The Sun.
London, England, 1868-09-01 00:00:00

LAST DAYS OF 7HADDEUS STEVENS.

TIC house where Mr. &evens died is one of the
old-fashioned two-storey brick houses of former
days in Washington. A small garden attached,
filled with plants and flewerS, was his favourite sit-
' ting place when he was in sufficient health. The
bed-chamber in which he died is adorned with
plain, useful, old style furniture, with nothing par-
' ticularly odd or singular to make note of. His
• household consisted of a housekeeper and servants,
the former, a coloured woman, having been with
him twenty years. Oa Monday he expressed
anxiety in regard to the state of the country, in-
duced mainly by the current reports of appre-
hended troubles in Louisiana, trusted that Mr.
Johnson might abstain from any measures calcu-
lated to disturb public tranquillity, and hoped
no necessity might arise for reassembling Congress
in September. Next day his condition was not
much better, though it did not appear such an effort
to talk. Once when his housekeeper came in, after
a brief absence, and found him manifesting same
little impatience, she begged him not to fret over
his condition. 'l'J this remark lie replied, " Yes,
it is true, there can be no use in worrying over it."
Mr. Stevens had long been expecting to be called
away from this life, and had grown familiar with
the thought of death ; so that he frequently indulged
in a serious joke on the subject. While the High
Court of Impeachment was in Session he was daily
carried in an arm chair from his carriage to his seat
in the Senate chamber. For this purpose two stal-
wart men were employed, to whom he became a
good deal attached. On one occasion, as they
were bearing him up the capitol steps, he looked
over his shoulder at each of them, and remarked
with a grim smile, " Boys ! what shall I do for
some one to carry me when you are dead and
gone ?" Mr. Stevens in his religious belief inclined
towards the Baptist faith, in which he had been
trained by his mother. He was never a regular
• attendant on Divine worship, although he respected
the public profession of religion. Being asked on
one occasion as to his religious belief, he replied
that he took for his guides his mother and St. Paul.
1 He strove to perform his duty towards his fellow-
' man, and trusted the rest to God. Every Sunday
during his illuess he was visited by Major-General
Howard, with whom he became intimate. It was
General Howard's custom to read to him from the
Bible or some religious book, and talk to him con-
cerning the future of the soul. Mr. Stevens in-
variably listened . with reverence and marked at-
tention, but when these ceremonies were con-
cluded he nearly always manifested a feel-
ing of relief, for, as he often said, he dreaded
1 long sermons as much as he did long speeches.
At four o'clock Tuesday evening Mr. Stevens's
death was not expected by his friends, and least of
all by himself. He was very weak, but no one sup-
posed that the end was so near. His active spirit
never faltered to the last. His last hours were
smooth and tranquil. A few days before, the phy-
sician had changed his medicine. Mr. Stevens at
once noticed the change, and said " You have
changed my medicine, have you not ?" Yea."
" Well, this is a square fight ;" and as he said so
his face was illuminated by a grim smile of mingled
humour and determination. On Tuesday afternoon
1 Mr. Simon Stevens entered his room and told him
that he had been to see Mr. Everts, and hal
learned what would be the purport of his opi-
nion in the Rollins' case, which was that the re-
signation could not be accepted. Mr. Stevens
responded, apparently much pleased, " I be-
lieve Mr. Evarts is not only a sound lawyer, but a
statesman, who will advise the President sa to
administer the laws as to render unnecessary a
meeting of Congress in September. If he does,"
he continued " I shall feel prouder than ever that I
urged his confirmation." Then he spoke of Mr.
Seward and his position in the Cabinet. " He has
laboured very well recently in relation to our foreign
affairs. His purchase of Alaska was the biggest
thing in his life, and if he could have purchased
Samaria it would have been the crowning event of
his career." Mr. Simon Stevens again remarked
that lie had seen Gen. Rosecrans, who had spoken of
Alanson Stevens, nephew of Thaddeus Stevens,
killed at Chickamauga. He was the old man's
favourite boy, and early iu the war Alanson, who
had charge of the ironworks, took all the horses of
the establishment and ten lered them to the Gover-
nor of Pennsylvania for the use of the Government,
and then joined the army as a private, frequently re-
ceiving promotion, until he became captain of artil-
lery. Th:s probably flashed across the old man's
mind, for he smiled at the mention of his nephew's
name, and replied, " He was a brave boy; I like,
Rosecrans. I hope that Mr. Seward's instructions
to Rosecrans will be such aswill tend to build up and
strengthen that tottering sister republic"—Mexico.
As the evening wore on Mr. Stevens dropped into
a quiet slumber, from which be occasionally started,
and made some remark, probably on national affairs.
Once he broke out to his relation, " Simon, the
great questions of the day are reconstruction, the
finances, and the railway system of this country."
Then he turned and went to sleep, but soon awoke,
and said, " I believe Grant will be elected, and that
he will carry out the great reconstruction laws."
His relative told him about Morrissey's betting on
Seymour. He replied, " I like him for his pluck."
He then conversed with the Rev. Dr. Emery, Mrs.
Smith, his nephew, Thaddeus, and his body ser-
vant, Louis West. None of the remarks to these
were specially noticeable, save one to his nephew, to
whom he said, "We'll have a nice trip home; I'll visit
the foundry with you, perhaps," and then he smiled,
as if aware of the impossibility of the suggestion.
About seven o'clock two coloured clergymen, the
Rev. Mr. Hall and the Rev. Mr. Reed, both of the
Israel Methodist Church, arrived and requested
permission to see Mr. Stevens and pray with him.
It is a curious coincidence that one of them stood by
the bedside of John Quincy Adams and prayed with
him in his last illness. Mr. Stevens was asked if
they should be admitted. He replied (and these
were probably the last connected words that he
uttered) : " Certainly, certainly." They entered
the room. He turned on his side and reached his
hand to one of them. A hymn was sung and a
few prayers offered; after which they departed
at about eight o'clock. At nine o'clock Dr.
Young again called. The doctor pronounced him
dying, and so told him. Mr. Stevens looked at
him and nodded his head, but made no reply.
At eleven o'clock two Sisters of Charity of the Pro-
vidence Catholic hospital close by came in, having
been daily visitors for many days. They proceeded
to read the prayer for the departing soul. Mean-
time Mr. Stevens lay quietly on the bed, and when
asked any questions by his relatives would say
" Yes" or " No" quite distinctly. The sisters de-
sired to perform the baptismal rite, and no objec-
tion being made, one of them performed the
ceremonies in an impressive manner. There were
in the room at that time the two Sisters of Charity,
Simon Stevens, Thaddeus Stevens, jun., Mrs. Smith,
his housekeeper (coloured), and Mr. J. S. Patterson
of the Interior Department, his body servant, Louis
West, his coachman, J. C. Epheus, and several of the
house servants. Simon Stevens sat upon the bed fan-
ning him. Young Thaddeus stood by the bedside
holding his hand. Mrs. Smith knelt at the foot of
the bed, while the sisters, also kneeling, continued
to read the prayers fur a departing soul. The ser-
vants were kneeling in various parts of the room.
About ten minutes before 12 o'clock it was evident
that the time of dissolution was nigh. His breathing
was hard. He took no more ice and his eyes were
closed. By a timepiece in the room it was three
minutes past 12 o'clock when Mr. Stevens exclaimed
" He is dead." The Sisters of Charity at once com-
menced to recite the prayers for the dead.
The next morning the body was embalmed and
laid out, dressed in a suit of plain black, the same
he wore in the House of Representatives. The
body lay in state iu the Rotunda of the Capitol on
Thursday, watched by a guard of coloured Zouaves.
The funeral took place on Friday, and the remains
afterwards borne to Lancaster. Senators Sumner and
M'Donald, Secretaries Stanton and Seward, General
Rawlins, Mayor Bowen, Mr. Everts, and Surgeon-
General Barnes, were to act as pall-bearers. A
special train took the funeral party to Lancaster,
by the way of Ilarrisburg and York, and the inter-
rY.ent took place on Monday in the Gettysburg

