The Republicans also had a very large majority in both branches of Congress.
Since the result of the election was so decisive, and since every branch of the government was then in the hands of the Republicans, further opposition to the Congressional Plan of Reconstruction was for the first time completely abandoned.

The fact was then recognized that this was the settled and accepted policy of the Government and that further opposition to it was useless.

A few of the southern whites, General Alcorn being one of the number, had accepted the result of the Presidential and Congressional elections of 1868 as conclusive as to the policy of the country with reference to Reconstruction; but those who thought and acted along those lines at that time were exceptions to the general rule.

But after the Presidential and Congressional elections of 1872 all doubt upon that subject was entirely removed.
The Southern whites were now confronted with a problem that was both grave and momentous.

But the gravity of the situation was chiefly based upon the possibility,--if not upon a probability,--of a reversal of what had been the established order of things, especially those of a political nature.
The inevitable conflict between the antagonistic elements of which Southern society was composed could no longer be postponed.