wade from Ohio.
Looks like Johnson was not convicted partly because Wade was not a favorite as a successor.
A Wade presidency would have been fascinating. His “unpopularity” and “radicalism” stemmed from his early support of emancipation and insistence on making true equality for African-Americans a requirement for southern states to rejoin the Union.
Also Women’s suffrage and trade union rights. The last might have been the biggest sticking point. He was really way ahead of his time.
He was ‘way ahead of our time, it seems.
Touché
I read up on the Johnson trial and Wade was already picking his cabinet during the trial.
HA! Excellent!
RE the Veep
When the senate was considering impeaching Nixon in 1973 somebody took a poll and decided that they did they did not want Agnew as prez. What to do? Get him indicted and resign his post. Then get Nixon to install Jerry Ford as VEEP . Ford (I will guess) told Nixon that if he was impeached he (Ford) would pardon him once he was prez. .
THis sounds a bit too ‘conspiracy theory’ to be taken seriously on the Dope…Fighting Ignorance since 1973
HA! I know someone who claimed the Rockefellers told Nixon to appoint Jay Rockefeller as VP once Agnew resigned. So when Ford was appointed instead, the Rockefellers worked behind the scenes to get Nixon removed. Proof? you ask. When Nixon resigned, Jay Rockefeller was appointed as Ford’s VP.
I’d call that “informed speculation”, which while not a fact, is still much better than a conspiracy theory.
Nitpick- it was Nelson Rockefeller.