Final answer:
Southern redeemers did not seek to preserve Republican rule; they aimed to restore Democratic control and opposed Republican-led Reconstruction efforts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is asking whether Southern redeemers sought to preserve Republican rule in the South. The statement, 'Southern redeemers hoped to preserve Republican rule in the South' is false. Southern redeemers were actually part of a movement that aimed to restore Democratic control of the South and oppose the Republican-led Reconstruction. They worked to suppress the rights of African Americans and to remove Republicans from power, not to preserve it.