Northern support decrease

• By early 1870s, Northern support for Reconstruction with its expensive occupation of the South and its bad affronts to radical prejudice, was beginning to ebb (decrease). From 1873, US suffered a severe economic depression. Voters blamed Republicans and Democrats gained control of Congress.
• A wave of corruption scandals sapped Republican morale. Lincoln's assassination , the chaos and reaction of Johnson's presidency and failure of Ulysses Grant, Lincoln's successor to impose moral leadership all undermined or compromised the promise of an authoritative, undivided federal government.