The Wade-Davis Bill was a bill proposed by two Radical Republicans, Benjamin Wade and Henry Winter Davis, which provided a plan for the South during Reconstruction. This bill stated that a former Confederate state could be re-admitted to the Union if fifty percent of the white male population took a loyalty oath and the state recognized equality for all African-Americans. After the loyalty oath was taken, people who could swear that they never willingly supported the Confederacy coud vote in an election to choose delegates for a constitutional convention. Congress passed this bill in 1864 to replace Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan because they thought it was too lenient. However, Lincoln pocket-vetoed the bill by refusing to sign the bill before Congress adjourned.
Lincoln vetoing the Wade-Davis bill led to the Wade-Davis Manifesto in which the New York Tribune printed an article that condemned Lincoln for taking Congress's legislative powers and for trying to reconstruct the South by executive orders only. Also, due to Congress and Lincoln's differing opinions, no progress was made on deciding how to re-enter the Confederate states into the Union. Congress believed that they had the right to decide how the Confederate states would be admitted because they believed the southern states forfeited their place in the Union but Lincoln believed individuals, and not states, went against federal authority and therefore he could use his pardoning power to re-admit people back into the Union. Congress and Lincoln remained at odds with each other throughout Reconstruction. However, Abraham Lincoln died before any real compromise could be made between the two.
Wade Davis Bill-1864
By: Taylor ScholefieldThe Wade-Davis Bill was a bill proposed by two Radical Republicans, Benjamin Wade and Henry Winter Davis, which provided a plan for the South during Reconstruction. This bill stated that a former Confederate state could be re-admitted to the Union if fifty percent of the white male population took a loyalty oath and the state recognized equality for all African-Americans. After the loyalty oath was taken, people who could swear that they never willingly supported the Confederacy coud vote in an election to choose delegates for a constitutional convention. Congress passed this bill in 1864 to replace Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan because they thought it was too lenient. However, Lincoln pocket-vetoed the bill by refusing to sign the bill before Congress adjourned.
Lincoln vetoing the Wade-Davis bill led to the Wade-Davis Manifesto in which the New York Tribune printed an article that condemned Lincoln for taking Congress's legislative powers and for trying to reconstruct the South by executive orders only. Also, due to Congress and Lincoln's differing opinions, no progress was made on deciding how to re-enter the Confederate states into the Union. Congress believed that they had the right to decide how the Confederate states would be admitted because they believed the southern states forfeited their place in the Union but Lincoln believed individuals, and not states, went against federal authority and therefore he could use his pardoning power to re-admit people back into the Union. Congress and Lincoln remained at odds with each other throughout Reconstruction. However, Abraham Lincoln died before any real compromise could be made between the two.
Read the original Wade-Davis Billl
The Debate Over the Wade-Davis Bill