Tbe Plans of The Reintegration of The South During The Reconstruction Era

“The laws and amendments of Reconstruction reflected the intersection of two products of the Civil War era — a newly empowered national state, and the idea of a national state, and the idea of a national citizenry enjoying equality before the law.”(Foner, 460) From 1865 until 1877, “Reconstruction” took place, which was the term used to label the rebuilding of the South after the Civil War, and the time period of facilitating the integration of the South back into the Union. Due to different individuals all holding office during the period of Reconstruction, many versions of how to reform the South emerged. Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson and the Radical Republicans in Congress all had different plans in regard to combining the North and the South, who should oversee the fixing of the South, and all plans had different amounts of success, but all had one central goal, which was the to reintegrate the Confederate states back into the Union as soon as possible.

Andrew Johnson began Presidential Reconstruction. Johnson and Abraham Lincoln had similar plans for the South, helping Johnson develop his reconstruction plan for when Lincoln was assassinated. They both believed that the Confederate states did not have the right to succeed. Lincolns’ approach put forth the notion that there would be no harsh punishment for “succession” through his Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction. Johnsons’ plan included offering pardons to nearly all white southerners who would comply with taking an oath to the Union. The pardons being offered to all except Confederate leaders and wealthy planters did not stay consistent, as they eventually received individual pardons from Johnson. Another central part of Johnson’s plan included appointing provisional governors and ordering them to call state conventions that would establish “loyal” governments in the South. Johnsons beliefs acquired through his upbringing reflected in his Reconstruction plan terms, such as his hatred of large planters, in which he described as a “bloated, corrupted aristocracy”. (Foner, 454) The new Southern governments would then create “black codes”, laws passed that attempted to regulate the lives of former slaves, consequently turning Northern Republicans against Andrew Johnson, beginning the conflict between Congress and the Executive branch lasting throughout the Reconstruction period. This would cause a lack of legislation being passed, hindering the success of Andrew Johnsons plan.

In the elections of 1866, complete control over policymaking in Congress was controlled by Radical Republican. This marked the beginning of Radical Reconstruction, also known as Congressional Reconstruction. Congress called for the new Southern governments to be disbanded and wanted to put in place new southern governments comprised of rebels excluded from power. This Reconstruction plan was the most successful due to multiple pieces of legislation being passed in Congress’s favor. An example of this included the ratification of the 14th amendment, which created an opportunity to “institutionalize the principle of equal rights for all”. Congress moreover ratified the 14th Amendment. This placed the principle of citizenship for all persons born in the United States, and empowered the federal government to protect the rights of all Americans. (Foner, 456) Radical Republicans in Congress created the Wade-Davis Bill, which outlined far stricter requirements for readmission to the United States. The Wade Davis Bill was a response in opposition to President Lincoln’s lenient Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction and his Ten Percent Plan. This showed that Congress was ready to retaliate to make the remolding of the South go according to the Radical Republicans plan. Although the Wade Davis Bill was pocket vetoed by President Abraham Lincoln and never took effect, Congress began to take action in response to Lincoln and Johnson. Seizing the responsibility of Reconstruction from the President and into the hands of Congress began to commence. Later in time during Johnson’s presidency, Congress also adopted the Tenure of Office Act, which is the source of Johnson’s impeachment, adding to the success of Congress. After this, the Republicans of Congress nominated Ulysses S. Grant in 1868 who would also win. In the Election of 1876, Samuel J. Tilden “outpolled” Rutherford B. Hayes in the popular vote. There was a dispute in regard to the electoral votes, in which an informal deal was struck to resolve the dispute, called the Compromise of 1877, which awarded all 20 uncounted for electoral votes to Hayes. In return for this compromise, the Republicans agreed to withdraw their military force from the South, finally ending Reconstruction within Congress’ terms.

Throughout the Reconstruction period, multiple plans to reintegrate the South back into the Union were created. Congressional Reconstruction took control, but Lincoln’s and Johnson’s plan both had a vital role on that time period. Republicans in Congress centered around punishing the South, the transition of freedmen from slavery to freedom and the constant power of the Republican party in the North and South. Inevitably, not all terms were able to be followed through with, similar to Lincolns and Johnsons plans. Lincoln and Johnson’s plan could be looked at as “too lenient” due to giving the South a free hand in the regulation of their own transition from slavery to freedom. In the end, what ended Reconstruction was the compromise of the Republicans keeping power, but withdrawing their force in the South, giving up the constant form of punishment they were giving the South.