which statement best describes the wade davis bill
Which statement best describes the Wade-Davis Bill?
Answer: The Wade-Davis Bill was a piece of legislation proposed during the Civil War in 1864 by Radical Republicans Senator Benjamin Wade of Ohio and Representative Henry Winter Davis of Maryland. It aimed to establish a more stringent process for Reconstruction compared to President Abraham Lincoln’s more lenient Ten Percent Plan. The bill required that 50% of a state’s white male citizens take a loyalty oath to the Union, and it stipulated that states had to guarantee equality for African Americans before they could be readmitted to the Union.
Key Points:
1. Loyalty Oaths: Unlike Lincoln’s plan, which required only 10% of voters to take an oath of loyalty, the Wade-Davis Bill escalated this requirement to 50% of white male citizens. This was intended to ensure that the loyalty of the Southern states to the Union was more firmly secured.
2. Abolition of Slavery: The bill mandated states to formally abolish slavery in their new constitutions as a condition for readmission.
3. Civil Rights: The Wade-Davis Bill required states to extend full civil rights to African Americans, although it did not provide for black suffrage.
4. Congressional Oversight: The bill placed significant power in the hands of Congress for overseeing Reconstruction efforts, as opposed to the President, thus reflecting the Radical Republicans’ discontent with Lincoln’s approach.
5. Pocket Veto: President Lincoln used a pocket veto to effectively prevent the Wade-Davis Bill from becoming law. He believed the bill was too harsh and would only delay the process of reuniting the nation.
In summary, the key statement that best describes the Wade-Davis Bill is: “The Wade-Davis Bill proposed by Radical Republicans required that a majority of white male citizens swear loyalty to the Union and that states guarantee equal rights for African Americans as conditions for readmission to the Union.”