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American Civil War
Politics of the Union
Politics of the Union

Politics of the Union

Uncover the political tensions and decisions that characterized the United States government during the Civil War, from the 1860 election of President Abraham Lincoln to the early days of Reconstruction legislation under President Andrew Johnson. Follow debates between political factions like the Copperhead Democrats, who supported neither the war nor abolition, and the Radical Republicans, who pressured Lincoln to move more quickly on emancipation.

  • Pamphlet advertising the “True Republican” ticket for the 1860 election from Racine, Wisconsin

    Republican campaign materials for Abraham Lincoln and other candidates running for election.

    View Full Item  in Wisconsin Historical Society
  • Political cartoon about the 1860 presidential election

    New York (State). Education Dept. Division of Visual Instruction

    Progressive Democracy, Prospect of a Smashup, 1860. This political cartoon shows a divided Democratic Party headed towards a breakup, as Northern Democrats fight Southern Democrats over the expansion…

    View Full Item  in New York State Archives
  • Speech by Texas senator John Hemphill about the state of the Union, January 1861

    Hemphill, John, 1803-1862

    View Full Item  in Schreiner University
  • Correspondence between the President’s cabinent and senators from seceded states about Fort Sumter, January and February 1861

    United States. President (1857-1861 : Buchanan)

    View Full Item  in Schreiner University
  • Political cartoon about secession titled “The Dis-United States,” 1861

    Title from item. Summary from: Library of Congress Print & Photographs Collection. The Confederate leaders are portrayed as a band of competing opportunists led by South Carolina governor and secessio…

    View Full Item  in Boston Public Library
  • President Lincoln’s first inaugural adress in both original draft and its final form, given in March 1861

    Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

    Stern collection 137; Monaghan 2485. Foreword signed: Judd Stewart. "Privately printed."

    View Full Item  in Cornell University
  • Legal briefs about the Confiscation Act, signed by President Lincoln on August 6, 1861

    Waples, Rufus, 1825-1902

    At head of title: United States Circuit court, Eastern district of Louisiana: Hon. E. H. Durell, district judge, presiding. Cover title.

    View Full Item  in University of Michigan
  • Correspondence between the US and Great Britain and France about the Trent Affair, a diplomatic incident in 1861

    United States. Dept. of State

    January 6, 1862--Read and ordered to be printed. Caption title.

    View Full Item  in Library of Congress
  • Political cartoon criticizing the influence of Radical Republican publisher Horace Greeley

    McLenan, John, 1827-1865, Harper's Weekly

    Gettysburg College - GettOpen Public Collection; Political cartoons

    View Full Item  in Gettysburg College
  • Letter from Republican Senator Charles Sumner to William Lloyd Garrison, December 22, 1861

    Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874, Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879

    Holograph, signed. Title devised by cataloger. This date is inferred. Charles Sumner informs William Lloyd Garrison that he has issued a delivery to Gen. McClellan. Sumner asserts that "for some time…

    View Full Item  in Boston Public Library
  • Political cartoon about Lincoln’s views on emancipation, 1862

    Nast, Thomas, 1840-1902, New York Illustrated News

    Gettysburg College - GettOpen Public Collection; Political cartoons

    View Full Item  in Gettysburg College
  • Letter from Gerritt Smith to the people of Smithfield, New York, asking them to vote Republican in the coming election for New York governor, October 1862

    Smith, Gerrit, 1797-1874

    Holograph, signed. Title devised by cataloger. In this typed letter addressed to "the Town of Smithfield, [New York]", Gerrit Smith acknowledges the toll the American Civil War has taken on the commun…

    View Full Item  in Boston Public Library
  • The Emancipation Proclamation, enacted on January 1, 1863 by President Lincoln

    National Archives and Records Administration. Office of the Federal Register. 4/1/1985

    View Full Item  in National Archives at Washington, DC - Textual Reference
  • Decorative poster celebrating the Emancipation Proclamation, 1863

    Lincoln, Abraham

    Poster with decorative border and text of the Emancipation Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln.

    View Full Item  in Wisconsin Historical Society
  • Speech by Rep. Clement Vallandigham criticizing abolition and demanding peace, 1863

    Vallandigham, Clement L. (Clement Laird), 1820-1871

    View Full Item  in Harvard University
  • Photograph of Democratic congressmen including George Pendleton and Clement Vallandigham by Mathew Brady, 1863

    War Department. Office of the Chief Signal Officer. (8/1/1866 - 9/18/1947)

    View Full Item  in National Archives at College Park - Still Pictures
  • Satirical poem about the Copperhead Democrats and their allegiances, 1863

    University of Chicago Library c. 2 is signed by John A. McAllister and Benson J. Lossing.

