Three specific elements of Johnson's Reconstruction

Pardons would be granted to those taking a loyalty oath No pardons would be available to high Confederate officials and persons owning property valued in excess of $20,000 A state needed to abolish slavery before being readmitted A state was required to repeal its secession ordinance before being readmitted. Most of the seceded states began compliance with the president’s program. Congress was not in session, so there was no immediate objection from that quarter. However, Congress reconvened in December and refused to seat the Southern representatives.

Reconstruction had produced another deadlock between the president and Congress.