What do many historians believe about the US Reconstruction policies if President Lincoln finished his second term?

Answer 1

President Abraham Lincoln's second term would have ended in 1868, and he may have stayed in public office as a senator and perhaps have been a leader among Republicans who helped shape the US Reconstruction Era. One thing is for certain, however, which can be seen by his relatively brief time he had an impact in the Reconstruction of the South. Lincoln's general principles certainly would have affected his second term of office.

As president, his desire was to have the former Confederate States become full fledged partners with the entire nation as soon as possible. Of course this meant the acceptance of the Federal governments authority in this process and to accept the finality of the end of slavery. It was "gone".

Lincoln, however, had no desire to have a policy of retribution against former Confederate leaders. This was generous as for all practical purposes, these leaders committed treason. It was more than a war. It was a treasonous rebellion of the largest magnitude against the US Government.

Regarding the freed slaves, these "Freedmen" should have the same rights as White people. It can be said with some authority that he believed their transition into America's mainstream should be based on earning wages, and accepting guidance from both his government and the various private charitable organization that began to help in the former slaves' education. By this method, their chances of success were improved.

There is no evidence that Lincoln believed in land distribution. But also, when speaking about the same rights as White men, there was a footnote. It seems that the right to vote by freedmen should first be granted to those who served in the US armed forces during the civil war and among them those who were literate. Apparently, and based on historical writings as late as 1988, Lincoln would not have demanded complete black suffrage as a prerequisite for the restoration of a Southern State to full status into the Union.

Here we can pause and remember, that Lincoln, was foremost concerned with the unification of the United States. This was true both during the war and in the peace to follow. Few can make the case that the US Civil War, as far as Lincoln was concerned, was a war to end slavery and make this view hold any currency. His personal beliefs aside, it must be added.

Universal suffrage for Blacks had an additional problem. And, once again, the only relevant view was the one of that time, the 1860's. Many Northern States, fully part of the Union and who fought in the War, still had laws preventing Black men from voting that time.