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Initially at least, it is not clear that it did. Johnson followed Lincoln's approach in offering amnesty to former Confederates, the major difference being that he excluded persons owning over $20,000 worth of property, which Lincoln had not. In practice, however, most of those in the excluded categories soon received individual pardons, so it made little difference. Johnson followed Lincoln in suggesting (not demanding) that Blacks who were literate or owned a certain amount of property should be allowed to vote. He was less generous to them than Lincoln in that he did not call for the enfranchisement of those who had served in the Union Army. In the event, the Southern states refused to enfranchise any Blacks whatsoever, and Johnson acquiesced in this. It has been widely speculated that Lincoln would have been tougher and at some point would have hardened his position and insisted on at least a limited Black suffrage, thus changing his former suggestion to a demand. However, since Lincoln did not live long enough for the matter to arise, this can only be a matter of faith, not knowledge.

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Nasir Sipes

Lvl 13
3y ago

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