Michael E Johnson
Banned
The fact that Andrew Johnson was in position to become president once Abraham Lincoln was assissinated all but insured that the Civil War was in many ways a phyrric victory for the North in general and blacks in particular.Not that things would have been much better if Lincoln had continued as president.While Johnson hated the planters in Dixie and wanted them humbled he had no desire to see blacks rise to a position of equality with poor whites in Dixie.As president he did everything he could to prevent this from happening including eventually openly advocating the former Confederate traitors getting their power and influence back.But what what if Hannibal Hamlin had remained on the ticket in 1864-as President would he along with the Republicans have correctly and justly punished the Confederate traitors and helped the former slaves establish themselves.The fact that this didnt happen is the main reason for the large black-underclass that still exists today.The reconstruction peroid in this country allowed the white south to both justify its treason in the Civil War and institute a de-facto re-enlavement of blacks for another 100 years-would this minor change have stopped that? Any and all ideas appreciated.
Last edited: