1/ Trump recently praised Ulysses Grant in Ohio as Ohio-born. Trivia: between end of Civil War and 1900, 7 of 9 presidential elections were won by 5 Ohio-born Republicans plus 2 of next 5. Not easy to name all 7 without peeking.
2/ three pieces of legislation in present US controversy date from Reconstruction and "counter-Reconstruction" period: 1) statutory crime of "conspiracy to defraud United States" (March 2, 1867); 2) First Reconstruction Act (Mar 2, 1867) required "rebel" states to adopt 14th ...
3/ Amendment in order to be re-admitted. Reconstruction Acts passed by Republicans over veto of Democrat Andrew Johnson, Lincoln's successor. 3) Posse Comitatus Act (1877) was passed by Democrats to restore state rights, reversing black gains under Republican-led Reconstruction
4/ for those Americans worried about modern political division, even a cursory browse of Reconstruction period politics ought to provide re-assurance. Looks far more bitter than modern politics. Three Republican presidents assassinated in less than 40 years.
5/ the disputed election of 1876 (Hayes-Tilden) makes Bush-Gore seem like a picnic. Under terms of settlement (Compromise of 1877), Democrats required removal of remaining federal forces from south. Then passed Posse Comitatus to prevent their return. Jim Crow laws then prevailed
6/ the link between martial law in rebel states and adoption of 14th Amendment set out in chapter 153, passed on March 2, 1867 which established military districts
memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage…
memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage…
7/ Act says that state can re-acquire representation in Congress if state adopted constitution implementing 14th Amendment and also if and when 14th Amendment added to US constitution
7/ over next few years, southern states ratified 14th Amendment and returned to Congress. While southern states out, Republicans had supermajority in congress and could therefore pass civil rights legislation. Once southern states returned, Democrats got House majority in 1878.
8/ Mueller and Weissman's favorite charge "conspiracy to defraud the United States" also originated in an Act to amend Internal Revenue Laws, a reconstruction law passed on March 2, 1867. It first passed special tax on apohecaries, butchers, etc
9/ later in the Act memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage…, sandwiched between prohibition of mixtures of naphtha and illuminating oil and disposal of empty cigar boxes, they established offence of "conspiracy to defraud the United States"
10/ this is the offense with which Mueller has charged the Russian troll farm and its employees. Only surprise, I guess, is that Mueller didn't also charge them with offenses relating to mixture of naphtha and illuminating oil and disposal of empty cigar boxes as well.
10/ on May 30, 1866, Senate debated 14th amendment: see memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage…. Mover of the bill, Senator Howard, said that the language was "declaratory" of what he believed to be existing law. Excluded, according to him. were "persons born in US who are foreigners, aliens.."
