This political cartoon (<em>"Awkward Collision on the Grand Trunk Columbia"</em>) depicts a staunch President Andrew Johnson and Congressman Thaddeus Stevens are having a standoff between the two trains, "President," and "Congress."
You can barely see it, but at the bottom of the political cartoon it says:
[ A.J. (Driver of Engine ‘President’) – “Look here! One of us has got to back." Thaddeus (Driver of Engine ‘Congress’) – "Well, it ain’t me that going to do it – you bet!” ]
Johnson and Stevens both had a staunch position on their reconstruction policies, and were unwilling to compromise, this eventually led to Johnson's impeachment.
** Background information about Thaddeus Stevens:
Thaddeus Stevens was considered a radicial republican during the reconstruction era, and he was an early critic of Johnson's plan for reconstruction (he eventually became the leader in the effort to impeach Johnson).
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Stevens was an advocate of treating southern states as "conquered provinces." He encouraged strong, sweeping action by the federal government to revolutionize the institutions and culture that bolstered white supremacy in the south.
Stevens supported the 14th amendment and an unsuccessful plan to confiscate plantations and redistribute the land to former slaves.
Johnson's plan was similar to Lincoln's, except he wanted 10% of the southerners (that voted in 1860) to give an oath of loyalty to him. <u>Basically, Johnson's reconstruction plan was to eventually forgive the Confederates of their war crimes. </u>
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** More information about Johnson's reconstruction plan:
The Confederate states were required to uphold the 13th Amendment, swear loyalty to the Union, and pay off their war debt. Then they would rewrite their state constitutions, hold elections, and begin sending representatives to Washington. Under the plan, Confederate leaders would have to apply directly to President Johnson in order to request pardon. Johnson's last pardon was given to former President Jefferson Davis (of the Confederacy) on December 25th, 1868.
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