er structure of the South before readmitting the secessionists and insisted that the decision rested with Congress" (Diamond, 1976, p. 101).
The Congress sought to control Reconstruction because it wanted to make sure that Confederate leaders did not regain power in the South. In addition, the members of Congress wanted to make sure that the freed blacks in the South obtained their civil rights. It was felt that the President's plan for Reconstruction did not adequately address these vital issues. It may be noted, however, that the Congress did not simply wish to take control of Reconstruction itself. In addition, the legislature wanted to restore some of its powers that had been taken over by the Presidency during the war. In order to counteract this wartime development, the members of Congress "intended to have a say in shaping affairs in the postwar years" (Fribourg, 1972, p. 260).
The first thing that Congress did to counteract Lincoln's efforts was to pass the Wade-Davis Bill in July, 1864. This bill required states to abolish slavery and remove Confederate leaders from power before being readmitted to the Union. Furthermore, this bill required the states to take an oath which not only insured their postwar loyalty, but also insured that they had been loyal even during the course of the war. When this bill was vetoed by Lincoln, the Congress published its "Wade-Davis Manifesto." This manifesto reasserted the goals of the Wade-Davis Bill. In addition, it made specific claims regarding the relative power of t
...