wˌaɪl ðə stˈeɪt lˈɛdʒɪslətʃɚ wʌz dˈɑːmᵻnˌeɪɾᵻd dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðɪs pˈiəɹɪəd baɪ sˈʌðɚn jˈuːniənˌɪsts ˈɛkskənfˈɛdɚɹəts wɜː bˈɑːɹd fɹʌm vˈoʊɾɪŋ, ɐ ɹˈɪft kwˈɪkli dɪvˈɛləpt bᵻtwˈiːn ðə "kənsˈɜːvətˌɪvz," hˌuː wɜːɹ ɐlˈaɪnd nˈæʃənəli wɪð pɹˈɛzɪdənt ˈændɹuː dʒˈɑːnsən, ænd ðə "ɹˈædɪkəlz," hˌuː səpˈoːɹɾᵻd ɡˈʌvɚnɚ wˈɪljəm dʒˈiː. bɹˈaʊnloʊ, ænd wɜːɹ ɐlˈaɪnd nˈæʃənəli wɪððə ɹˈædɪkəl ɹᵻpˈʌblɪkənz.
While the state legislature was dominated during this period by Southern Unionists (ex-Confederates were barred from voting), a rift quickly developed between the "conservatives," who were aligned nationally with President Andrew Johnson, and the "radicals," who supported Governor William G. Brownlow, and were aligned nationally with the Radical Republicans.