Republicans' Union: Restoring The Constitution During Reconstruction

The Reconstruction Era, which began after the Civil War, saw former Confederate Southern states reintegrated back into the Union. President Lincoln, who had overseen the passage of the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery, sought to reunify the country by proposing a generous and non-punitive plan to return the former Confederate states to the United States. However, some Republicans in Congress, known as Radical Republicans, protested, believing that Lincoln's plan was too lenient towards the rebel states and did not guarantee civil rights for former slaves. The Radical Republicans, who had pushed for the abolition of slavery during the war, wanted harsher measures and punishments for the Confederate states before their re-entry into the Union. They gained control of Congress in 1866 and passed the Reconstruction Acts of 1867, which outlined the terms for the re-admission of former Confederate states into the Union, including the ratification of the 14th Amendment, which granted citizenship and equal protection to formerly enslaved people.

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Republicans protested Lincoln's lenient Reconstruction plan

During the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction, also known as the Ten Percent Plan, on December 8, 1863. The plan aimed to facilitate the postwar reconstruction of the South and the reintegration of former Confederate states into the Union. Lincoln's plan was lenient towards the South, prioritizing reunification and national healing over punishment for the Southern states.

However, Lincoln's lenient approach to Reconstruction was not universally accepted, and some Republicans in Congress, particularly the Radical Republicans, protested against it. They believed that Lincoln's plan was too forgiving towards the rebel states and failed to guarantee civil rights for former slaves. The Radical Republicans, a minority party in Congress at the time, wanted a more punitive approach that would hold the South accountable for starting the war and ensure the protection of the rights of emancipated slaves.

The Radical Republicans introduced the Wade-Davis Bill, which aimed to make readmission into the Union more difficult for the Southern states. They disagreed with Lincoln over the role of the federal government in Reconstruction, with the Radicals advocating for a stronger federal presence to ensure the protection of civil rights and the prevention of the restoration of the plantation system.

Lincoln's plan, in contrast, emphasized state autonomy and a swift end to the war, which some Republicans feared would lead to the restoration of the planter aristocracy and the re-enslavement of Black people. The protest against Lincoln's plan within his own party highlighted the complexities and challenges of the Reconstruction era, shaping the political dynamics and ultimately influencing the course of Reconstruction.

Lincoln's assassination in 1865 further altered the trajectory of Reconstruction. His vice president, Andrew Johnson, became president and continued the lenient approach with his Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction in May 1865. However, Johnson's policies, including the return of property to former Confederate supporters and the enactment of "black codes" that restricted the freedom of Black people, angered many in his own party and the North. This outrage contributed to the rise of the Radical Republicans, who took control of Reconstruction in Congress after the 1866 elections.

Lincoln's plan did not guarantee civil rights to former slaves

At the end of the Civil War, the Reconstruction era began, with former Confederate states being integrated back into the Union. President Lincoln's plan for reunification was to quickly and generously return the Confederate states to the United States. However, some Republicans in Congress protested, believing that Lincoln's plan was too lenient towards the rebel states and did not guarantee civil rights to former slaves.

Lincoln's plan, known as the Ten Percent Plan, gave a general pardon to all Southerners except high-ranking Confederate government and military leaders. It required 10% of the 1860 voting population in the former rebel states to swear allegiance to the United States and accept the emancipation of slaves. Once these voters took these oaths, the restored Confederate states would draft new state constitutions. Lincoln hoped that this leniency would bring about a quick resolution and make emancipation more acceptable. However, this plan did not guarantee civil rights to former slaves and fell short of the more radical Republican plan, which aimed to end the plantation system and provide voting rights for freed slaves.

Lincoln's plan was seen as forgiving traitors instead of prioritizing the rights of former slaves. While Lincoln oversaw the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery, he did not live to see its ratification. Additionally, the legal status of former slaves remained uncertain, and issues like voting rights and citizenship were not adequately addressed in Lincoln's plan.

Furthermore, Lincoln's support for colonization, or the resettlement of African Americans outside the United States, indicated his reluctance to fully embrace racial equality and integration. While he opposed slavery, he did not believe in integrating African Americans into US society, which further highlights the lack of guarantee for civil rights in his plan.

It was only with the Reconstruction Act of 1867, passed by Radical Republicans in Congress, that more concrete steps were taken towards guaranteeing civil rights for formerly enslaved people. This act outlined the organization of governments based on universal male suffrage and required southern states to ratify the 14th Amendment, which granted "equal protection" under the Constitution to all citizens, including former slaves.

