Andrew Johnson’s inaugural address as vice president is infamous—not for its content, but for the intoxicated state of its speaker. Reportedly, Johnson had been drinking heavily for at least a week leading up to the ceremony on March 4, 1865. Witnesses claimed he appeared hostile and incoherent during his speech, which was a jumbled mix of self-promotion and rambling statements.
On the morning of the inauguration, Johnson was said to have consumed multiple glasses of alcohol, which contributed to his state during the address. His delivery was so poor that he struggled to administer the oath of office to incoming senators. In a bizarre moment, he even kissed the Bible while taking the oath himself.
Despite the chaos, much of the press attempted to downplay the incident. While some newspapers covered the debacle, others chose to gloss over it, claiming the speech could not be clearly heard. A sanitized version was even provided by editors of the Congressional Globe, who presented a more dignified narrative of the event.
President Lincoln, who attended the latter part of the speech, instructed the inaugural marshal to ensure Johnson did not speak outside the venue. After the speech, Lincoln pointed out the presence of Frederick Douglass in the audience, an indication of the awkwardness surrounding the event.
In the aftermath, both Congress and the Cabinet expressed concern over Johnson's behavior, but no formal actions were taken against him. However, the incident did lead to the removal of two senators from committee work due to their own drinking problems.
The public humiliation from this incident lingered throughout Johnson’s political career, especially after he succeeded Lincoln 42 days later. As he faced impeachment, remarks about his drunken inaugural speech became a recurring theme in political commentary and satire. Some historians later claimed that Johnson’s inebriated state was merely a result of medication for illness, but the stain of the event never fully faded.
