Who wanted harsh penalties for the south?

Radical Republicans in the United States Congress sought harsh penalties for the South during the Reconstruction era following the Civil War. They believed that strict measures were necessary to ensure civil rights for freed slaves and to prevent Southern states from reverting to pre-war practices. Prominent figures like Thaddeus Stevens and Charles Sumner advocated for significant federal intervention and punishment to reshape Southern society and governance. Their goal was to dismantle the old power structures that had supported slavery and to promote equality.