12.1 The Politics of Reconstruction

What was Andrew Johnson's view on Reconstruction?

A unionist, he wanted to deal harshly with Confederate leaders. White Southerners considered him a traitor while Radicals believed he was one of them. He declared that each remaining Confederate state could be readmitted to the Union if it would meet several conditions. Each state would have to withdraw its secession, swear allegiance to the union, annual Confederate war debts, and ratify the 13th amendment that abolished slavery.

What was the Ten-Percent plan?

Also known as the Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction, it would pardon all Confederates, excluding high ranking Confederate officials and those accused of crimes against prisoner of war, who swear allegiance to the Union. After 10% of those on the 1860 voting lists took this oath of allegiance, a Confederate state could form a new state government and gain representation in Congress.

What was the Radical Republican's response to the 10% plan and how did Lincoln respond?

Angered by the 10% plan, they responded by passing the Wade-Davis Bill, which proposed that Congress, not the president, should be responsible for Reconstruction. It also declared that for a state government to be formed, a majority of those eligible to vote in 1860 would have to take a solemn oath to support the Constitution. Lincoln vetoed the Bill after Congress adjourned. A president has ten days to either sign or veto a bill passed by Congress. If the president does neither, the bill will automatically become law. The Radicals called Lincoln's veto an outrage and asserted that Congress had supreme authority over Reconstruction.

Explain the presidential election of 1868

Democrats knew they couldn't win with Johnson, so they appointed Horatio Seymour. His opponent was Ulysses S. Grant. Grant won by a wide margin in the electoral college, but the popular vote was less decisive. Out of 6 million, he won by around 300k votes. Around 500k African Americans voted, most for Grant, showing their importance.

What is the 14th amendment?

Drafted after radical and moderate republicans joined forces, it provided a constitutional basis for the Civil Rights Act. It made "All persons born or neutralized in the United States" citizens of the country. All were entitled to equal protection of the law, and no state could deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. The amendment did not specifically give African Americans the right to vote, but it did say that any state that prevented a portion of its male citizens from voting, that state would lose a percentage of its congressional seats equal to the percentage of citizens kept from the polls. It also barred most Confederate leaders from holding federal states or offices unless they were permitted to do so by a 2/3 majority vote of Congress.

What was Johnson's reaction to the 14th amendment?

He believed the amendment treated former Confederate leaders too harshly and that it was wrong to force states to accept an amendment that their legislators had no part in drafting. He advised Southern states to reject the amendment. But all but Tennessee did.

How did Lincoln view Reconstruction?

He favored a lenient Reconstruction policy. He believed that secession was constitutionally impossible and that the states have never left the Union. Individuals, not states, were the ones to rebel. He thought the Constitution gave the president power to pardon individuals. He wished to make the South's return as easy and quick as possible.

How did Johnson react and respond to Freedmen's Bureau and the Civil Rights Act of 1866? How did people react to his actions?

He shocked everyone when he vetoed both. He contended that Congress had gone far beyond anything "contemplated by the authors of the Constitution." These vetoes proved to be the opening shots between the president and Congress. By rejecting the two acts, he alienated the moderate Republicans who were trying to improve his Reconstruction plan. He also angered Radicals by appearing to support Southerners who denied African Americans their full rights. Presidential Reconstruction grounded to a halt.

What was the 15th Amendment?

Introduced by radicals fearing that pro-confederate southern whites may try to limit black sufferage, it stated that no one can be kept from voting because of "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." It would also affect Northern states that had barred African Americans from voting. It was an important victory for radicals.

What was the Tenure of Office Act?

It stated that the president could not remove cabinet officers "during the term of the president by whom they may have been appointed" without the consent of the Senate. One of the purposes of this was to protect Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, the Radical's ally.

What were Radical Republicans?

Led by Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts and Representative Thaddeus Stevens of Pennsylvania, the Radicals wanted to destroy the political power of former slaveholders. They wanted African Americans to be given full citizenship and the right to vote. This was considered radical.

How did Johnson's plan for Reconstruction differ from Lincoln's?

Lincoln favored a lenient Reconstruction plan and wanted the Confederate states in the Union as quickly as possible. He believed that secession was constitutionally impossible and that the states have never left the Union. Individuals, not states, were the ones to rebel. Johnson hated wealthy Southern planters and endorsed harsh punishment for Confederates. Johnson wished to prevent most high-ranking Confederates and wealthy Southern landowners from taking the oath needed for voting privileges.

What was the Reconstruction Act of 1867?

Passed by radical and moderate Republicans, it did not recognize state governments formed under the Lincoln and Johnson plans except for Tennessee, which had ratified the 14th amendment and had been readmitted to the Union. The act divided the other ten former Confederate states into 5 military districts, each headed by a Union general. The voters in the districts, including African American men, would elect delegates to conventions in which new state constitutions would be drafted. In order for the state to reenter the Union, its constitution had to give African American men the right to vote and to ratify the 14th amendment. Johnson vetoed the act because he believed it conflicted with the constitution. This veto was overridden

What was the Freedmen's Bureau?

