Lincoln How would Lincoln have handled Reconstruction?

[frontrank2]

If John Wilkes Booth's aim had been off and President Lincoln survived that awful night at Ford's Theater, what do you think might have been different? IMHO, the whole matter of Reconstruction would've had a much less radical agenda. If Lincoln had been able to complete his second term, I think his principal goal would've been to reunite the Union as smoothly as possible. I don't believe he would have punished the South the way his successor Andrew Johnson and the Radical Republicans ultimately did. I feel that with Lincoln in charge, the Southern economy and their way of life would not have suffered the way it did. I think the KKK might still have evolved, but not to the extent that it did, and the violence and hatred towards the newly freed slaves would have been far less. But that's just my thoughts. Anyone have any other ideas?

 

[Dave Wilma]

The variable would be the Radical Republicans in Congress. Lincoln had proposed a pretty simple method of reconstituting state governments and a return to the normal state of things. Ten percent of the voters could have approved new state constitutions and members of Congress. The big change would have been no slavery, the fundamental cause of the conflict. Basically, Lincoln would have gone back to the fall of 1860 sans slavery.

 

[John Winn]

This 'what if' is one I've often contemplated. I think things would have gone smoother as there would not have been the revenge factor re Lincoln's assassination and, of course, Lincoln would have been president and not Johnson. However, I agree with Sergeant Wilma that the radical Republicans would still have been a major factor and all the other issues that made reconstruction so difficult would have still have been there: e.g. what to do with all the freed slaves and how to incorporate them into society; how to deal with the reactions of a conquered people; how to repair the economy and infrastructure of the South. While Lincoln was certainly a skilled politician I think he'd have faced very difficult challenges and some of the legacies of the war would have still been with us.

Being new I don't know if this has been discussed in the past but I'd be interested to hear what others think. Thanks for posing the question Sergeant frontrank.

 

[frontrank2]

I wonder too, had Lincoln lived, would there have also been the infamous Black Codes ?

 

[John Winn]

I wonder too, had Lincoln lived, would there have also been the infamous Black Codes ?

I rather think there would have been some form of those as that sort of thing - like slavery before the thirteenth amendment - was a matter of state law and racism existed everywhere. As I think most here would know, there were versions of black codes in northern states as well as southern.

As the black vote was important to the Republican party I think the radicals would have pushed hard for it and for the right of blacks to hold office but these, and other rights, could still have been restricted. Social change is a slow process.

 

[Lee]

Of course we can only speculate on what Lincoln would have done had he lived or how successful those practices and actions would have been. Remember in addition to Lincoln there would have still been extremely mean spirited bloody shirt waving Radical Anti Southern Republicans, Carpet Baggers, Scallywags, and some hard core unreconstructed Southerners determined to advance their agendas and self interests. I seriously doubt anything Lincoln would or for that matter could have done would have made "reconstruction" any worse than it was. In fact Lincoln's 2nd term likely may have gone a long way towards softening and rounding off the rough sharp edges that are still found here today from opposite camps.

What I would be most interested in seeing is how Lincoln would have dealt with the millions of former slaves most of who were uneducated and in doubt of what to do and who to turn to for direction, employment, and sustenance post war. Would Lincoln have offered them the opportunity to return to Africa? How about would Lincoln have offered them land grants in Western territories? Lincoln was very aware of the fact that the vast majority of white Americans North and South did not view Black Americans in general and former slaves in particular as equal to White Americans. Also keep in mind the Federal Government in 1865 was miniscule in comparison to the huge wasteful often ineffective and overbearing frequently counter productive behemoth we see today.

I sincerely believe Lincoln's 2nd term would have been every bit as challenging as his first as IMO Lincoln would have had a full plate endeavoring to win the peace much like he did in his first term winning the war. I am not sure offering former slaves passage back to Africa would have held much appeal to the former slaves as most of them were born here and had little memory of or desire to return to Africa which would have been as foreign, unknown, and even terrifying to them as being enslaved by fellow Black Africans, purchased by White Europeans and New England ship owners, shackled and then enduring hell while being transported as slaves to the New World was to their ancestors. No Lincoln's 2nd term would have been hell on a stick as he would have to boil down the status quo between North and South, Black and White, and attempt to reconstitute and or create a different more kinder and gentler status quo.

I would venture a bet half way through his 2nd term Lincoln may very well have thought winning the war was easier than winning the peace. Having said that Lincoln was IMO a very wise man with a good heart and up to the task. My personal speculation could be totally wrong but I doubt reconstruction and reunification along with assimilating the former slaves into better lives and parity approaching the end goal of equal status within the country to white Americans would only have been significantly advanced had Lincoln survived the war and served out his second term. I do not mean to imply that had Lincoln lived that he could have accomplished the aforementioned goals in four years but at the very least he would have cleared much of the heavy and thick timber blocking the road he would have laid through the dark forest on the way to the open sunny plain beyond.

