President Lincoln, President Johnson and Congress had differing ideas on how to.
After the assassination of President Lincoln, .
Congress and President Johnson had to answer two questions, did the South leave .
the Union and if they did leave, should the United States punish them for .
treason? President Lincoln and President Johnson promised easy terms of .
reintegration into United States. Radical Republicans in the Congress wanted the .
South punished for leaving the Union and causing the Civil War.
President Lincoln's plan was to offer amnesty to Confederates taking the loyalty .
oath; if ten percent of voters took the oath, statehood was re-established. .
President Lincoln's major goal was to strength the Republican Party in the .
South. President Johnson's plan was for Confederate leaders and wealthy .
Southerners to ask presidential permission to take the loyalty oath. The .
Southern would have to approve the Thirteenth Amendment. The Congressional plan .
was to treat the south as a conquered territory by establishing military .
governors to rule the Southern states and requiring the majority of it's .
citizens to take the loyalty oath.
President Johnson issued to proclamations on 29 May 1865. President Johnson's .
first proclamation was to offer the former Confederates "amnesty and pardon, .
with restoration of all rights and property" if they would swear allegiance to .
the Constitution and the United States. This offer was made only to those who .
were not government officials of the Confederacy or had taxable property valued .
at over $20,000. Those that fell into this category could apply for individual .
pardons. President Johnson's second proclamation prescribes the steps by which .
southern states could reestablish state government. President Johnson would .
appoint a provisional governor who would call a state convention of those who .
were loyal to the United States to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment. .
Congressional Republicans opposed President Johnson's reconstruction plan, they .