national cemetery. Some time ago Mr. Stevens re-
solved to purchase a burial lot, and he had nearly con'
eluded the purchase in a cemetery at Lancaster,
when, hearing accidentally that coloured people
were not permitted to be buried in the cemetery,
he withdrew from the purchase. Tie subsequently
bought a large lot in the Gettysburg cemetery.
Some persons asked him why he had provided him-
self with so large a tract of ground in a cemetery,
being without a family. " Well," he answered, "I
will not need much of it myself, but some PO;
devils may want a last resting-place some time, anu
they can turn in beside me."

The cotlin which incloses the remains of Thati"
dens Stevens is of rosewood, covered with a flue
black cloth, lined with white satin. Upon the /id
is a large silver plate, bearing the following inscriP'
tion

c, Thaddeus Stevens, born April 4, 1792 ; died
August 11, 1868, at midnight."
The plate is in the form of a shield, handsomely
chased, and around it is a row of silver tacks.
Upon each side are three very heavy silver handles,
the hinge portion bearing the national coat-of-arms'
and an eagle is emblazoned on the handles.
The coffin is heavily trimmed with silver, and
upon the lid rests a beautiful chain of white rib-
bon. The features of the deceased changed but verf
little, and he looked quite natural, though ems'
ciated by his long illness. The mouth and eyes Of/
closed, but the eyes are somewhat sunken, and the
right temple is a little dark.

