to what extent were the southerners justified in nursing grouses against northern republicans?

the Northern States wanted to punish the South for doing what they felt was right. after Booth assassinated Lincoln the Northern States took this opportunity to institute very extreme and harsh measures against the Southern States rather than make the reunion an easy and simple one. because of this harsh treatment the Southern States were justified in my opinion. if there had been a gentle reconciliation this country would have been better off. to this day there are hard feelings and these would not be here had common sense prevailed.

nursing grouses? Isn't a grouse a kind of game bird? do you mean grudges? I live in SC although I am not from here and from what I hear, the reconstruction period was not particularly kind to the natives. Yankee carpet baggers, so called because of the type of luggage they carried, came to the south and generally made life miserable for the residents.