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II. War And Social Change: Benjamin F. Butler And The Assertion Of Federal Power

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Abraham Lincoln and Reconstruction
This chapter is in the book Abraham Lincoln and Reconstruction
CHAPTER II War and Social Change: Benjamin F. Butler and the Assertion of Federal Power RECONSTRUCTION was the crucial question of national politics—at least as a theoretical issue—from the moment the states of the lower South seceded from the Union. The compromise proposals of Senator John J. Crittenden of Kentucky, which received serious consideration by the Congress in the winter of 1860-1861, were designed to promote a voluntary reconstruction of the Union by giving in to Southern proslavery demands. Voluntary reconstruction was predicated on a belief that the large reservoir of Unionist sentiment in the departed states could force the secessionists to accept the Crittenden pro­posals. The establishment of an independent slaveholding Con­federacy proceeded smoothly, however, and its leaders showed little interest in returning to the Union. The Crittenden compro­mise also found little support within the Republican Party, particularly after President-elect Abraham Lincoln let it be known that he opposed most of its provisions. To Lincoln and most Republicans in Congress, acceptance of Crittenden's legis­lative package meant repudiation of the free soil ideology on which their party was based.1 In the heated atmosphere of the sectional crisis party differences were more important than at any other time in the nation's history: the polarization between Re­publicans and proslavery Democrats had reached the point where further compromise was all but impossible.2 1 David M. Potter, Lincoln and His Party in the Secession Crisis (New Haven, Conn., 1942), 101-110, 156, 187, 219-248; Potter, "Why the Republicans Rejected Both Compromise and Secession," in George H. Knoles (ed.), The Crisis of the Union, 1860-1861 (Baton Rouge, 1965), 90-106; Eric Foner, Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men: The Ideology of the Repub­lican Party Before the Civil War (New York, 1970), 223-224. 2 Ideological polarization between parties, a major component of any "critical realignment," was particularly acute in the period from 1854 to

CHAPTER II War and Social Change: Benjamin F. Butler and the Assertion of Federal Power RECONSTRUCTION was the crucial question of national politics—at least as a theoretical issue—from the moment the states of the lower South seceded from the Union. The compromise proposals of Senator John J. Crittenden of Kentucky, which received serious consideration by the Congress in the winter of 1860-1861, were designed to promote a voluntary reconstruction of the Union by giving in to Southern proslavery demands. Voluntary reconstruction was predicated on a belief that the large reservoir of Unionist sentiment in the departed states could force the secessionists to accept the Crittenden pro­posals. The establishment of an independent slaveholding Con­federacy proceeded smoothly, however, and its leaders showed little interest in returning to the Union. The Crittenden compro­mise also found little support within the Republican Party, particularly after President-elect Abraham Lincoln let it be known that he opposed most of its provisions. To Lincoln and most Republicans in Congress, acceptance of Crittenden's legis­lative package meant repudiation of the free soil ideology on which their party was based.1 In the heated atmosphere of the sectional crisis party differences were more important than at any other time in the nation's history: the polarization between Re­publicans and proslavery Democrats had reached the point where further compromise was all but impossible.2 1 David M. Potter, Lincoln and His Party in the Secession Crisis (New Haven, Conn., 1942), 101-110, 156, 187, 219-248; Potter, "Why the Republicans Rejected Both Compromise and Secession," in George H. Knoles (ed.), The Crisis of the Union, 1860-1861 (Baton Rouge, 1965), 90-106; Eric Foner, Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men: The Ideology of the Repub­lican Party Before the Civil War (New York, 1970), 223-224. 2 Ideological polarization between parties, a major component of any "critical realignment," was particularly acute in the period from 1854 to

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Contents vii
  3. Tables ix
  4. Preface xi
  5. Abbreviations xvii
  6. Prologue "Mr. Lincoln's Model Of Reconstruction" 1
  7. I. The Old Regime: Society And Politics In Antebellum Louisiana 19
  8. II. War And Social Change: Benjamin F. Butler And The Assertion Of Federal Power 66
  9. III. The Failure Of Conciliation: Nathaniel P. Banks And The Planters 110
  10. IV. Between Slavery And Freedom: The Labor System Of General Banks 135
  11. V. Reconstruction As A Problem In Party Building: Thomas J. Durant And The Free State Movement 159
  12. VI. The Suffrage Issue: General Banks Takes Command 186
  13. VII. Radicals Vs. Moderates: The Ideological Dimension Of Unionist Politics 212
  14. VIII. The Moderates In Power: The Constitutional Convention Of 1864 237
  15. IX. Lincoln Vs. Sumner: The Louisiana Question In National Politics 271
  16. X. Counterrevolution: The Return Of The Confederates 305
  17. Epilogue. The Politics Of Revolution 342
  18. Appendix A. Regression Analysis Of Electoral Behavior In Antebellum Louisiana, 1840-1861 357
  19. Appendix B. The Occupational Background Of Delegates To The Louisiana Constitutional Convention Of 1864 370
  20. Appendix C. A Scale Analysis Of Voting Behavior In The Louisiana Constitutional Convention, 1864 373
  21. Bibliographical Essay 381
  22. Index 401
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https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400870196-006

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Contents vii
  3. Tables ix
  4. Preface xi
  5. Abbreviations xvii
  6. Prologue "Mr. Lincoln's Model Of Reconstruction" 1
  7. I. The Old Regime: Society And Politics In Antebellum Louisiana 19
  8. II. War And Social Change: Benjamin F. Butler And The Assertion Of Federal Power 66
  9. III. The Failure Of Conciliation: Nathaniel P. Banks And The Planters 110
  10. IV. Between Slavery And Freedom: The Labor System Of General Banks 135
  11. V. Reconstruction As A Problem In Party Building: Thomas J. Durant And The Free State Movement 159
  12. VI. The Suffrage Issue: General Banks Takes Command 186
  13. VII. Radicals Vs. Moderates: The Ideological Dimension Of Unionist Politics 212
  14. VIII. The Moderates In Power: The Constitutional Convention Of 1864 237
  15. IX. Lincoln Vs. Sumner: The Louisiana Question In National Politics 271
  16. X. Counterrevolution: The Return Of The Confederates 305
  17. Epilogue. The Politics Of Revolution 342
  18. Appendix A. Regression Analysis Of Electoral Behavior In Antebellum Louisiana, 1840-1861 357
  19. Appendix B. The Occupational Background Of Delegates To The Louisiana Constitutional Convention Of 1864 370
  20. Appendix C. A Scale Analysis Of Voting Behavior In The Louisiana Constitutional Convention, 1864 373
  21. Bibliographical Essay 381
  22. Index 401
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