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who was dependent on his labor for support. After his marriage at Greenville, Tenn., he continued his studies
under the instruction of his wife, pursuing his trade as before by day. His political life commenced with his
election as alderman. He was successively chosen mayor, member of legislature, Presidential elector, State
senator, twice governor, and thrice U.S. senator.]
[Footnote: _Questions on the Geography of the Sixth Epoch. _-Locate Raleigh. Heart's Content, and St.
John's, Newfoundland (see map, Epoch II). Alaska St. Albans, Vt. Buffalo, Mt. Pleasant, O, (map. Epoch V).
West Point. Chicago. Boston. Duluth. Puget's Sound. San Francisco. Klamath Lava Beds, Oregon.]
(SEVENTEENTH PRESIDENT: 1865-1869.)
THE death of Lincoln produced no disorder, and within three hours thereafter the Vice-President, Andrew
Johnson, quietly assumed the duties of the Presidency.
DISBANDING OF THE ARMY.--At the close of the war the two armies numbered a million and a half of
soldiers. Within six months they had nearly all returned home. Thus the mightiest hosts ever called to the field
by a republic went back without disturbance to the tranquil pursuits of civil life. In a few months there was
nothing to distinguish the soldier from the citizen, except the recollection of his bravery. Other nations
prophesied that such a vast army could not be disbanded peaceably. The republic, by this final triumph of law
and order, proved itself the most stable government in the world.
[Footnote: A grand review of the armies of Grant and Sherman, two hundred thousand strong, took place in
the presence of the President and his Cabinet. For twelve hours this triumphal procession, thirty miles long,
massed in solid column twenty men deep, rolled through the broad avenues of the Capital.]
Brief History of the United States 139
DOMESTIC AFFAIRS.--_Reconstruction Policy of the President. _--Johnson recognized the State
governments that had been formed in Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Louisiana during the war, under the
protection of the Union army. In the other States, he appointed provisional governors, and authorized the
calling of conventions to form loyal governments. These conventions accordingly met, repealed the
ordinances of secession, repudiated the Confederate war debt, and ratified the amendment which Congress
had offered abolishing slavery. On these conditions, Johnson claimed that the States, having never been
legally out of the Union, should be restored to all their rights in the Union. All restrictions on commerce with
the South had been previously removed (April 29, 1865). A month later, Johnson issued a proclamation of
amnesty and pardon to all engaged in secession, except certain classes, on condition of taking the oath of
allegiance to the United States. In 1868 (July 4) full pardon was granted to all not under indictment for
treason, and afterward this was extended to all without exception.
[Footnote: Many of the persons thus excluded obtained pardons from the President by personal application.
One complaint against him was the readiness with which he granted such pardons.]
The Thirteenth Amendment, abolishing slavery, having been ratified by the States, was declared (December
18, 1865) duly adopted as a part of the Constitution of the United States.
_Public Debt._--The annual interest on the war debt was now over one hundred and thirty millions of dollars.
The revenue from duties on imported goods, taxes on manufactures, incomes, etc., and from the sale of
revenue stamps, was over three hundred millions of dollars. This provided not only for the current expenses of
the government and the payment of interest, but also for the gradual extinguishment of the debt. It is a striking
evidence of the abundant resources of the country that, in 1866, "before all the extra troops called out by the
war had been discharged, the debt had been diminished more than thirty-one millions of dollars."
_Reconstruction Policy of Congress._--On the assembling of Congress, decided grounds were taken against
the policy of the President. It was claimed that Congress alone had power to prescribe the conditions for the
re-admission of the seceded States. His proclamation and orders were treated as of no value. The Freedmen's
Bureau, the Civil Rights, and the Tenure-of-Office bills were passed over the President's veto.
[Footnote: The first provided for the establishment of a department of the national government for the care
and protection of the freedmen, _i. e._, the emancipated slaves, and also of the destitute whites at the South.
The second bill guaranteed to the negroes the rights of citizenship. The third made the consent of the Senate
necessary to the removal by the President of any person from a civil office.]
_The Seceded States Admitted._--Tennessee promptly ratified the Fourteenth Amendment and was restored
to her former position in the Union. The other provisional governments having refused to do so, a bill was
passed (March 2, 1867) placing those States under military rule. The generals in command caused a registry
of voters to be made, and elections to be held for conventions to remodel the State constitutions. After a bitter
and protracted struggle, governments were established in Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana,
North and South Carolina, and their representatives admitted (June 24, 1868) over the President's veto, to
Congress, after an unrepresented period of seven years.
[Footnote: As a requisite demanded by Congress for holding office, every candidate was obliged to swear that
he had not participated in the secession movement Since few Southerners could take this "iron-clad oath," as
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