The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 12, July 1908 - April, 1909 Page: 205
332 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Presidential Reconstruction in Texas.
205
out that the Convention had fallen short of the president's rec-
ommendations; in fact, that they were as rebellious as in 1861;
and that their real object was to get possession of the State offices
and once more work into control of the national government in
order to establish there the principles overthrown in the 'rebellion,"
or failing in that, to reopen the "rebellion" at a convenient oppor-
tunity, and meanwhile to drive all Union men out of the State
and nullify the emancipation of the negroes.' On the other
hand, it was charged upon the radicals that, being disappointed--
first, in the hope of prolonging the provisional government indefi-
nitely; next, in securing control of the Convention-and having
little chance of securing a new lease of power at the coming
election, they were preparing to desert President Johnson whom
they still professed to admire and endorse, and to align them-
selves with the ultra-radical element in Congress in its evident in-
tention of re-establishing military rule over the South and enforc-
ing political equality between whites and negroes. While the con-
servatives were stigmatized as "disloyal" and "rebellious" because
of their hostility to the Civil Rights and Freedmen's Bureau Acts,
they accused their antagonists of being the real disunionists be-
cause they supported the "destructive, unconstitutional legislation"
of Congress and favored delay in the restoration of the State to
its normal place in the Union.
Probably there was as much truth in these charges as in those
of the average heated political campaign. It is certainly true
that the conservatives were unwilling to concede more changes in
the characters and relations of the State and Federal governments
than they would be obliged to, and it seems true that their ad-
miration of the president at this time was closely related to and
in direct proportion to their fear of the congressional radicals;
but to confuse their hatred of the latter with their attitude
toward the government, or to assert that desire for political
power and influence was tantamount to rebellion, or that they
were preparing a crusade against Union men and a renewal of
rebellion was the sheerest nonsense, and beyond the threats of a
few braggarts and ruffians there seems to be no foundation for
"S'ee files of Flake's Bulletin, San Antonio Empress, and Southern In-
telligencer (radical papers) for April, May, and June, 1866.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 12, July 1908 - April, 1909, periodical, 1909; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101048/m1/233/: accessed May 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.