Julian was one of the first to call for President Andrew Johnson's impeachment, although he was not chosen for the board of managers assigned to prosecute the case before the Senate. In 1867 Julian was appointed as one of the seven-person House committee tasked with drafting articles of impeachment against the president, but the U.S. Senate failed to pass the last impeachment article, allowing Johnson to complete his term in office. Later, Julian considered the impeachment movement as an act of "party madness." In his memoirs Julian was careful to downplay his role in recommending Johnson's impeachment.