if
Johnson were a snake, he would lie in the grass to bite the heels of
rich men's children." His primitive notions of punishment were evident
in 1865 when he advocated imprisonment, execution, and confiscation; but
like other reckless talkers he often said more than he meant.

When Johnson succeeded to the presidency, the feeling was nearly
universal among the radicals, according to Julian, that he would prove
a godsend to the country, for "aside from Mr. Lincoln's known policy of
tenderness to the rebels, which now so jarred upon the feelings of the
hour, his well known views on the subject of reconstruction were as
distasteful as possible to radical Republicans." Senator Wade declared
to the President: "Johnson, we have faith in you. By the gods, there
will be no trouble now in running the Government!" To which Johnson
replied: "Treason is a crime and crime must be punished. Treason must
be made infamous and traitors must be impoverished." These words are
an index to the speeches of Johnson during 1863-65. Even his radical
friends feared that he would be too vindictive. For a few weeks he was
much inclined to the radical plans, and some of the leaders certainly
understood that he was in favor of Negro suffrage, the supreme test
of radicalism. But when the excitement caused by the assassination of
Lincoln and the break-up of the Confederacy had moderated somewhat,
Johnson saw before him a task so great that his desire for violent
measures was chilled. He must disband the great armies and bring all war
work to an end; he must restore intercourse with the South, which had
been blockaded for years; he must for a time police the country, look
after the Negroes, and set up a temporary civil government; and finally
he must work out a restoration of the Union. Sobered by responsibility
and by the influence of moderate advisers, he rather quickly adopted
Lincoln's policy. Johnson at first set his face against the movements
toward reconstruction by the state governments already organized and
by those people who wished to organize new governments on Lincoln's ten
percent plan. As soon as possible the War Department notified the Union
commanders to stop all attempts at reconstruction and to pursue and
arrest all Confederate governors and other prominent civil leaders. The
President was even anxious to arrest the military leaders who had been
paroled but was checked in this desire by General Grant's firm protest.
His cabinet advi