1868 State of the Union Address

The 1868 State of the Union, was delivered by Andrew Johnson, 17th president of the United States, to the United States Congress on December 9, 1868. Members of the U.S. Senate, the upper house of the bicameral American national legislature, interrupted the reading of the message to pass a motion that it not be read on the floor; members of the lower House of Representatives listened to the written address but passed a motion that it should not be printed at government expense or referred to any committee. The major policy proposal made in the message by lame duck Johnson was that the U.S. government should repudiate bond repayment obligations resulting from the expense of the American Civil War.

Content and reception

The written message was by Andrew Johnson, the president of the United States. Leading up to the message, the Philadelphia Press wrote, "As the end approaches, Andrew Johnson will have ample time to compare notes with himself. He may run a safe parallel with the long line of miscreant Vice Presidents, beginning with Burr and ending with Breckinridge, and may read in the blaze of Grant's resplendent victory, the fulfilled prophecy of those who insisted that his course would terminate exactly like theirs. His last chance for self-vindication will be presented in his coming annual message, wherein, if he is half as candid as he has been perfidious, he may at least rescue himself from utter shame, by confessing that his administration has been as great a blunder, and nearly as great a crime, as the rebellion itself." It was not to be. When the message was released, the New York Times commented, "Mr. JOHNSON'S Message is not of the pacificatory sort. It will not extort admiration from his opponents, or elicit expressions of regret at the approaching close of his official career," and criticized Johnson's use of the platform for repetitious bellyaching about Congress' Reconstruction policy and the recently concluded impeachment trial, stating, "Stubbornness is not statesmanship, as he should have learned before now." The Chicago Post commented, "Andrew Johnson's message, stolen by somebody in advance of its delivery (and a very poor steal at that), will be found on the inside of this paper.