The remains of Thad. Stevens were placed in the
Rotunda of the Capitol at noon, the 13th Auguot•
They were borne from his- residence by four white
and four coloured pall-bearers, and the escort WO
composed of one company of coloured Zouavea•
The same company acted as a guard of honour•
Large numbers of all classes passed through the
Rotunda, and the crowd increased towards even-
ing. The Rotunda was lighted throughout the
night, and next day the body was taken to its
final resting place in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Spring field Republican.

RECONCILIATION OF GENERALS GRA2O

AND BUTLER.

General Butler stated in his speech on the Bth
instant to his constituents at Gloucester, Massachw
setts, that " the difference in social life with Gen'
Grant, merely arising from misunderstanding, ho
been the subject of mutually satisfactory explana'
tions—no more, no less." Mr. Wilkes, in an edi-
torial, explains his share in bringing about this
satisfactory result, which, he says, many others loci
failed in accomplishing.
" This undertaking was commenced in March last 11
an interview with General Grant, in which all the inatteo
that had been currently reported as causing points of dif-
ference between him and General Butler were fully sna
freely discussed. As wo had supposed, General Grant
,a
frankly disavowed any intention to refl3nt upon tP-
military conduct or position of General Butler at Bet;
niuda Hundreds, by the famous phrase in his roP°lsi
about the army of the James being bottled up ;' 31)t
when the matter of General Butler's subseque.n
rejection of General Grant's invitation to meet
at his house came up, it fell from consequence, with Kin:
rapidity, ou due explanation. There was then, in f3°'
nothing left but the puny matter of decorum in relation t°
the note of invitation ; and as General Butler had clorb:
sr'''. acted under a misapprehension in regard to that, and '
therefore plainly in the wrong, we felt that all real nb;
stitches to a cordial reconciliation hal entirely vanish° .1
The only difficulty, from the first, had been to induca,-
General Grant to talk upon the subject at all; and, ludee
we must admit, he evinced great reluctance to be led in,„
;
it on this occasion ; but being in, he was as frank as
great nature always is, and left but little foe us to d°
ar
the end beyond the process of the report."
Informed of the interview, Butler at once $3Vr
that but one material point was left, and on t.,115t
he had been under a direct misapprehension. fir'
Wilkes fully detailed in a letter he wrote to Bataet
s
his conversation with Grant, to whom a copy
shown. "Butler's answer recognized the fact that
' General Grant had not intended to reflect upon ble,
by his allusion to the situation of the Army at Ber;
muda Hundreds, as being within his own (th
0
writer's) knowledge ; and as to his note about tae
evening party, General Butler frankly asked Pe;
mission to withdraw it. Upon this correspondece,
being turned over to General Grant, he ' cordially
consented to General Butler's wish, and deeming
the remaining matters as of no real importance/ re;
frained from touching them, anti stopped right there'
As the affair took time it was erroneously assume,
that there was difficulty in bringing the gentlereeie
together, the truth being that they saw how
had to be adjusted, and desired to postpone it tt
after the Impeachment trial. " The reason of t'r
was, says George Wilkes, that it was constantly
pected that the defence would put Grant upon tee
stand with the view of hetcheling him with a floral
cross-examination ; and as, in that case, Gen vile
Butler would be required to defend him "oet
there from any improper assault, it was 31
thought advisable that any change of their pers°t:.ii
relations should be effected at that time. This
there is about the delay which caused so 1-oatl.
rumours, except what there is about the delaY
General Butler's final answer to General Gran
.40
acceptance of his request. This last delay
caused by our own personal absence from 11` raj
ington from the latter part of June until Gen ad
Grant had set out for the West ; and as we er,
made ourself the intermediary and pivot of the co
respondence, General Butler had no authoritatitia
medium of communication with General Graaterei
we called on him again. Subsequent to Gerl ,so
Grant's departure from Washington, however, of
addressed General Butler a note, with the 'IOW re,
closing the matter up before General Grant'So
turn, and to this we received answer from Gler to
Butler that he intended soon to make a sPeechic4
his constituents at Gloucester, Massachusetts, wtio
he thought would prove a satisfactory ternllo3 tot
of the whole correspondence." This accounts
that portion of the speech which Mr. Wilkes ttt*lier
will give great relief to the loyal public, as
part a fresh impulse to the Republican campaig

of
Mr. Sward promises to furnish informati°-: g,
the capabilities of the various States for wino gr°'::o3o
with a view to encourage French emigration. It °"3- to
that many portions of the States are admirably ada'Pt,„ee of
this purpose, and some interesting facts point to 0°""), itto
the Southern States where labour is cheap, and wiliclo
likely to engage attention when the official inforrOt"-

afforded.
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iRECEIVEr) 10 NOV 1868.
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CONTENTS,

1. King Conor.of Ulster and his 4. Haunted Lives.. By J. S. Le
Knights—lrish Legendary Fanu.
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