The Cast of Characters, Herman Archer

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Herman Archer

Easy on South, Blacks rights, Congress Rec., National

Herman is the forgiving sort. Before the Civil War he was a moderate abolitionist who believed that reason and time was on the side of those who opposed slavery. Yet, despite being a Bostonian, he rejected extreme Garrisonian positions and in the election of 1860 voted for John Bell because he feared the election of Lincoln would shatter the union he loved and destroy the business relationship he had established with a dry goods store in Richmond. The destruction of the war shook Herman badly. Now he believes that a generous spirit toward the South should bind the nation’s wounds. At the same time he only trusts Congress, acting on a national level, to ensure a better life for all Americans.

Readings based on Beliefs:

Belief 1 - Easy for the South to get back into the Union and pardons should be easy to secure

Belief 3 - Freedmen and free blacks should receive substantial political, economic and social rights

Belief 5 - Congress should control Reconstruction

Belief 7 - Reconstruction should be organized and implemented on a national level

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