They thought that our true policy was to let the men who had led their States into the Rebellion take the responsibility of restoring them to their old relations.
It is not unlikely that the strength of the Republican Party would have been seriously impaired, perhaps overthrown, by the division of sentiment on this subject.

But the white Democrats in the South were blind to their own interest.

President Johnson permitted them in several States to take into their hands again the power of government.

They proceeded to pass laws which if carried out would have had the effect of reducing the negro once more to a condition of practical slavery.

Men were to be sold for the crime of being out of work.