Editing Andrew Johnson (section)

=== Return to the Senate ===
[[File:The Whirlgig of Time.jpg|thumb|[[Thomas Nast]] covered Johnson extensively; here Nast personally welcomes Johnson back to public life, where he may again become target of Nast's work - ''The Whirlgig of Time'' "Here we are again!" (''Harper's Weekly'', February 20, 1875)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.andrewjohnson.com/listofcartoons/listofcartoons.htm|title=AndrewJohnson.com list of cartoons|access-date=July 10, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015030616422&view=1up&seq=159 |magazine=Harper's Weekly |title=The Whirlgig of Time | date=February 20, 1875 |page=164}}</ref>]]
He began looking towards the next Senate election to take place in the legislature in early 1875. Johnson began to woo the farmers' [[National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry|Grange movement]]; with his [[Jeffersonian democracy|Jeffersonian leanings]], he easily gained their support. He spoke throughout the state in his final campaign tour. Few African Americans outside the large towns were now able to vote as Reconstruction faded in Tennessee, setting a pattern that would be repeated in the other Southern states; the white domination would last almost a century. In the Tennessee legislative elections in August, the Democrats elected 92 legislators to the Republicans' eight, and Johnson went to Nashville for the legislative session. When the balloting for the Senate seat began on January 20, 1875, he led with 30 votes, but did not have the required majority as three former Confederate generals, one former colonel, and a former Democratic congressman split the vote with him. Johnson's opponents tried to agree on a single candidate who might gain majority support and defeat him, but failed, and he was elected on January 26 on the 54th ballot, with a margin of a single vote. Nashville erupted in rejoicing;{{Sfn|Trefousse|pp=334, 370–371}}{{Sfn|Castel|1979|p=216}} remarked Johnson, "Thank God for the vindication."{{Sfn|Gordon-Reed|p=142}}

Johnson's comeback garnered national attention, with the ''St. Louis Republican'' calling it "the most magnificent personal triumph which the history of American politics can show".{{Sfn|Castel|1979|p=216}} At his swearing-in in the Senate on March 5, 1875, he was greeted with flowers, and sworn in alongside Hamlin (his predecessor as vice president) by incumbent Vice President [[Henry Wilson]] (who as senator had voted for Johnson's ouster). Many Republicans ignored Senator Johnson, though some, such as Ohio's [[John Sherman]] (who had voted for conviction), shook his hand. Johnson remains the only former president to serve in the Senate. He spoke only once in the short session, on March 22 lambasting President Grant for his use of federal troops in support of Louisiana's Reconstruction government. The former president asked, "How far off is military [[despotism]]?" and concluded his speech, "may God bless this people and God save the Constitution".{{Sfn|Castel|1979|pp=216–217}}