When it comes to the topic of impeachment, most people know that Bill Clinton was impeached in

1998 and that Richard Nixon avoided impeachment by resigning in 1974.

And you might remember from history class that Andrew Johnson was impeached, but you can't remember why.

At least I can't remember why.

But you've probably never heard of West Humphreys, have you?

No. Okay. In 1853, President Franklin Pierce appointed West Humphreys to be a federal district court judge in Tennessee. That's a trial court judge.

Humphrey's appointment was unsurprising. He was a successful lawyer and a state legislator in his home state.

He probably would have faded into total obscurity except for three things.

First, in 1861, Tennessee seceded from the Union and

Humphreys was a big supporter of that. Second president Jefferson Davis

nominated Humphreys to be a judge for the Confederate States of America

and the Confederate Congress approved the appointment. Third and most important,

Humphreys never quit his old job as a federal judge. He just took the new job and

didn't quit the old one. That set him apart from the other 13 federal judges who

also joined the Confederacy.

For a federal judge who has lifelong tenure,

firing is not an option.

Impeachment was the only way to get rid of him.

So it's no surprise that in 1862 the House of Representatives of the Union of course

issued seven articles of impeachment against Humphreys. That included one charge

that he helped to quote organized armed rebellion against the United States and levy war against them.

Which is undeniably true. They were our enemies. They were enemies of America. Please remember this.

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