Southern Democrats was too deep to heal. The break became final when Johnson allied himself with pro-union Whigs to fight the Secessionist Democrats in his state for several months. When the Civil War began, Johnson was the only Senator from a Confederate state that did not leave Congress to return to the South. During the war, Johnson made the decision to join the Republicans in the National Union Party.
             In 1864, Johnson's big break came. Lincoln selected him as vice presidential running mate on the National running mate. "When it came time for Johnson to deliver his inaugural address he delivered it while inebriated, lending credence to the rumors that he was an alcoholic." (Kennedy) Even with these rumors floating around it didn't stop the victory of Lincoln and Johnson in the 1864 election.
             Within six weeks of taking office as Vice President, Johnson succeeded to the Presidency after Lincoln's assassination. Johnson wasn't prepared for this position and faced many difficult decisions.
             Johnson's first difficult situation was developing a policy for the postwar
             reconstruction of the union. Johnson's Reconstruction Plan allowed the former
             confederate states to return quickly to the Union. This plan would have left the
             civil rights of former slaves completely under the auspices of former-slave
             Johnson believed secession was illegal. "He felt that the Southern states were still in the union and only had to set up loyal governments to resume legitimate relations with the United States." (Trefousse) C
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