Philippine E-Journals

The Republican Party and Reconstruction

Violeta S. Ignacio

 

Abstract:

The Republican Party was a diverse group. Its members ranged from the educated upper class of New England to recent settlers on the Great Plain, from cautious pragmatic men to genuine fanatics. One of its successes lay in its ability to convince its supporters that its doctrine was worth a war. The doctrine stood firm against the expansion of slavery and for saving the Union while claiming championship of everything "enlightened, patriotic and progressive" (Brock 1966: 65). Its appeal was directed to both big corporations and industrial workers.