Reconstruction Pt. 2 Congressional Reconstruction
Jan 02, 2016
Reconstruction Pt. 2
Congressional Reconstruction
Election 1868
• Rep. US Grant
• Reconstruction main issue
• Racist election
• Grant wins close race
15th Amendment
• 1869
• Fed. & state gov’t can’t deny vote b/c of race.
• Women not included.
• Abolitionists 40 yr. struggle over.
Citizenship
• 1790 only white immigrants can become citizens.
• 1857 Dred Scott - blacks could never be citizens.
• New laws apply to North too.
Change in Constitution’s Focus
• B of R linked civil rights to states.
• Reconstruction showed rights needed federal enforcement.
• Vulnerable minorities could claim freedom and protection in Constitution.
Radical Reconstruction
• Majority black men registered to vote.
• 1870 all Southern states readmitted w/ new Rep. constitutions & black politicians.
Black Officeholder
• Black vote most of Rep. support.
• Whites highest office.
• 2000 AA did hold office
• Shift in Southern power & US gov’t.
• 14 House, 2 Senate (both MS)
• 700 in state leg. and many more in local
AA Politicians
Black US Senators
• Hiram Revels (MS 1870)
• Blanche Bruce (MS 1875-1881)
• Edward Brooke (MA 1967-1978)
• Carol Moseley Braun (IL 1993-1998)
• Barrak Obama (IL 2005-2008)– Roland Burris (IL 2008-2011)
Black Officeholders
• Black w/ White allies meant blacks treated fairly.– Courts, road repair jobs, taxes, relief
• SC & LA educated & wealthy
• Some northern blacks
• Most former slaves - leadership– soldiers, ministers, teachers, craftsmen
Carpetbaggers
• Northerners in Rec. govts.– “Reap spoils of South”– Some corrupt– Many former soldiers
• Investors – land & RR– Opportunity to make $ & rebuild South
• Freedmen’s Bureau – help former slaves– Teachers & agents
Scalawags
• Most southern born white Republicans.
• “Traitors” to race & region
• Wartime Unionists– Help to prevent Cons. coming to power
• Small but important swing vote
Southern Republicans in Power
• Huge challenges/ some great accomplishments– 1st state public school– Civil Rights Laws– Assist poor & needy– Economic recovery?
Mixed Results
• Economy didn’t grow enough
• AA locked in poverty
• Biracial democratic gov’t worked
• Public facilities & schools
• Racism removed from laws
• Conservative elite excluded – 1st time
Reconstruction’s Opponents
• South’s traditional leaders
• Gov’t corrupt, inefficient, “black supremacy”
• Fraud small compared to North– Whiskey Ring & Tweed Ring– 10’s of millions of $
• Tax increases
• Most whites can’t accept black equality
Opposition
• Military rule bitterly opposed
• Carpetbaggers• Scalawags• Ku Klux Klan 1866
– Promote white supremacy
– Resist through terrorism
Violence
• Goal – Restore white supremacy & disciplined reliable labor force.
• Reconstruction must be overthrown
• Challenge to Reconstruction govt’s & DC
“A Reign of Terror”
• Early on local & unorganized– Blacks assaulted & murdered
• After 1867 Rep. govt’s violence increases– Politics– Secret societies to destroy Rep. Party– Attack local leaders, blacks, officials
Terror
• Ku Klux Klan – Military arm of Dem. Party– 1866 TN social club– Respectable citizens– Criminal conspiracy
• Attack Republicans B & W
Ku Klux Klan
Victims
• Wartime Unionists, politicians, teachers, party organizers.
• AA leaders, buy land, defied white supremacy
• York County SC, 11 murders & 100’s whippings. (whole male pop. Klan)
KKK
• Mass terror & insurrections– 1871 Meridian MS 30 blacks & 1 white judge
murdered.– 1873 Colfax LA (Bloodiest) armed white
attack town
So. Govt’s Ask for Help
• 1870-1871 3 Enforcement Laws – Outlawed terrorist societies– Allowed president to use army – Fed. authority expanded– Denying rights now a federal crime not state
Grant vs. Klan
• 1871 sent fed. marshal's & troops
• 100’s arrested
• Trials
• 1872 Klan gone & peace 1st time
Republicans Changing
• Commitment to reconstruction weakening– Radicals dead or gone– Commitment to black rights going
• North attitude– South solve own problems w/o DC– Slaves free, citizens, vote now leave them
alone
Liberal Republicans
• Mad at Grant corruption– Immigrants & working men vs. (elite)
education & talent– Machines kept them from office
• Curtail fed. power
Horace Greeley 1872
• So. Corruption = So. Returned to “natural leaders”
• Put CW & Rec. in the past & unite
• Dems endorsed him too.
• Lost big.
• New policy for South (Lib. Rep. & Dems unite)
The North’s Retreat
• After 1872 Lib. Rep. attack Reconstruction– Increased racism in North
• 1874 The Prostrate State – James Pike– Report on SC– total political corruption, extravagance– “mass of black barbarism”– Problems from “Negro Government”– Solution- restore whites to power
Newspapers Change Position
• Against blacks participating in govt
• Visual expression in engravings
• Image change– CW vets, good citizens, victims– Caricatures as wild animals
• Racism convenient explanation for failure of reconstruction.
Depression 1873
• Economy Rep. new priority
• Dems benefited in south (really hurt)– 1874 elections Dems control House (1st CW)
• Civil Rights Act 1875– Last law of outgoing congress– Outlawed racial discrimination in public places
The Triumph of the Redeemers
• By mid 1870’s Dems control TN, NC, TX
• Redeemers– Saved white south
• Corruption• Misgovernment• Northern & black control
Grant won’t stop Violence
• 1875-1876 violence in daylight
• 1875 MS rifle clubs drill in street– Openly assault & murder Rep.
• Northern public “tired out” by So. problems
• MS Dems destroy ballots & drive blacks – Dems win landslide & end Reconstruction– SC did same
1876 A Disputed Election
• Rep. Gov. Hayes OH
• Dem. Gov. Tilden NY
• Only SC, FL, LA under Rep. control– Close & both parties claim victory
1877 Electoral Commission
• 15 men-Sen., Reps., SC justices
• Republican 8-7 majority
• Hayes chosen to win all 3 states = next pres.
• Bargin?
Bargain of 1877
• Behind the scenes
• Hayes recognize Dem. control of south– Fed. aid for TX to CA RR
• Dems. promise to accept election results– Respect civil & political rights of AA
Results
• Hayes President– Orders troops back to bases
• So. Dems wont recognize blacks as citizens
Post Script
• Black continue voting & hold office in some states into 1890’s.
• When Rep. controlled – blacks had a lot of political power & fed. protected rights of all Americans.
• It ended.
• 100 yrs will pass before nation would try again to bring rights to descendents of former slaves.
• 1950’s & 1960’s Civil Rights = 2nd Reconstruction