Excerpt from National Union Free Convention’s “How shall We End the Rebellion—Shall We Coax It, or Crush It?” 1864
AMERICANS! Here you have two plans for ending the Rebellion, restoring peace, and preserving the Union. They differ in every essential feature. They agree in scarcely anything. Here are some of their points of contrast:
1. The Chicago platform says not one word in condemnation of the Rebellion or of those who have wrapped the nation in the flames of civil war. The Baltimore platform brands the Rebellion as a gigantic crime, and demands the punishment of the rebels and traitors who have brought it on. With which do you agree?
2. The Chicago Platform proposes that the Rebellion be stopped by IMMEDIATE EFFORTS FOR A CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES on the part of the Government. The Baltimore Platform proposes to "quell it by FORCE of ARMS." The first is Surrender—the last VICTORY! Which do you prefer? . . .
4. The Chicago Platform says not a syllable against the rebellion, but denounces, with intense bitterness and venom, everything the Government has done to put it down. The Baltimore platform applauds and upholds the Government in its efforts to subdue the rebels, and promises continued support in this endeavor. Which is the most patriotic? . . .
7. The Chicago Platform has not a word to say against slavery, which has caused the war, and which is to be the cornerstone of the new Confederacy the rebellion seeks to establish. The Baltimore Platform brands it as a curse to the country, and calls for its complete extirpation from the soil of the Republic, at the hands of the people, through an amendment of the Constitution. Which is the wisest and best for the country?
Use the excerpt to answer the question.
Which plan for Reconstruction would the author of this excerpt most likely agree with and why?
A.
the Wade-Davis Bill, because it was harsher on the rebels
B.
the Ten Percent Plan, because of its focus on reconciliation and leniency
C.
the Wade-Davis Bill, because it aimed to conclude peace without more bloodshed
D.
the Ten Percent Plan, because it demanded an immediate end to the war
PLEASE, ALSO EXPLAIN WHY ITS THE CORRECT ANSWER, DO NOT GUESS, USE THE EXPERT.
The author of this excerpt would most likely agree with the Baltimore Platform, which calls for the punishment of the rebels and traitors who have brought on the Rebellion, demands that it be quelled by force of arms, applauds and upholds the Government in its efforts to subdue the rebels, and calls for the complete extirpation of slavery from the soil of the Republic. This is in contrast to the Chicago Platform, which does not condemn the Rebellion or those who have caused it, proposes that the Rebellion be stopped by immediate efforts for a cessation of hostilities, and does not mention slavery. Therefore, the author of this excerpt would not agree with the Ten Percent Plan or the Wade-Davis Bill, as they both focus on reconciliation and leniency, and do not demand an immediate end to the war.
Based on the excerpt, the author of this passage would most likely agree with the Baltimore Platform, which is aligned with plan A, the Wade-Davis Bill.
The excerpt highlights several points of contrast between the Chicago Platform and the Baltimore Platform. The author praises the Baltimore Platform for condemning the Rebellion as a criminal act and demanding the punishment of the rebels and traitors. This aligns with the more punitive and harsher approach advocated by the Wade-Davis Bill, which required a majority of voters in former Confederate states to take an oath of allegiance before they could be readmitted to the Union.
Furthermore, the author opposes the Chicago Platform's proposal for an immediate cessation of hostilities and instead supports the Baltimore Platform's call for the Rebellion to be quelled by force of arms, which suggests a preference for a military victory rather than a negotiated settlement. This also aligns with the harsher approach of the Wade-Davis Bill.
Additionally, the author criticizes the Chicago Platform for not addressing the issue of slavery, while the Baltimore Platform acknowledges slavery as a curse and calls for its complete eradication through a constitutional amendment. This aligns with the Wade-Davis Bill's commitment to abolishing slavery as an essential condition for the conclusion of peace.
In summary, based on the contrast presented in the excerpt, the author is most likely to agree with the Wade-Davis Bill, as it shares the same punitive approach towards the rebels, advocates for a military victory, and calls for the eradication of slavery. Therefore, the correct answer is C. the Wade-Davis Bill.
Based on the excerpt, the author of this passage would most likely agree with the Baltimore platform, which proposed to "quell [the Rebellion] by FORCE of ARMS" and demanded the punishment of the rebels and traitors who started the war. This is supported by the following points mentioned in the passage:
1. The Baltimore platform condemns the Rebellion as a gigantic crime and demands the punishment of the rebels, showing a strong stance against the rebels and their actions.
2. The Baltimore platform proposes to end the Rebellion through the use of force and victory, contrasting with the Chicago platform's suggestion of immediate efforts for a cessation of hostilities, which the author describes as surrender.
4. The Baltimore platform applauds and upholds the Government's efforts to subdue the rebels and promises continued support, while the Chicago platform denounces the Government's actions to put down the Rebellion. This suggests that the author would align with the platform that supports the government's efforts to restore peace and preserve the Union.
7. The Baltimore platform specifically acknowledges slavery as a curse to the country and calls for its complete eradication, while the Chicago platform does not address slavery at all. The author would likely agree with the platform that recognizes the negative impact of slavery and calls for its elimination.
Based on these points, the author of the excerpt would most likely agree with the Baltimore platform, which advocated for the use of force to quell the Rebellion, demanded punishment for the rebels, supported the government's efforts, and called for the end of slavery. Therefore, the correct answer is:
C. the Wade-Davis Bill, because it aimed to conclude peace without more bloodshed.