In the week following President Abraham Lincoln's assassination on April 14, 1865, the political atmosphere in Washington was one of shock and uncertainty. Andrew Johnson, who was Lincoln's vice president and assumed the presidency after Lincoln's death, faced significant challenges and scrutiny from the Republican Congress.
At the time, the Republican Party was largely composed of two factions: the moderate Republicans, who sought reconciliation with the Southern states, and the Radical Republicans, who favored a more stringent approach to Reconstruction and advocated for civil rights for freed slaves. Johnson, a Southern Democrat who had been a staunch Unionist during the Civil War, had his own views on Reconstruction that did not align perfectly with the Radical Republicans.
In the immediate aftermath of Lincoln's assassination, Republican leaders were concerned about Johnson's ability to lead effectively and his commitment to the policies that they supported. The Radical Republicans were particularly wary of Johnson's leniency towards the South and his opposition to measures that would guarantee civil rights for former enslaved individuals. Johnson's actions and statements in the weeks that followed showed a preference for quickly restoring the Southern states with minimal conditions, which alarmed many in Congress.
Overall, while the Republican Congress was initially supportive of Johnson due to his association with Lincoln, there was deep-seated skepticism and rising tension as his political decisions and Reconstruction policies began to materialize. This tension would only escalate in the months and years to come, leading to significant conflicts between Johnson and Congress.
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