An American history . enumerated groups,^ on condi-tion that they should take an oath of allegiance to the UnitedStates. He appointed provisional governors and directedthem to call conventions of those people who took the oath, * Various classes of high officials were excepted, also all persons who had leftthe service of the United States to enter the service of the Confederacy, and allpersons who owned property in excess of $20,000. Individuals of the exemptedgroups might, however, make application to the President for executive pardon,which the proclamation hinted would be liberally extended
An American history . enumerated groups,^ on condi-tion that they should take an oath of allegiance to the UnitedStates. He appointed provisional governors and directedthem to call conventions of those people who took the oath, * Various classes of high officials were excepted, also all persons who had leftthe service of the United States to enter the service of the Confederacy, and allpersons who owned property in excess of $20,000. Individuals of the exemptedgroups might, however, make application to the President for executive pardon,which the proclamation hinted would be liberally extended. RECONSTRUCTION 469 and to organize state governments.^ Such governmentswere rapidly formed. Though made up largely of ex-Confed-erates, they frankly accepted the situation and set to workto make the best of it. Most of them in the course of 1865ratified the Thirteenth Amendment (section 654, note). Theseratifications gave the amendment the required number andit became law. By the end of the year every Southern state. MAP SHOWING HOW THE SLAVES WERE EMANCIPATED had a reconstructed civil government which had been rec-ognized by the President, with the one exception of Texas.^A definite problem confronted these new governments. Inevery Southern state there were many thousand negroes whohad been thrown suddenly upon their own had always been accustomed to have their lives directed ^ As early as December, 1863, Lincoln had proposed a scheme of reconstruc-tion. Whenever in any seceded state 10 per cent of the voters of i860 shouldtake an oath of allegiance to the United States, they should be empowered toorganize a new state government. This plan was denounced by extremists inCongress, and in the spring of 1864 a bill was passed giving Congress entirecontrol of the whole matter of reconstruction. Lincoln refused to sign it. 2 Upon the formation of a civil government by Texas, Johnson officiallyproclaimed the insurrection at an end, August 20, 1866. 470 AMERICAN
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