The Republican Party
The symbol of the Republican Party
The Republican Party was divided into three smaller parties: the Radical Republicans, the Moderate Republicans, and the Conservative Republicans. The Republicans had control of Congress but no unified vision of Reconstruction.
Conservative Republicans
- Thought government couldn't tell states how to write state constitutions
- States could "get back to business as usual" since rebellion was over
Moderate Republicans
- No punishment for Confederate leaders
- Keep power with Republican Party
- Freedom for blacks
- No black suffrage unless necessary to keep party in power
Radical Republicans
Benjamin Wade was a prominent Radical
- Confederates punished and labeled as "Traitors"
- Rebel states allowed in Union after harsh claims of loyalty and citizenship rights for blacks
- Suffrage for blacks
- After war most Radicals wanted
1. Revenge on rebels
2. Transition blacks to free men
3. Keep Republican Party in power
- Most Radicals happy about Johnson as President.
"Mr. Johnson, I thank God that you are here. Lincoln had too much of the milk of human kindness to deal with these damned rebels. Now they will be dealt with according to their deserts." (Senator Benjamin Wade of Ohio, Radical Republican).
