In the Connecticut gubernatorial election, James English secured the seat for the Democratic Party, taking it from the Republicans who had held the governor's mansion since 1857.  English's victory was a narrow one; he garnered 50,52% of the vote while his opponent, sitting governor Joseph R. Hawley, received 49.48%, for a margin of 978 votes.  James English had gained fame whilst in the U.S. Congress when he had cast a vital Democrat affirmative vote for the Thirteenth Amendment. He served two terms as Connecticut governor.  (By John Osborne)

In a resurgent year for Democratic Party fortunes, the governor's race in California went their way as Henry Huntly Haight defeated George Congdon Gorham, the Republican candidate.  Haight took 49,915 votes, just over 54% of those cast; Gorham had 40,359 or 43.70%.  Haight succeeded the Republican Frederick Low who had served since December 1863.  (By John Osborne)

At the end of the Thirty-Ninth Congress, James Mitchell Ashley of Ohio had moved that the Judiciary Committee take up an investigation into the necessity of impeaching the president for "high crimes and misdemeanors," including the corruption of executive power in appointments, pardons, and the veto.  The body had voted 107 to 39, with 45 abstentions to send the matter to the Judiciary Committee.  When that Congress expired, Ashley again asked that the Committee continue in the Fortieth Congress. After eleven months over the two Congresses, the examination of eighty-nine witnesses, and the publication of twelve hundred pages of testimony, the Committee chair, George S. Boutwell of Massachusetts, reported for impeachment on a narrow five to four vote on this day. The Fortieth Congress, however, citing the lack of specific of "high" crimes outlined in the report as well as its slim margin, voted 57 to 108 after a three day debate to take no action at the moment.  (By John Osborne)

At the end of the Thirty-Ninth Congress, James Mitchell Ashley of Ohio had moved that the Judiciary Committee take up an investigation into the necessity of impeaching the president for "high crimes and misdemeanors," including the corruption of executive power in appointments, pardons, and the veto.  The body had voted 107 to 39, with 45 abstentions to send the matter to the Judiciary Committee.  When that Congress expired, Ashley again asked that the Committee continue in the Fortieth Congress. After eleven months over the two Congresses, the examination of eighty-nine witnesses, and the publication of twelve hundred pages of testimony, the Committee reported for impeachment on a narrow five to four vote. The Fortieth Congress, however, citing the lack of specific of "high" crimes outlined in the report as well as its slim margin, voted 57 to 108 to take no action at the moment.  (By John Osborne)

At the end of the Thirty-Ninth Congress, James Mitchell Ashley of Ohio had moved that the Judiciary Committee take up an investigation into the necessity of impeaching the president for "high crimes and misdemeanors," including the corruption of executive power in appointments, pardons, and the veto.  The body had voted 107 to 39, with 45 abstentions to send the matter to the Judiciary Committee.  When that Congress expired, Ashley again asked that the Committee continue in the Fortieth Congress. After eleven months over the two Congresses, the examination of eighty-nine witnesses, and the publication of twelve hundred pages of testimony, the Committee reported for impeachment on a narrow five to four vote. The Fortieth Congress, however, citing the lack of specific of "high" crimes outlined in the report, on December 7, 1867, voted 57 to 108 to take no action at the moment.  (By John Osborne)

On this day, on the floor of the U.S. House, James Mitchell Ashley stated that there was sufficient evidence to require the Judiciary Committee to take up an investigation into the necessity of impeaching the president for "high crimes and misdemeanors," including the corruption of executive power in appointments, pardons, and the veto.  The body voted 107 to 39, with 45 abstentions to send the matter to the Judiciary Committee.  The Thirty-Ninth Congress was soon to expire and the work of the committee was continued into the next Congress.  After eleven months, the examination of eighty-nine witnesses, and the publication of twelve hundred pages of testimony, the Committee reported for impeachment on a narrow five to four vote. The Congress, however, citing the lack of specific crimes outlined in the report, on December 7, 1867, voted 57 to 108 to take no action at the moment.  (By John Osborne)

Two days before, sensing the danger that two more Republican votes would add to the already large anti-Democratic majority in the United States Senate, President Andrew Johnson had vetoed the recently passed bill conferring statehood on the Colorado Territory.  In his message, he had cited the speed of the advance from territory to statehood and the fact that the bill dictated African-American suffrage in the new state. His veto was upheld in the Senate on a vote of 29 to 17, with more conservative Republicans like Senator William P. Fessenden of Maine and Senator George Edmunds of Vermont siding with the minority.  It is worth noting that with two more Republican votes the impeachment and removal of President Johnson the following year may well have been carried.  (By John Osborne)

Sensing the danger that two more Republican votes would add to the already large anti-Democratic majority in the United States Senate, President Andrew Johnson vetoed the recently passed bill conferring statehood on the Colorado Territory.  In his message, he cited the speed of the advance from territory to statehood and the fact that the bill dictated African-American suffrage in the new state. His veto was upheld in the Senate on March 1, 1867 on a vote of 29 to 17, with more conservative Republicans like Senator William P. Fessenden of Maine and Senator George Edmunds of Vermont siding with the minority.  It is worth noting that with two more Republican votes the impeachment and removal of President Johnson the following year may well have been carried.  (By John Osborne)

In the evening, the full Seventh Cavalry Regiment was assembled in full dress uniform on the Fort Leavenworth parade ground to hear the verdict of the recently completed court martial of their commander, Lieutenant-Colonel George Armstrong Custer, for leaving his post during the recent campaign against the hostile Native American tribes to visit his wife.  He was found guilty on all charges and suspended from command and rank for a year without pay. He rejoined the Seventh in October 1868.(By John Osborne)