"When The Bough Breaks"
First essay I wrote when I went back to school this fall. I was obviously a tad rusty
At the end of the Civil War the question was posed: What was the Union to do about the former Confederacy? The region was reeling from the effects of the War, more so than the northern states were. The Cities were devastated, numerous dead, and much of the once fertile land was now scorched. How, and should, the confederate states be permitted back into the Union. Last but certainly not least was the issue on what to do with the recently freed slaves?
Lincoln put forth the ten percent plan, which stated that at least ten percent of qualified voters in the 1860 election from each state swear an oath of loyalty to the Union. Only then would they be permitted to reform a state government, but they had to promise to outlaw slavery and give African-Americans an education. It was obvious though that Lincoln would be lenient in granting pardons to Confederates who has recently been enemies of the state.
This was not enough for some members of Congress. A group of Republicans, under the leadership of Thaddeus Stevens, became known as the “Radical Republicans”. They were outraged that even though Lincoln declared that southern states had to abolish slavery, he did not give much care to seeing that the ex-slaves were giving jobs, or any sort of reasonable living conditions for that matter. Lincolns, and Johnson’s after his untimely death, Reconstruction plans (towards the African-Americans) looked to be naught but piece-meal appeasement. It seemed that they were given slight concessions to keep them happy, after all anything is better than slavery, but their was no move to grant them greater rights for many years.
The Radicals clashed with Lincoln on whose task it would be to devise the Reconstruction Policies. Both sides felt it was their right to do so. Their plan for re-admittance was that each Ex-Confederate State must end slavery in all of its forms, protect the rights of the African-Americans, and an ultimate death to the Planter Class. Lincoln vetoed the Wade-Davis Bill of 1864 which would have the southern states controlled by a military governor (a temporary punishment). Also half of the white adult males must pledge allegiance before they would be able to draft a new state constitution.
After Lincoln was assassinated, Andrew Johnson became the president. By his own words he was no lover of the former slaves. He also felt a deep resentment towards the southern planter class. He made white southerners ask for pardons to be restored their property. Those whom were worth over $20,000 had to ask Johnson in person for a pardon. He was so quick to gloat, he granted nearly all plantation owners pardons just to see them grovel before him. The Radical Republicans were even more upset now because his plan was becoming even more lenient than Lincolns were. Johnson’s plan barely touched on issues of repealing the secession ordinances, and asked only that they ratify the 13th amendment.
The reason for these Republicans being given the moniker “radical” is becoming all the more clearer. It seemed that at the highest level of government, the thought was a lenient transition for the south to be accepted back into the open arms of the northern states. Nor did it appear that either Lincoln or Johnson cared overmuch for the overall fate of the emancipated African-Americans. This was the beacon for those who were deemed “radical” to rally around. Their power in numbers grew in Washington, and soon they would have enough members to overturn President Johnson’s decisions, like the fourteenth Amendment. This stated that anyone born in the United States was in fact a U.S. citizen, thus entitling African-Americans to every God-given right that the WASP population had. Of course the southern governments would still find ways around this to continue the oppression of the ex-slaves, but at least the radical republicans could say that they put forth an impressive effort.
By 1877 Reconstruction was dead and buried in the ground. The Radical Republicans were a thing of the past, and the Union was once again restored. Unfortunately, the lessons of the Civil War were not all learned easily. The government and other new racial groups like the KKK would torment the African-Americans for decades upon decades afterwards. So whereas the Radical Republicans did manage to gain some rights for the ex-slaves, the impotence and unwillingness of the very government which fought for its freedom from what it thought was an oppressive force stunted reconstruction in its path.
~Oz
At the end of the Civil War the question was posed: What was the Union to do about the former Confederacy? The region was reeling from the effects of the War, more so than the northern states were. The Cities were devastated, numerous dead, and much of the once fertile land was now scorched. How, and should, the confederate states be permitted back into the Union. Last but certainly not least was the issue on what to do with the recently freed slaves?
Lincoln put forth the ten percent plan, which stated that at least ten percent of qualified voters in the 1860 election from each state swear an oath of loyalty to the Union. Only then would they be permitted to reform a state government, but they had to promise to outlaw slavery and give African-Americans an education. It was obvious though that Lincoln would be lenient in granting pardons to Confederates who has recently been enemies of the state.
This was not enough for some members of Congress. A group of Republicans, under the leadership of Thaddeus Stevens, became known as the “Radical Republicans”. They were outraged that even though Lincoln declared that southern states had to abolish slavery, he did not give much care to seeing that the ex-slaves were giving jobs, or any sort of reasonable living conditions for that matter. Lincolns, and Johnson’s after his untimely death, Reconstruction plans (towards the African-Americans) looked to be naught but piece-meal appeasement. It seemed that they were given slight concessions to keep them happy, after all anything is better than slavery, but their was no move to grant them greater rights for many years.
The Radicals clashed with Lincoln on whose task it would be to devise the Reconstruction Policies. Both sides felt it was their right to do so. Their plan for re-admittance was that each Ex-Confederate State must end slavery in all of its forms, protect the rights of the African-Americans, and an ultimate death to the Planter Class. Lincoln vetoed the Wade-Davis Bill of 1864 which would have the southern states controlled by a military governor (a temporary punishment). Also half of the white adult males must pledge allegiance before they would be able to draft a new state constitution.
After Lincoln was assassinated, Andrew Johnson became the president. By his own words he was no lover of the former slaves. He also felt a deep resentment towards the southern planter class. He made white southerners ask for pardons to be restored their property. Those whom were worth over $20,000 had to ask Johnson in person for a pardon. He was so quick to gloat, he granted nearly all plantation owners pardons just to see them grovel before him. The Radical Republicans were even more upset now because his plan was becoming even more lenient than Lincolns were. Johnson’s plan barely touched on issues of repealing the secession ordinances, and asked only that they ratify the 13th amendment.
The reason for these Republicans being given the moniker “radical” is becoming all the more clearer. It seemed that at the highest level of government, the thought was a lenient transition for the south to be accepted back into the open arms of the northern states. Nor did it appear that either Lincoln or Johnson cared overmuch for the overall fate of the emancipated African-Americans. This was the beacon for those who were deemed “radical” to rally around. Their power in numbers grew in Washington, and soon they would have enough members to overturn President Johnson’s decisions, like the fourteenth Amendment. This stated that anyone born in the United States was in fact a U.S. citizen, thus entitling African-Americans to every God-given right that the WASP population had. Of course the southern governments would still find ways around this to continue the oppression of the ex-slaves, but at least the radical republicans could say that they put forth an impressive effort.
By 1877 Reconstruction was dead and buried in the ground. The Radical Republicans were a thing of the past, and the Union was once again restored. Unfortunately, the lessons of the Civil War were not all learned easily. The government and other new racial groups like the KKK would torment the African-Americans for decades upon decades afterwards. So whereas the Radical Republicans did manage to gain some rights for the ex-slaves, the impotence and unwillingness of the very government which fought for its freedom from what it thought was an oppressive force stunted reconstruction in its path.
~Oz
posted by ozporn at 12:27 AM
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