Tennessee pursued, however, the course of reconstruction upon which she had set out. Her test oath, as we have seen, required virtually that
Reconstruction in
Tennessee continued.
Governor Johnson issued his proclamation on February 25th, 1865, declaring the adoption of the new constitution, and ordering the
Civil government
re-established in
Tennessee.
It remained now for Congress to show its attitude, when the Senators and Representatives from Tennessee should present themselves for admission to seats in the two Houses. As this could not happen until the following December, the history of this point must be deferred until the events between March 4th and December 4th are related.
The experiences of the year 1863 with the slavery problem had convinced the President and the leaders of the Republican party in Congress that
The Thirteenth
Amendment to the
Constitution of the
United States.