    View Full Item  in University of Chicago
  • Political cartoon about Copperhead Democrats and their resistance to war, February 1863

    Unknown, Harper's Weekly

    Gettysburg College - GettOpen Public Collection; Political cartoons

    View Full Item  in Gettysburg College
  • Political cartoon titled “Reception of the Copperheads at Richmond,” 1863

    McLenan, John, 1827-1865, Harper's Weekly

    Gettysburg College - GettOpen Public Collection; Political cartoons

    View Full Item  in Gettysburg College
  • Photograph of the crowd at Gettysburg National Cemetery for Lincoln’s address, November 19, 1863

    War Department. Office of the Chief Signal Officer. (8/1/1866 - 9/18/1947)

    View Full Item  in National Archives at College Park - Still Pictures
  • Record of the votes of the Copperhead Democrats in the United States Congress, 1863-1865

    Union Congressional Committee (U.S.)

    View Full Item  in University of Minnesota
  • Speech by Senator Charles Sumner supporting the proposed amendment of the Constitution abolishing slavery, April 8, 1864

    Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874

    View Full Item  in University of California
  • George Pendleton’s speech in defense of fellow Democrat Alexander Long who risked expulsion from the House of Representatives, April 11, 1864

    Pendleton, George H. (George Hunt), 1825-1889

    Caption title.

    View Full Item  in Harvard University
  • Copperhead pamphlet from 1864 by C. Chauncey Burr, a magazine editor from New York City

    Partly in verse. Title vignette. Attributed to Alexander Del Mar. Cf. NUC pre-1956 imprints.

    View Full Item  in Harvard University
  • Letter from Oliver Johnson to William Lloyd Garrison about Radical Republican politics and the 1864 election

    Johnson, Oliver, 1809-1889, Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879

    Holograph, signed. Title devised by cataloger. Oliver Johnson writes to William Lloyd Garrison remarking that he is not suprised by Garrison's letter, he "felt sure that my faithful showing up of the…

    View Full Item  in Boston Public Library
  • Congressional Committee report on the political record of George H. Pendleton, candidate for Vice-President, 1864

    Union Congressional Committee (U.S.)

    View Full Item  in University of Minnesota
  • Political cartoon about Democrat George McLellan’s campaign for President, 1864

    Title from item. Election of 1864. A cartoonist's view of what would happen if George B. McClellan the Democratic candidate won the election. Although he tried to disclaim it to some extent, McClellan…

    View Full Item  in Boston Public Library
  • Union Congressional Committee campaign literature about the Democratic Convention, 1864

    Union Congressional Committee (U.S.)

    View Full Item  in University of Minnesota
  • 1864 election cartoon measuring Democratic candidate George McClellan’s military record against his successor Ulysses S. Grant

    Title from item. Summary from: Library of Congress Print & Photographs Collection. An election year cartoon measuring Democratic candidate McClellan's military failures against the recent successes of…

    View Full Item  in Boston Public Library
  • Political cartoon about the political partnership of the 1864 Democratic Presidential ticket

    Title from item. Summary from: Library of Congress Print & Photographs Collection. The unlikely teaming of military leader George B. McClellan with Peace Democrat (Copperhead) George Hunt Pendleton as…

    View Full Item  in Boston Public Library
  • Ohio Presidential nomination ticket for the “Union” candidates from the November 8, 1864 election

    Ohio Presidential nomination ticket from November 8, 1864 election. "Union" Ticket is for Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson electors.

    View Full Item  in Tennessee State Library and Archives
  • Cover for sheet music titled “McClellan is the Man,” 1864

    Carter, F. N. (Franklin N.), approximately 1827, Black & Case (Boston, Mass.), Fabronius, Dominique C

    Title from item, from additional material accompanying item, or from information provided by the Boston Public Library. Music title page is part of sheet music for McClellan is the Man, composed by He…

    View Full Item  in Boston Public Library
  • Political cartoon titled “The Copperhead Plan for Subjugating the South,” 1864

    Bellew, Frank, Harper's Weekly

    Gettysburg College - GettOpen Public Collection; Political cartoons

    View Full Item  in Gettysburg College
  • The front page of The New York Herald announcing Lincoln’s assasination on April 15, 1865

    View Full Item  in Washington University, St. Louis
  • Broadside commemorating the funeral of Abraham Lincoln, which started in Washington and continued via train to Springfield, Illinois, 1865

    View Full Item  in Washington University, St. Louis
  • Political cartoon illustrating the challenges of Reconstruction legislation for President Johnson, 1865

    Title from item. President Andrew Johnson digs a hole for the train of the Radical Republican Party with a shovel marked "veto". Johnson did veto the Radical Republican Freedmen's Bureau Bill and the…

    View Full Item  in Boston Public Library
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American Civil War
Politics of the Union

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