John Charles Fremont is elected in 1868 with Charles Sumner and faces the secession of the Confederate States of America, which make up South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Rio Grande, Yucatan, Sequoyah, North Carolina, and Arkansas. Cuba secedes, but does not join the Confederacy.
American Civil War[]
Emancipation Proclamation
John Fremont and the Radical Republicans do not want to compromise. Instead, John Fremont gives the Emancipation Proclamation, which declares that slavery is illegal in all rebelling states by January 1st 1870 unless they return to the Union. He also promises amnesty to the rebels in any state that returns by that time. Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky which had been considering secession at the time decide against it. Arkansas, Sequoya, Cuba, and Yucatan return by the deadline.
Aftermath
In 1872 just before the election the Confederacy has been defeated. The southern states are put under military governments and are told that they must sign three amendments before being readmitted to the Union. The 13th amendment bans slavery, the 14th amendment guarantees equal protection under the law and birth right citizenship. It also has a clause that stipulates specifically that the rights guaranteed in the bill of rights would extend to the state governments. The 15th amendment prohibits excluding the right to vote based on race or sex. The second part is controversial, but passes due to the strong influence of the Republican Party and because of the expectation that this will encourage women to vote Republican.
1872 Re-election[]
John Fremont is re-elected, but is shot in a theatre shortly after inauguration. His vice president, Charles Sumner becomes president.