Pushed by modern Republicans for the weaknesses they saw in Johnson's plan, Congress voted to continue and enlarge the Freedmen's Bureau. Established by Congress the last month of the war, it assisted former slaves and poor whites in the South by distributing clothing and food. It set up more than 40 hospitals, around 4000 schools, 61 industrial institutes, and 74 teacher training centers.

How did Presidential Reconstruction come to a standstill after Johnson announced his plan?

Radical Republican legislators disputed Johnson's claim that Reconstruction was complete. Many of them believed that the Southern states were not much different from the way they had been before the war. As a result, Congress refused to admit the newly elected Southern legislators. At the same time, moderate Republicans pushed for new laws to remedy weaknesses they saw in Johnson's plan.

Explain Johnson's impeachment.

Radical leaders felt he wasnt carrying out his constitutional obligation to enforce the Reconstruction act. They looked for a way to impeach him. Congress passed the Tenure of Office Act, which stated that the president could not remove cabinet officers "during the term of the president by whom they may have been appointed" without the consent of the Senate. One of the purposes of this was to protect Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, the Radical's ally. Johnson and many others were certain the act was unconstitutional and fired the Secretary of War. This gave radicals the opportunity to impeach him. Johnson's lawyers said that Lincoln, not Johnson, had appointed Stanton, so the act did not apply. When it was voted on whether or not to impeach him, the vote was one short of the 2/3 majority needed to impeach him.

How did the views of Lincoln and Johnson on Reconstruction differ from the views of Radicals?

Radicals avocated suffrage of African Americans, wanting citizenship for them and the right to vote for them. They also wanted to destroy the power of former slaveholders. Lincoln favored a lenient Reconstruction policy and wanted to make the South's return as quick and easy as possible. He was willing to pardon Confederates, except high ranking officials, and only needed 10% of voters to pledge allegiance in order to be readmitted. Johnson wanted to deal harshly with confederates and hated wealthy planters. But radicals were not happy with him because he kept vetoing their laws and his plan for reconstruction, like lincoln, failed to address the needs of former slaves in land, voting rights, and protection under the law.

Why was the Enforcement act of 1870 passed and what was it?

Some southern governments refused to enforce the 14th and 15th amendments and used violence to prevent African Americans from voting. In response it was passed. It gave the federal government more power to punish those who tried to prevent African Americans from exercising their rights.

How did black codes help bring about the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1866?

The act gave African Americans citizenship and forbade states from passing discriminatory laws - black codes - that severely restricted African American's lives. They restored many of the restrictions of slavery by prohibiting blacks from carry weapons, serving on juries, testifying against whites, marrying whites, and traveling without permits. In some states, they were even not allowed to own land. Some areas used violence to keep blacks from improving their position in society. To many members in congress, the passage of black codes indicated that the South had not given up the idea of keeping African Americans in bondage.

What was Reconstruction?

The period during which the United States began to rebuild after the Civil War (1865-1877). The term also refers to the process the federal government used to readmit the Confederate states. Complicating the process was the fact that Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, and Congress has differing ideas on how Reconstruction should be handled.

What was the reaction to Johnson's reconstruction plan?

The plan angered radicals because it differed little from Lincoln's. One major difference was that Johnson wished to prevent most high-ranking Confederates and wealthy Southern landowners from taking the oath needed for voting privileges. The Radicals were especially upset that Johnson's plan, like Lincoln's, failed to address the needs of former slaves in three areas: land, voting rights, and protection under the law. White Southerners were relieved. Johnson's support of state's right instead of a strong central government reassured the Southern states. Although Johnson supported abolition, he was not in favor of former slaves gaining the right to vote - he pardoned more than 13000 former Confederates because he believed that "White men alone must manage the South." The remaining states eagerly agreed to the terms. Some states did not fully comply with the conditions but were still accepted. Four of the newly elected Southern legislators were Confederate generals pardoned by Johnson. This gesture infuriated the Radicals and made African Americans feel like they had been betrayed.

How did the 1866 Congressional Elections go?

The question of who should control Reconstruction became one of the central issues of the election. Johnson and General Ulysses S. Grant went to a speaking tour urging voters to elect representatives who agreed with his Reconstruction policy. But he offended many voters with his rough language and behavior. is audiences responded by jeering at him and cheering Grant. Race riots also occurred which caused the death of at least 80 african americans. This violence convinced Northern voters that the federal government must step in to protect former slaves. In the election, moderate and radical republicans won a landslide victory over democrats and gained a 2/3 majority vote in congress, ensuring them the numbers they needed to override presidential vetoes.

How did moderate and Radical republicans react to Johnson's rejection of the Freedmen's Bureau and the Civil Rights Act of 1866?

They joined forces to override the president's vetos of the acts. Congress also drafted the 14th Amendment that provided a constitutional basis for the Civil Rights Act. It made "All persons born or neutralized in the United States" citizens of the country. All were entitled to equal protection of the law, and no state could deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. The amendment did not specifically give African Americans the right to vote, but it did say that any state that prevented a portion of its male citizens from voting, that state would lose a percentage of its congressional seats equal to the percentage of citizens kept from the polls. It also barred most Confederate leaders from holding federal states or offices unless they were permitted to do so by a 2/3 majority vote of Congress.