Final answer:
Secessionists like Alexander Hamilton Handy feared the Republican Party would pass laws detrimental to their interests. Despite initial successes in Georgia, such as the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment, Democratic Party soon regained control and undid many Republican gains.
Step-by-step explanation:
Secessionists such as Alexander Hamilton Handy were concerned that the Republican Party would enact laws that might harm their interests, particularly in the context of post-Civil War Reconstruction. In 1870, Republicans, with military backing, ousted conservative ex-Confederates in Georgia, seated black legislators, ratified the Fifteenth Amendment, and readmitted the state to the Union. However, the dominance of the Republican Party in Georgia was short-lived. As early as 1871, Democrats regained control of the state legislature and governor's office, reversing many of the gains made by freedpeople. President Grant, although requested to intervene when these reversals took place, chose to not involve the federal government further.