Wade-Davis+Bill

Wade-Davis Bill The Wade-Davis Bill was a plan for Reconstruction written by two [|Radical Republicans], Benjamin Wade and Henry Davis. They believed that Lincoln's Reconstruction plan was too easy on the Confederates, so they created a plan that was much tougher on the South. Although it was approved by the Senate, Lincoln stopped it with a pocket veto. It was never approved again but it laid the groundwork for the Senate's plans for Reconstruction after the assassination of Lincoln.

Terms of the Bill


 * A majority of the population of each state had to swear allegience to the Union by taking the "[|Ironclad Oath]"
 * In their new constitutions, the states would have to acknowledge the abolition of slavery
 * Former Confederate officials would not be granted amnesty
 * A military governer would temporarily be installed as the leader of the state

Aftermath
 * After Lincoln used a [|pocket veto] on the bill, the Radicals were extremely upset
 * Wade and Davis issued a manifesto that accused Lincoln of using Reconstruction to gain voters in the South
 * The manifesto ultimately failed however, and Lincoln easily won re-election and the future passage of the 13th amendment ending slavery
 * After Lincoln's assassination, Congress took control of Reconstruction and used ideas from the Wade-Davis bill along with Lincoln's ideas to form a plan