The Ordeal of Reconstruction

With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.” Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural, March 4, 1865

Reconstruction will begin by Abraham Lincoln in 1864 (Lincoln will develop a plan early in the war but after Gettysburg it is fairly certain that the North will win. The goal of Reconstruction is to put the nation back together January 1, 1864 – The Emancipation Proclamation January of 1865 the Thirteenth Amendment is proposed and then passed in December of 1865 (Thirteenth Amendment will give slaves their freedom).

March 1865 – Congress passes the Freedmen’s Bureau Act (this was to help former slaves get on their feet and was to last for one year) Aid former slaves through food and housing, education, healthcare, and employment contracts with private landowners. Will last from 1865 to 1871 (extension of powers will be vetoed by Andrew Johnson and finally ended by Ulysses Grant)

Reconstruction will be a battle between Congress and the White House. Within Congress there was a faction – Radical Republicans (which included Democrats – Andrew Johnson) that wanted to take a tougher stand on the South – wanted to see the South punished. These two groups will battle over how Reconstruction should take place. Law passed – laws vetoed – vetoes over- ridden

Lincoln’s Ten Percent Plan Lincoln began to develop a Reconstruction Plan in 1864 which was relatively lenient on the South because he wanted the country to be put back together as quickly as possible. Lincoln’s Plan involved the following: –A state could be reintegrated when 10% of the voting of population of 1860 would pledge loyalty to the constitution and pledged to by emancipation –Then state would have to write a new Constitution that would abolish slavery, and that Constitution had to be accepted by congress –By 1864 – Tennessee, Louisiana, and Arkansas had Unionist governments established

Radicals will oppose – will argue that it would be difficult and wrong to see the South gain power (with the end of the 3/5’s amendment – the South’s population going up) Radicals will want to keep former Confederates from being able to hold office or vote Radicals will not have enough power to defeat Lincoln’s plan.

Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan Was more stringent than the Lincoln Plan –Disenfranchised former Confederates and civilian leaders, and anyone owning property of more than $20,000 (attempt to shift power from the large landowners to the small farmers) –He would appoint provisional governors –Had to appoint conventions that would repudiate secession, slavery, and Confederate debts – Accept the Thirteenth Amendment Radicals attacked Johnson’s Plan as not being tough enough – they would pass tougher guidelines on the South and Johnson would veto and they weren’t able to over-ride

The Black Codes The White South will attempt to enact laws that will keep the recently freed slaves from gaining freedom. The Black Codes would crop up in each of the states and varied. They would often grant freedoms like ability to marry, own property, and limited access to the courts. They would bar them from voting, holding office, and testifying in court against whites. Forced them to sign yearly labor contracts – could be arrested if not signed or run away, etc.

The Off-Year Election of 1866 The Radicals will gain more control of Congress – and will be able to over-ride Johnson’s veto (Will override ¾’s of Johnson’s vetoes) Radicals will now control reconstruction It will go after it hard

The Reconstruction Act of 1867 Former Confederate states would have to accept the Reconstruction Acts to be readmitted in the Union (except for Tennessee) Creation of five military districts that would be ruled by Generals Each state must write a new Constitution that will must be accepted by Congress Had to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment Had to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment – (gave citizenship rights to former slaves) Grant voting rights to black males

Ku Klux Klan Not the same as the current KKK (3 phases of the KKK) – ’s about 500,000 – from 3,000,000 to 6,000,000 –Since 1946 anywhere from 5,000 to 6,000 The original KKK’s goal was to intimidate the freedmen in the South. Finally put down by the passage of the Force Bill (which was to enforce the laws)

Impeachment of the President The Radicals will impeach (“bring to trial” with the possibility of removal from office) Andrew Johnson – charge is that he broke the Tenure of Office Act –Secretary of War Edwin Stanton –Stated that no-one could be removed from office without Congressional approval Senate is the jury, House of Representatives is the accusers, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is the justice Removal from office required a ¾’s vote. 7 Republicans will vote against removal (believed he was guilty of breaking the law but did not believe that was worthy of removal from office) Supreme Court will eventually say that the Tenure of Office Act is unconstitutional

With the Radicals gaining control of Reconstruction – the leadership in the South will fall to three groups: –Freedmen –Carpetbaggers (political opportunists from the North) –Scalawags (Southerners that supported the North during the war) Passage of three amendments to the Constitution –Thirteenth Amendment (ended slavery) –Fourteenth Amendment (entitled everyone born in the United States to citizenship rights and equal protection –Fifteenth Amendment (gave right to vote to black males)

Purchase of Alaska In 1867, Secretary of State William Seward will sign a treaty with Russia and purchase Alaska from them for 7.2 million Looking back – it is considered a steal, but at that time it was called “Seward’s Folly” and/or “Seward’s Icebox”

Changes John W. Menard (Louisiana) will be the first black elected to Congress but will not be seated – he will argue that he should be seated (making him the first freedman to speak on the House floor)