Andrew Johnson: Veto of the Civil Rights Act

Throughout his political career, Andrew Johnson was a strong supporter of states’ rights, rendering it perhaps somewhat surprising that he did not join with the South and resign his Senate seat at the outbreak of the Civil War. Nevertheless, he was also a defender of the Union. His Veto of the Civil Rights Act is one example of his desire to rein in the powers of the federal government over the states. The effect of the bill was to grant full citizenship to newly freed slaves, thus making them citizens. Johnson objected in that the bill would impose citizenship on a class of people and force the states to do likewise. He believed that the rights enumerated in the federal bill were already protected under the auspices of the states.