Description
Book SynopsisAlready a leader of the Republican party when the Civil War began, Henry Wilson had distinguished himself as the most important Congressional figure on military and antislavery and pro-black legislation during the war.
Trade ReviewThis book constitutes the third volume of Myers's study of Henry Wilson. The previous two covered his career before (Henry Wilson and the Coming of the Civil War, 2005) and during the Civil War (Senator Henry Wilson and the Civil War, 2007). This one continues the story with Wilson's activities in Congress and in the executive branch during Reconstruction. Myers (emer., SUNY Plattsburgh) focuses on Wilson's activities during Congress's struggle with President Andrew Johnson over control of Reconstruction,his leadership in the Senate during President U.S. Grant's first term, and his service as vice president during Grant's second term. Myers maintains that even though the upper class of Wilson's native Northeast never accepted him as an equal, he became apotent political force during the late 1860s and 1870s. Wilson was a mediator who sought to reconcile various Republicans into common purpose, according to Myers's interpretation. Wilson's disapproval of Grant's ill-disguised attempt to captain a third term led to division between the two and to harsh criticism from Grant's friends before Wilson's death in November 1873. Myers consulted significant numbers of archive collections, period newspapers and journals, public documents, and secondary sources in -- JP Sanson * CHOICE, July 2010 *
This book constitutes the third volume of Myers's study of Henry Wilson. The previous two covered his career before (Henry Wilson and the Coming of the Civil War, 2005) and during the Civil War (Senator Henry Wilson and the Civil War, 2007). This one continues the story with Wilson's activities in Congress and in the executive branch during Reconstruction. Myers (emer., SUNY Plattsburgh) focuses on Wilson's activities during Congress's struggle with President Andrew Johnson over control of Reconstruction, his leadership in the Senate during President U.S. Grant's first term, and his service as vice president during Grant's second term. Myers maintains that even though the upper class of Wilson's native Northeast never accepted him as an equal, he became a potent political force during the late 1860s and 1870s. Wilson was a mediator who sought to reconcile various Republicans into common purpose, according to Myers's interpretation. Wilson's disapproval of Grant's ill-disguised attempt to captain a third term led to division between the two and to harsh criticism from Grant's friends before Wilson's death in November 1873. Myers consulted significant numbers of archive collections, period newspapers and journals, public documents, and secondary sources in his research. Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. -- JP Sanson * CHOICE, July 2010 *
Beginning with a foreword on Wilson's life before Abraham Lincoln's assassination, this volume stands alone. Although multivolume biographies are the exception rather than the rule these days, the usefulness of shorter volumes is undeniable.... The book is well written and extensively researched, and, along with Myers's previous two volumes on Wilson, it will go far in resurrecting the most prominent of the forgotten leaders of the early Republican Party. * Journal of Southern History *
Table of ContentsChapter 1 Foreword Chapter 2 Chapter 1: At War's End Chapter 3 Chapter 2: The Break Between Congress and Johnson Chapter 4 Chapter 3: Congress vs. the President Chapter 5 Chapter 4: The Failure to Impeach the President Chapter 6 Chapter 5: Republican Party Endorsed Chapter 7 Chapter 6: Grant and New Issues Chapter 8 Chapter 7: The Republican Party Begins to Divide Chapter 9 Chapter 8: Senate and Party Reconciler Chapter 10 Chapter 9: Election as Vice-President Chapter 11 Chapter 10: The Slave Power in America Chapter 12 Chapter 11: The Vice-President Chapter 13 Bibliography Chapter 14 Notes Chapter 15 Index Chapter 16 About the Author
