The sun., 1907-08-04
III.

President Johnson's policy is expounded
in the third chapter of this volume. We
are reminded OF what in our day is some
times overlooked, that in confronting the
problem OF restoring civil government In
the South President johnson was under no
necessity Of devising solution. The solu-
ton already applied by Lincoln in three Of
the States was ready to the hand Of his
successor. Our author directs attention to
the fact that the draft Of a proclamation for
instituting the same process OF restoration
in the other Confederate States had been
submitted by Secretary Stanton to the
Cabinet, and had been discussed In the last
meeting before Lincoln's assassination.
The truth is that johnson took up the work
of reconstruction at the precise point where
Lincoln had left it.
First, in order to dispose OF the idea that
the State Governments which had exercised
authority under the Confederacy might be
permitted to continue their functions, the
military commanders we're ordered to pre-
vent any attempt Of the old Legislatures to
meet, and such OF the old Governors a.
could be caught we're consigned to prison.
Nothing but military government was then
lett In seven Oh Tie Dtdtc6. hb w shtes
an executive order OF President Johnsons.
dated May 0, 1885, recognized F. II. Pierpoint
as Governor Of the State, and without
formal declarations. Governors Brownlow OF
Tennessee, Wells Of Louisiana and Murphy
OF Arkansas, the official heads Of the organ
izations created under Lincoln's admins
tration and with his aid. we're assumed by
johnson to be the chiefs Of legitimate gov
ernments and we're encouraged to extend
their authority throughout the territory in
cluded within their respective State limits.
Having thus provided for the four Com
monwealths which already were far ad-
vanced on the road toward restoration to
the Union, johnson proceeded to carry out
Linooln's project, somewhat modified, for
the remaining seven. On May 20, 1885, the
reorganization OF North Carolina was begun
by proclamation appointing w. W. Holden
Provisional Governor and directing him to
assemble a constitutional convention Of
delegates chosen by the loyal part Of the
people Of the State, and TO exercise all
powers necessary to enable that part OF the
people to organize a republican form OF
government such a. the United States
might oonstitutionally guarantee. The test
OF loyalty prescribed was the taking Of the
oath embodied in an amnesty proclamation
issued on the same date. Only such per-
sons az should have taken that oath might
participate either as electors or as elected
in the process of reorganization. and more
ever only such "A we're qualified voters
under the laws of the State that had been
in force immediately before it's secession.
The only feature OF this project which
excited much discussion among the ad-
visers OF the President. official or unofficial.
was that fixing the qualifications for voters.
Radical members OF the United States
Senate and House Of Representatives urged
with emphasis the Importance Of including
the freedmen in the reorganizing electorates,
and the Cabinet was evenly divided on
this question. Chief Justice Chase in
sisted that both the conditions and the
opinions obtaining in the South favored
reorganization through negro suffrage.
Johnson's decision was for leaving the re-
organization to the Union faction OF the old
white electorate. The possibility and the
desirability Of a later extension to the suf-
frage by degrees TO the freedmen. though
the action OF the new State Governments
themselves he did not, however, question.
At intervals from June 10 to July 10,
1885. proclamations identical in tenor with
that affecting North Carolina named pro-
yisiona! Gcverncrs and reestablshed the
EsdsraI ministration In, the remaining