Historical gazetteer and biographical memorial of Cattaraugus County, . elected to the Thirty-ninth Congress from his home district and was re-elected to the succeedingCongress. No legislative body ever surpassed in ability these two , Shellabarger, Bingham, Butler, Conkling, Davis, Blaine, Garfield andBoutwell were then in the prime of their stalwart manhood. They were con-fronted with problems the like of which were never presented for solution. Fourmillions of people whose intellects had been dimmed and ambitions repressedby continued bondage were to be exalted to citi
Historical gazetteer and biographical memorial of Cattaraugus County, . elected to the Thirty-ninth Congress from his home district and was re-elected to the succeedingCongress. No legislative body ever surpassed in ability these two , Shellabarger, Bingham, Butler, Conkling, Davis, Blaine, Garfield andBoutwell were then in the prime of their stalwart manhood. They were con-fronted with problems the like of which were never presented for solution. Fourmillions of people whose intellects had been dimmed and ambitions repressedby continued bondage were to be exalted to citizenship. Their destiny wasto be worked out in the south by the side of their former masters. Rampanthostility to the north and to the civil rights of the black men must becrushed out. These were among the stupendous issues to be crystallized into legislativeenactment. Dr. Van Aernam was soon in touch with the most eminent ofthis galaxy of statesmen. He was the intimate friend and medical adviser ofthe great war secretary, Stanton, a daily table companion of Henry Wilson. Mkdkai. ? Pkac rrri(_iNF.;-;s ix Im< 133 and John A. Bingham. An ardent radical he beHeved that civil rights to thecolored people should be a reality, not a myth. That to reconstruct the souththose who had engaged in rebellion give unquestioning allegiance to theUnion, and that mal-treatment of the former slaves should be followed byvigorous punishment. Dr. \^an Aernam earnestly believed the attempt of thechivalrous southerners to disrupt the Union was treason, and before they werere-instated into the full privileges of citizenship they should give ample proofof repentance, and his whole bent during this period of his congressional lifewas to render effective this policy. After the inauguration of General Grantin 1869 Dr. Van Aernam was appointed commissioner of pensions—a posi-tion he held for upwards of two years. The affairs of the department neededsystematizing and his previous ser\i
Size: 1500px × 1666px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidhistoricalga, bookyear1893
