reconstruction - andrew johnson

johnson past

us senator from tennessee, loyal to union during war, was military gov of tennessee, lincoln running mate in 1864, not a republican but formerly a southern democrat

reason why johnson lincoln running mate

shows seeking to recognise southern sensibilities, reflected in 1865 2nd inaugural speech

johnson views

not a strong opponent of slavery, shared radical views eg offering rewards for arrest of jefferson davis and other leading rebels, viewed reconstruction as opportunity to humiliate southern aristocracy and an executive responsibility

radical repubs view of johnson

weary of him at first, but assured because has used language to show in tune with them since made clear before civil war that leaving union a horrible thing, marked his contempt for wealthy plantation owners who lorded over normal farmers

johnson quote on secession/confederacy

treason should be made odious and traitors should be punished

why johnson hates secession

personally effected since him and his family forced to flee to north after 1862 when made military gov of tennessee for union, humiliating for him

johnson view on slavery

not clear, doesnt see aa as equal to americans but believes in free labour

johnson vs republicans

thinks states should define status of free slaves but republicans think fed gov should, johnson suspicious of fed gov and wants states to have power but repubs promised in 1860 election internal improvements eg transcontinental railway which needs fed gov role

freedmans bureau

established march 1865 to provide assistance to former slaves since they had nothing, gave legal advice, responsible for handing land to freed slaves, headed by major general oliver o. howard

southern attitudes after war humble

some were humble since state of south in ruins and many southern casualties eg ¾ of mississippi state budget spent on things such as prosthetic limbs, more willing to accept judgement on union, more popular view in immediate aftermath of war

southern attitudes after war vocal

some vocal as with johnson as president gives impression of sympathy and concessions, electives of former confederate states come to washington in confederate uniforms suggesting proud of their past

limitations of johnsons sympathy for south

not purposefully getting south to be assertive, discourages them re-electing former confederates such as alexander stephens, his sympathy not license for south to be vocal

fact finding mission congress

worried about increase in southern reps, authorise a fact finding mission and sent carl schurz who finds south hasnt changed and are acting in bad faith, finds violence against freed slaves

why southerners violent towards freedmen

survivors angry because of casualties and damage to south, cant take anger out on union so does it on african americans, african americans poor so resort to crime so whites feel justified in their violence, scared of aa acting like free people since slavery seen as social control and now control gone

carl schurz

opponent of slavery

johnson response to schurzs report of south

challenges as could undermine his view of reconstruction, authorises his own fact finding commission and sends grant since well respected and anti slavery

grants report on condition of south

finds better situation than schurz, white southerners want to show him they have transformed but grant realises was naive and conned, schurz more accurate

black codes

first introduced in mississippi in november 1865, purpose was to restrict rights of african americans, assumed the racial and social inferiority of formerly enslaved people, eg vagrancy laws that declared a Black person to be vagrant if unemployed and without permanent residence; a person so defined could be arrested, fined, and bound out for a term of labor if unable to pay the fine, could continue slavery/cheap labour

johnson proclomations post war

29 may 1865, done without consulting congressional republicans, amnesty - promised to pardon all ex-confederates willing to take an oath of allegiance to us with exception of those with value over $20 million and named by lincoln already, procedures for formation of loyal state govs, required southern states proclaim the illegality of their secession and reupdate all confederate debts and ratify the 13th amendment

johnson proclomations post war exception

those excluded from political activity by proclamations flocked to washington in 1865 to get presidential pardon, he granted 13500 special pardons and issued a second amnesty proclamation in december 1867 which excluded only a few hundred confeds

process through which state govs would be constituted

state constitution agreed, state elections held to send reps to congress, martial law would end and reconstruction finished

issue with provisionial southern state governors

often associated with secession eg william sharky of Mississippi, William Holden of North Carolina originally voted for secession

radical repubs views on johnson plan

think he is taking over, too lenient, want south to be punished, seeking to expedite process which would alleviate congress of an input on reconstruction, no mention of property or freed slaves, states in charge of freed slaves so no obvious signs of change if former secessionists in charge

