President Johnson pardons

[DannyW]

This is not really a question but I just want to get some feedback. Andrew Johnson as you know was from Tennessee. It seemed that he change his stance on the postwar South & former Rebel leaders. Remember how he was so adamant about hanging the traitors. Then fast forward a few years & how he pardoned the other four conspirators before he left office. And who can forget the 1868 Christmas Day pardons in which all were forgiven even Jefferson Davis his old enemy from their senator days. My thought is that he knew he would have to live in the South & was elected to the senate but died in 1875 before serving. What are your thoughts. Thanks Danny West

[Hess1865]

Johnson pardoned the conspiritors as a 'payback' to his political enemies who tried to impeach him.
Probably the same reason he pardoned all the former rebels.

[Jim Garrett]

Johnson, regardless of personal feelings had to move justice quickly and efficiently. That more than any other argument spells out a military court. The entire country was caught up in retribution fever. A couple of years and cooler heads following the rules of law and looking at the broader issues involved in re-uniting the country made a big difference in how others would be handled.