Johnson's Ideas
After becoming President following Lincoln's assassination, Andrew Johnson expressed far more rigid views of how to deal with the defeated Confederacy. President Johnson said, "Treason is a crime; and crime must be punished. The law provides for it; the courts are open. Treason must be made infamous and traitors punished."
- Northerners and Radical Republicans thrilled with Johnson's apparent plan to be harsh with South.
- Many thought South would get what they deserved.
Johnson's Reconstruction Plan
- Abandoned earlier views and adopted plan similar to Lincoln's.
- Said only white voters loyal to Union could draw up new state constitutions.
- Ensured whites would rule South.
- Forbid high ranking Confederate officers from general pardon.
- Allowed officers exempted from taking oath to come to him to beg to be pardoned.
- Gave him power above these people that he enjoyed using.
Freed Slaves Concerns
Johnson despised wealthy Southern aristocrats
Johnson was not really concerned about the freed slaves, but more about their masters. He once said, "Damn the Negroes. I am fighting those traitorous aristocrats, their masters!"- Said that he would "show those stuck-up [Southern] aristocrats who is running the country."- Doubted whites and blacks would ever live on equal footing- Encouraged writing of Black Codes- Blacks should remain inferior to whites- Said to California Senator John Conness that he had never opposed slavery for blacks, Negroes were happiest in that condition... and white men alone must rule the south.