special field order number 15

by tecumseh sherman in january 1865, says slaves should be given 40 acres of land and a mule when freed

radical repubs reason for wanting aa vote

would be naturally loyal to union, 3/5 clause voided so south would have more congressional representation so could be more politically powerful after war than before, could overturn republican majority and things passed such as internal improvement measures could be overturned

limits of radical repubs

a minority, vast majority of repubs against giving aa the vote, in 1866 state referendums in north about extending suffrage to aa all reject idea of aa getting vote

what unites repubs

idea of south needing to show that what they did was wrong and acknowledge it, united that south need to be punished

south view of johnson

thought may be sympathetic to them eg proclamations low bar, not imposing conditions on them, not someone who is prescribing rights aa should have, concilitary in terms of property

reintroduction of southern reps

by december 1865 all southern states back in union according to johnson as had satisfied necessary conditions, but congress determines its own membership and edward mcpherson calls people to take their seat, however he doesnt call any former confederate state representatives

joint congressional committe

set up by congress to sort out southern states coming into union after telling johnson they wont emit states on his terms, was to negotiate with the president not to be hostile

1866 white house open day

jan 1st, aa only permitted to enter after general admission over, johnson indicated no intention of imposing black voting rights on ‘the people’ doesnt see voting rights as role of federal gov nor see aa as equal

lyman trumbull

from illinois, former democrat, was republican senator for illinois, says repubs are the white mans party, stopping slavery expansion keeps west available for white free labour, thinks aa have civil rights since all men created equal but doesnt think they should have voting rights, assisted in framing and passing of 13th amendment

jan 1866 2 bills trumbull working on

freedman’s bureau bill and civil rights bill

freedman’s bureau bill

would extend life of bureau, would lease 40 acres of unoccupied land to aa, validate land tithes gained under special order 15

civil rights bill

gave african americans same rights as any other citizen (provided federal protection against assaults of private or state action), doesnt automatically give voting rights since voting a privilege extended by states

trumbull view of johnson ops on bills

when framed thought johnson wouldnt be opposed, thought would aid relations with president and sends copies to white house for presidential look over

result of freedmans bill congress

passes with majority with only 1 republican voting against

johnson response to freedmans bill

objects to it, military court system in south so farier outcome of legal cases involving aa to avoid bias, johnson sees as tyrannical unconstitutional, expensive, and gives repubs patronage in south so could be used by republicans for more power in south, vetos bill since imposed on south who werent admitted to congress, says will veto all legislation until south admitted to congress

presidents day feb 1866

white house open to visitors, johnson gave speech from balcony where he describes abolitionists such as sumner and stevens as traitors, shocks radicals and moderate republicans

responses to johsohns speech/veto

george templeton strong says johnson has broken the trust, james gordon bennett a democrat thought bill was sensible

johnson response to civil rights bill

passed in both houses with big majorities, vetos in march 1866 because says against white people

congress response to vetos

april 1866 overrides the veto of civil rights bill, secured a 2/3 majority in doing so which shows republicans must have been united in this

memphis riot date

may 1866

memphis riot events

46 aa killed, 5 white killed, 4 aa women raped, presented as started by aa, congress sends an investigational committee who interview a general who said aa were victims not perpatrators

memphis riot impact

showed southern whites contemption for civil rights bill

texas union men murdered impact

further anger and view southerners as reckless and unconstructed, more moderate repubs think aa should be able to vote, joint congressional committee think best way forward is a constitutional amendment

new orleans riot

july 1866, governor had called for state constitutional convention, mayor coordinates attack on rally which supports convention, violence erupts and johnson calls to supress ’illegal meeting’, 35 aa killed

johnson and national union party

begins to revive idea of it and break away from repub party, builds third party to destroy republican , proposes should be a rally in philadelphia in august for it and tells cabinet must support him or leave position

stanton opposition to national union party

refuses to attend Philadelphia rally nor resign

johnson tour

goes on tour around northern states to raise opposition to republican party but faces opposition from public

1866 election

swing to republicans, 137 repub seats and 53 dem seats in house and 43 repub in senate and 9 dems, gives repubs 2/3 majority to overturn presidential vetos