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During the [[American Civil War]], President [[Abraham Lincoln]]'s policies pertaining to the Union Army were criticized by [[Radical Republicans]] as too lenient against the South. This powerful GOP bloc which included [[H. Winter Davis]], [[Benjamin Wade]], [[Thaddeus Stevens]], and [[Charles Sumner]] continuously criticized Lincoln for failing to advance as efficiently as possible, and the president's more staunch supporters were the "moderate" Republicans.<ref group=note>"Moderate" in this specific context refers to the degree of eagerness in war policy without regard to overall political ideology; Lincoln in this sense was "moderate" in terms of leading the Union during the Civil War even though he was quite conservative on other issues such as economics.</ref>

During the [[American Civil War]], President [[Abraham Lincoln]]'s policies pertaining to the Union Army were criticized by [[Radical Republicans]] as too lenient against the South. This powerful GOP bloc which included [[H. Winter Davis]], [[Benjamin Wade]], [[Thaddeus Stevens]], and [[Charles Sumner]] continuously criticized Lincoln for failing to advance as efficiently as possible, and the president's more staunch supporters were the "moderate" Republicans.<ref group=note>"Moderate" in this specific context refers to the degree of eagerness in war policy without regard to overall political ideology; Lincoln in this sense was "moderate" in terms of leading the Union during the Civil War even though he was quite conservative on other issues such as economics.</ref>

The "moderate" Republicans Lincoln led were at odds with the Radicals and favored more reconciliatory Reconstruction policies, such as then-representative Blaine. Their ranks would later be joined during the Johnson presidency by some former Radical Republicans who were "reformers," including Sumner, [[Horace Greeley]], and [[Lyman Trumbull]].

The "moderate" Republicans Lincoln led were at odds with the Radicals and favored more reconciliatory Reconstruction policies, such as then-representative Blaine. Their ranks would later be joined during the Johnson presidency by some former Radical Republicans who were "reformers," including Sumner, Carl Schurz, [[Horace Greeley]], and [[Lyman Trumbull]].

Republican congressman [[Thomas A. Jenckes]] of [[Rhode Island]] during the presidency of [[Ulysses S. Grant]] introduced legislation pushing for mild civil service reform,<ref>[http://memory.loc.gov/service/mss/eadxmlmss/eadpdfmss/2013/ms013048.pdf Thomas A. Jenckes Papers: A Finding Aid to the Collection in the Library of Congress]. ''Library of Congress''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref> which was enacted. Jenckes, who disregarded the plight of Southern blacks facing danger from [[white supremacist]] [[terrorist]]s such as the [[Ku Klux Klan]],<ref>Shugerman, Jed H. (March 21, 2013). [https://law.utexas.edu/colloquia/archive/papers-public/2012-2013/05-02-13_shugerman_creation_of_doj.pdf The Creation of the Department of Justice: Professionalization Without Civil Rights or Civil Service]. ''The University of Texas at Austin School of Law''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref> left office before the congressional "Half-Breeds" obtained its reputation as a functioning bloc, though can be viewed as a forerunner to the faction.

Republican congressman [[Thomas A. Jenckes]] of [[Rhode Island]] during the presidency of [[Ulysses S. Grant]] introduced legislation pushing for mild civil service reform,<ref>[http://memory.loc.gov/service/mss/eadxmlmss/eadpdfmss/2013/ms013048.pdf Thomas A. Jenckes Papers: A Finding Aid to the Collection in the Library of Congress]. ''Library of Congress''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref> which was enacted. Jenckes, who disregarded the plight of Southern blacks facing danger from [[white supremacist]] [[terrorist]]s such as the [[Ku Klux Klan]],<ref>Shugerman, Jed H. (March 21, 2013). [https://law.utexas.edu/colloquia/archive/papers-public/2012-2013/05-02-13_shugerman_creation_of_doj.pdf The Creation of the Department of Justice: Professionalization Without Civil Rights or Civil Service]. ''The University of Texas at Austin School of Law''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref> left office before the congressional "Half-Breeds" obtained its reputation as a functioning bloc, though can be viewed as a forerunner to the faction.