Johnson's lenient approach angered Radical Republicans

President Andrew Johnson's lenient approach towards the Southern states during the Reconstruction era angered the Radical Republicans. Johnson, who had been a Democrat and a slaveholding Southerner, desired to quickly reintegrate the former Confederate states back into the Union on lenient terms. This was in line with his predecessor President Lincoln's plan for a peaceful reunification of the country.

However, the Radical Republicans, a faction within the Republican Party, had different ideas for Reconstruction. They wanted to overturn Southern society, end the plantation system, and ensure civil rights for Blacks. They believed that the rebel states needed to be punished for their pro-slavery views and should only be readmitted to the Union after they had abolished slavery. Led by Thaddeus Stevens and Charles Sumner, the Radical Republicans opposed Johnson's lenient policies, which included a general pardon for Southerners and the return of confiscated land to its prewar owners.

Johnson's Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction in May 1865 provided sweeping "amnesty and pardon" to rebellious Southerners, returning their property except for their former slaves, and asking only for their support for the Constitution. This angered the Radical Republicans, who saw no effort from Johnson to create rights for Blacks. They were further disappointed when Johnson rejected their idea of the federal government providing voting rights for freed slaves.

The Radical Republicans gained control of Congress in the 1866 elections and passed measures to protect Southern Blacks and establish their rights, often over Johnson's veto. They also created a joint committee to oversee Reconstruction, refusing to acknowledge the Southern state governments Johnson had allowed. Johnson's refusal to compromise with Congress led to a series of clashes, and the Radical Republicans eventually impeached him, although he was acquitted in the Senate by one vote.

Overall, Johnson's lenient approach towards the South during Reconstruction clashed with the Radical Republicans' desire for stronger punitive measures and their commitment to emancipation and civil rights for African Americans.

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Johnson's Amnesty and Reconstruction proclamation disappointed Radical Republicans

Following the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln's successor, Andrew Johnson, issued the Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction in May 1865. This proclamation offered sweeping "amnesty and pardon" to rebellious Southerners, restoring their property with the exception of their former slaves, and required only their affirmation of support for the US Constitution. Johnson's desire to swiftly reintegrate the South into the Union on lenient terms, as per Lincoln's plan, angered many in his own party.

The Radical Republicans, particularly those from the North, had a different vision for Reconstruction. They sought to transform Southern society, specifically targeting the plantation system and the power of the planter class. They advocated for the federal government to grant voting rights to freed slaves, ensuring their political and civil rights. However, Johnson rejected this idea, setting the stage for conflict with the Radical Republicans.

Furthermore, Johnson's Reconstruction policies allowed Southern states significant autonomy in rebuilding, which resulted in the enactment of "`black codes`" designed to restrict the freedom and opportunities of Black people. These codes outraged many in the North, including members of Congress, who refused to seat congressmen and senators elected from the Southern states. The clash between Johnson and the Radical Republicans intensified, with Congress taking control of Reconstruction in the South after the 1866 congressional elections.

The Radical Republicans' vision for Reconstruction was in stark contrast to Johnson's lenient approach. They sought to empower freed slaves and transform Southern society, prioritising justice and civil rights over immediate reconciliation. The disappointment with Johnson's proclamation fuelled their determination to shape Reconstruction according to their ideals, leading to significant political battles and the eventual passage of the Reconstruction Act of 1867.

The Radical Republicans' Reconstruction Acts were passed in 1867

The Civil War ended in 1865, marking the beginning of the Reconstruction era. This era was an attempt to reunify the country and integrate African Americans into society by rewriting the nation's laws and Constitution. President Lincoln proposed a plan to quickly reincorporate the former Confederate states back into the Union, but some Republicans in Congress protested, arguing that the plan was too lenient on the rebel states and did not guarantee civil rights for former slaves.

In 1866, northern voters rejected President Johnson's policies in the congressional elections, and Radical Republicans in Congress took control of Reconstruction in the South. The Radical Republicans Reconstruction Acts were passed in 1867, which divided the South into five military districts and outlined the formation of governments based on universal male suffrage. This marked the beginning of Radical Reconstruction, which lasted until 1877. The Reconstruction Acts were passed to address the disorder in the South, and they sent federal troops to oversee the establishment of more democratic state governments.

During Radical Reconstruction, newly enfranchised Black people gained a voice in government for the first time, winning elections to southern state legislatures and the US Congress. The state constitutions during this period were the most progressive in the region's history, with achievements including the South's first state-funded public school systems, more equitable taxation, laws against racial discrimination in public transport and accommodations, and ambitious economic development programs.

However, in less than a decade, reactionary forces, including the Ku Klux Klan, violently reversed the changes brought about by Radical Reconstruction. White supremacy was restored in the South, and support for Reconstruction waned. By 1877, the last Republican-led Southern governments had fallen, and the era of Radical Reconstruction came to an end.

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