George S.Boutwell of Massachusetts, Francis Thomas of Maryland, Thomas Williams of Pennsylvania, William Lawrence of Ohio, and John C.Churchill of New York, reported a resolution directing that "Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, be impeached of high crimes and misdemeanors." Mr.Wilson of Iowa and Mr.Frederic Woodbridge of Vermont, submitted a minority report, with a resolution directing that "the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of the proposed impeachment of the President of the United States, and that the subject be laid upon the table." The two Democratic members of the committee, Mr.Marshall of Illinois and Mr.Eldridge of Wisconsin, while agreeing with the resolution submitted by Mr.Wilson, desired to express certain views from the Democratic stand-point.

They therefore submitted a separate report, reviewing the entire proceeding in language more caustic than Mr.Wilson and Mr.Woodbridge had seen fit to employ.
The effect of Mr.Boutwell's report was seriously impaired by the fact that the chairman of the committee and another Republican member had refused to concur, and it was at once evident from the position in which this division left the question, that the House would not sustain an Impeachment upon the testimony submitted.

By an arrangement to which only a few members objected, the discussion of the reports was confined to two speeches, one by Mr.Boutwell and one by Mr.Wilson.
Mr.Boutwell's was delivered on the 5th and 6th of December, and Mr.
Wilson's reply immediately after Mr.Boutwell had concluded on the second day.

Both speeches were able and positive, holding the attention of members in a marked and exceptional degree.

A large majority of the House desired the vote to be taken as soon as Mr.
Wilson had concluded; but some dilatory motions kept off the decision until the succeeding day (December 7, 1867), when amid much excitement, and some display of angry feeling between members, the resolution calling for the impeachment of the President was defeated by an overwhelming majority,--_ayes_ 57, _noes_ 108.( 2) The affirmative vote was composed entirely of Republicans, but a larger number of Republicans were included in the negative; so that apart from any action of the Democratic party the advocates of Impeachment were in the minority.
By this decisive vote the project of impeaching the President was in the public belief finally defeated.