The north was not free of bigotry. The reason why reconstruction failed was also because northerners didn't really want to see freed slaves gain political power.
Like, they didn't want them as slaves because that was a threat to free labor, but they also didn't want them succeeding too much in the marketplace either. They really just wanted them to be free, and be out of sight, out of mind.
Having freedmen "rule" over southerners would be a step too far
The north was not free of bigotry. The reason why reconstruction failed was also because northerners didn't really want to see freed slaves gain political power.
Like, they didn't want them as slaves because that was a threat to free labor, but they also didn't want them succeeding too much in the marketplace either. They really just wanted them to be free, and be out of sight, out of mind.
Having freedmen "rule" over southerners would be a step too far