 

[kevikens]

It would depend on two things (though it is hard to imagine it not turning out better under any other circumstances). The Radicals did not gain control of the Republican Party until the congressional elections of 1866, and that because Northerners had heard of the Black Codes, forced labor contracts and the night riders intimidating the freedmen. I think the White South has to bear some responsibility for the Radical's agenda coming about because they flat out refused to accept Black freedom and treated the formerly enslaved almost as thought slavery was not over. Northerners only went for the 14th and 15th Amendments because it had become obvious that the South would not accept the Freedmen as free with any significant rights at all. Had the freedman been treated decently The Radicals' agenda would not have come about. And that would have changed everything.
As for Lincoln if anyone had the political savvy and common sense to pull it off it would have been that man. It would have been a different Reconstruction, one where the economic rights of the Freedman would have come about first (40 acres and the mule, too). Full legal and political rights would have been delayed in federal law but I think more quickly in actual practice and acceptance by the White South. It sure as heck would have better than what we actually at that time got.

 

[Rebforever]

It would depend on two things (though it is hard to imagine it not turning out better under any other circumstances). The Radicals did not gain control of the Republican Party until the congressional elections of 1866, and that because Northerners had heard of the Black Codes, forced labor contracts and the night riders intimidating the freedmen. I think the White South has to bear some responsibility for the Radical's agenda coming about because they flat out refused to accept Black freedom and treated the formerly enslaved almost as thought slavery was not over. Northerners only went for the 14th and 15th Amendments because it had become obvious that the South would not accept the Freedmen as free with any significant rights at all. Had the freedman been treated decently The Radicals' agenda would not have come about. And that would have changed everything.
As for Lincoln if anyone had the political savvy and common sense to pull it off it would have been that man. It would have been a different Reconstruction, one where the economic rights of the Freedman would have come about first (40 acres and the mule, too). Full legal and political rights would have been delayed in federal law but I think more quickly in actual practice and acceptance by the White South. It sure as heck would have better than what we actually at that time got.

To do what you suggest, there still would have been reconstrution

 

[kevikens]

Yes, of course but it would have been a Reconstruction without the residue of animosity that still exists today.

 

[John Winn]

Yes, of course but it would have been a Reconstruction without the residue of animosity that still exists today.

Why do you think so ? Lincoln would definitely have been a better politician than Johnson but I don't see how he could have single-handedly overcome the unhappiness due to the South having been defeated and beat to a pulp or overcome the racial divide of the day. Those things would have taken generations to overcome even if the reconstruction process had been better handled (which I don't doubt would have been the case if Lincoln had lived).

 

[brass napoleon]

I wonder too, had Lincoln lived, would there have also been the infamous Black Codes ?

Yes, there would have been black codes, just as there were black codes in the North during his Presidency. There were no simple solutions to a very complex problem, and Lincoln was only human. But I do agree with the consensus above that he would have done a lot better than the tug-of-war that was the Johnson Administration and the Radical Republicans in Congress.

 

[brass napoleon]

Why do you think so ? Lincoln would definitely have been a better politician than Johnson but I don't see how he could have single-handedly overcome the unhappiness due to the South having been defeated and beat to a pulp or overcome the racial divide of the day. Those things would have taken generations to overcome even if the reconstruction process had been better handled (which I don't doubt would have been the case if Lincoln had lived).

Indeed. Look at how many Confederate sympathizers on this forum despise him to this very day!

 

[brass napoleon]

...I would venture a bet half way through his 2nd term Lincoln may very well have thought winning the war was easier than winning the peace..

Agreed. Considering the toll his first term took on him, it's always been my belief that he might not have survived a second term, with or without Booth.

 

[Rebforever]

Yes, of course but it would have been a Reconstruction without the residue of animosity that still exists today.

There is no way to prove that.

 

[frontrank2]

Yes, there would have been black codes, just as there were black codes in the North during his Presidency. There were no simple solutions to a very complex problem, and Lincoln was only human. But I do agree with the consensus above that he would have done a lot better than the tug-of-war that was the Johnson Administration and the Radical Republicans in Congress.

Excellent point!

 

[Lee]

Agreed. Considering the toll his first term took on him, it's always been my belief that he might not have survived a second term, with or without Booth.

Excellent point especially when one takes a long look at the photo of Lincoln coming into office and the last one taken of him shortly before his assassination. I often wonder why those two photos are not displayed side by side as I don't see how it could fail to significantly impress anyone who viewed them just how hard four years of war and the loss of a son were on the man. Lincoln's health may well have given out but then again who knows his physique was marveled at by doctors and others on his deathbed. If I had to bet I would place an amount I could afford to lose on him surviving his second term. Some may say well that isn't much of a bet but that is just the way I bet on anything and it has served me well.

 

[ole]

I think it is safe to say that, if Lincoln served his second term, there might have been some actual reconstruction going on.

The Radical Republicans might still have insisted on the pound of flesh, but Lincoln would have done a better job of minimizing that desire than Johnson.

 

[frontrank2]

I think it is safe to say that, if Lincoln served his second term, there might have been some actual reconstruction going on.

The Radical Republicans might still have insisted on the pound of flesh, but Lincoln would have done a better job of minimizing that desire than Johnson.

I totally agree! Well put.

 

[BillO]

His reputation would have suffered terribly. Most of the whites in the south already hated him, the radical republicans would have quickly learned to hate him as well. No matter what he would have hoped to do would have been corrupted or watered down by 1 faction or another and he would have left office a sad, broken unpopular man.

 

[frontrank2]

His reputation would have suffered terribly. Most of the whites in the south already hated him, the radical republicans would have quickly learned to hate him as well. No matter what he would have hoped to do would have been corrupted or watered down by 1 faction or another and he would have left office a sad, broken unpopular man.

I would hope not, but knowing how politics work in this country, you might be right.