With the fall of Montgomery on May 28, 1854 and the surrender of Confederate General Daniel Twiggs three days later, the Civil War came to a close. Nine years of fighting had cost the lives of over a million Americans, ravaged the Southern countryside, and shattered the innocence of the no longer infant nation. Determined now to "bind up the nation's wounds", President Zachary Taylor would pursue a Reconstruction policy that was both reconciliatory and firm. Though the leaders of the Confederacy would be tried for treason, Taylor would pardon most of those involved (with the notable exception of Confederate President Robert Hunter), and the former rebel states were, generally speaking, quickly readmitted to the Union.
Fig. 1: Confederate States readmitted to the Union.
KeyGreen: Before 1853
Navy: 1853-1855
Blue: 1855-1856
Light Blue: Not Readmitted
True to his promise during the campaign of '52, Taylor urged Congress to pass a Constitutional Amendment protecting the rights of the newly freed slaves. This was accomplished in March of 1854 with the passage of the 14th Amendment, which established basic legal protection for the rights of "freedmen" and, thanks to the efforts of Congressman Gerrit Smith, women. When a handful of the new Southern legislatures passed so-called "Black Codes" in defiance of the Amendment, Taylor successfully overturned these laws, and in 1856 the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John McLean, ruled than any such legislation was blatantly unconstitutional in the landmark Dred Scott case.
In 1855, American settlers in California declared their independence from Mexico and immediately requested admission to the United States. Thanks to Secretary of State Daniel Webster's deft combination of diplomacy and saber-rattling, Mexico agreed to cede not just California but all its territory north of the Rio Grande to the United States, expanding the size of the country by the largest degree since the Louisiana Purchase in 1804.
Due to ill health, President Taylor has declined to seek a second term in 1856. A number of prominent Republicans have stepped forward to replace him, each with a slightly different opinion of how Reconstruction should be carried out in the future. Vice President Thaddeus Stevens, leader of the "Radical" faction of the Republican Party, supports a vigorous reform of societal and governmental structures in the South, as well as extending the franchise to all adult citizens. His chief opponent is Winfield Scott, who replaced Webster as Secretary of State upon the latter's death, and who advocates a much more relaxed Reconstruction policy. Then there is Charles F. Adams, son of former President John Q. Adams and Taylor's Secretary of War, who like Stephens wants a Constitutional Amendment protecting blacks' right to vote but otherwise support the withdrawal of troops from the South. Chief Justice McLean, Senator William H. Seward, and General Abraham Lincoln are also in the running, all of whom are seen as moderates on the Reconstruction question.
In the Democratic camp, Stephen Douglas is once again the front runner for the nomination, and is calling for the construction of a Trans-Continental Railroad. Douglas is opposed by former Senator James Buchanan, his running mate in the 1852 election, and like Douglas a strong supporter of Western expansion. Both men have expressed dislike for the 14th Amendment and oppose any effort to grant blacks the franchise. Last but not least is the American Party, a flimsy coalition of former Whigs who split from the Republican Party following the passage of the 14th Amendment and whose members are attempting to appeal to both North and South with a combination of racism and xenophobia.
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