Wheeler Compromise facts for kids
The Wheeler Compromise, also known as the Wheeler Adjustment, was an important agreement made in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It helped settle a big argument over the 1872 election for governor. It also helped organize the state's government in January 1875. The agreement was named after William A. Wheeler, a Congressman from New York. He later became the Vice President of the United States.
At the time, Louisiana was facing a lot of political problems and violence. Many people thought this showed that the period called Reconstruction was falling apart. Wheeler himself said that trying to "promote peace with the sword" (meaning using force) was not working. This made Republicans start thinking about how to keep their power in the northern states.
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Why was the Wheeler Compromise needed?
The political situation in Louisiana was very tense in 1872. Elections in the state were often violent. Democrats, who were mostly white, tried to stop Republicans, who were mostly Black, from meeting or voting. After the 1872 election for governor, both sides claimed they had won. They even held their own inauguration ceremonies. Eventually, the U.S. government said that the Republican candidate, William Pitt Kellogg, was the real governor.
What was the White League?
In 1873, white groups in Grant Parish attacked Republican officials. They killed many Black defenders in an event known as the Colfax Massacre. By 1874, former Confederate soldiers formed a group called the White League. This was a private army that spread across Louisiana. In another event, the Coushatta Massacre, several white Republicans and many Black witnesses were killed.
In September 1874, the White League fought against the police in the Battle of Liberty Place. About 5,000 White League members tried to take over state buildings in New Orleans. They wanted to remove the elected Republicans and put John McEnery (a Democrat) in charge. More than 56 people died, mostly police and city defenders. The White League left when federal troops arrived. Governor Kellogg was then put back in office.
How did federal troops get involved?
Governor Kellogg asked for help from the federal government. He wanted to prevent more violence when the state government met on January 4, 1875. U.S. soldiers were placed around the State House in New Orleans.
A group called the Returning Board had said that 54 Republicans and 52 Democrats were elected to the state government. There were also five seats that were still being argued about. When the members met, both parties tried to elect their own Speaker of the House. The Democrats tried to take control right away. They later left to discuss their plans. Governor Kellogg's Republican officials asked for help to remove members who were not officially certified. The Democrats gave speeches and then left together. Many people in the North did not like that federal soldiers were used in the state government building.
On the same day, the Democrats refused to join the State Senate meeting. The 29 elected Republicans tried to organize it by themselves. That night, President Ulysses S. Grant ordered General Philip Sheridan to take control of the military in the Gulf area.
What was the Wheeler Compromise?
As the problems in Louisiana got worse, Congressman William A. Wheeler and other members of a special House committee went to New Orleans. They were there to investigate the situation. They had already looked into the elections of Kellogg and McEnery. They also listened to people from both political parties. This was part of their work to support Reconstruction. The Democrats complained about federal troops being used. The Republicans complained about the Democrats' actions.
Governor Kellogg was allowed to stay in power. The House committee then decided who would get the disputed seats in the state government. Most of these seats were given to the Democrats. In March 1875, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the Wheeler Compromise. This agreement seemed to show that Reconstruction was weakening in Louisiana.
After the compromise, Democrats in Louisiana removed even more Republicans. They took control and elected a Democrat to the Senate. However, most politicians and newspapers in the North did not pay attention to these actions. It seemed like the North was happy to stop being responsible for Reconstruction. Congressman Wheeler said that northerners had expected too much from the South. He stated that it was time to admit that trying to force peace with soldiers had failed. His compromise showed northern Republicans how to reduce their losses. After this, the Republican party focused on keeping its power in the North. They reduced their military efforts in the South, even if it meant giving up on the political rights of the freed Black people.
The Democrats and Republicans in Louisiana met separately. They were basically running two different governments in the state. In 1876, they had another election for governor that was also disputed. President Grant refused to recognize the Republicans in Louisiana and South Carolina. Both states had a lot of election violence. The national Democratic Party agreed to a deal to help Rutherford Hayes become president. In early January 1877, President Grant ordered federal troops to leave New Orleans. Later that year, the troops were removed from the rest of Louisiana and other southern states. This marked the end of Reconstruction across the South.
Images for kids
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A political cartoon about the (Wheeler) Compromise in Louisiana, drawn by Thomas Nast for Harper's Weekly.
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William A. Wheeler
