Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-03-13
Thaddlen. stevens aud Alexander
m. Stephens.

n. stephens.
These names sound very nearly alike;
but the men are radically different in char
acter and practical statesmanship. Trad
DEUS STEVENS has for a common lifetime
been d0yoted to the advocacy Of politics
that contributed to the infliction of the
late war upon the country. ALEXANDER
II. SrnPHkNs, on the other hand, always was
the opponent Of the class Of politicians in
the South known as "F'ire-eaters." With
the intenseness of an earnest and sincere
nature, he opposed Secession and pointed
out. with the accuracy of divine prophesy,
the crushing disaster civil War, provoked
by an effort to withdraw from the Union,
would entail upon the Southern country
He was, nevertheless, swept into the South
ern Confederaey movement, when, through
bad administration, the North and the
South had been allowed to commence the
work Of human butchery. Unsought in
consideration Of his exalted ability and UNI
blemished character, he was made Vice
President of the Confederacy. At the first
available opportunity he sought for Peace.
On the Southern people, he has
stronger hold than almost any other
man in the South. In response tour
gent solicitation, on the 22d Of February,
he delivered an Address before the Georgia
Legislature on the state of the country.
The whole tenor, scope and design of that
Address was toinculcate an acquiescence in
the authority of the Federal Government
and devotion to the Union; the Southern
men were besought to forget the past-all
that was calculated to excite angered feel
ing toward the Northern people-and be-
take themselves to theoretically repairing
the shattered and broken condition of their |
material interests. twas plea for Union, |
for cancellation and for concord; and it was |
a plea that was, and continues to be, effect |
i've for great good.
THADOkUs STEVENS, however, occupies |
in Congress, theleadership of the dominant
party in the North. Obedient to his COM |
mands and orders, has that majority re-
sponded. AT the commencement of the |
session, he sounded the keynote of malig- |
nant hate toward the South, and anathe-
matized as discordant music everything |
that was not in harmony with the most ex- |
acting and implacable vengeance. His fol- |
lowers have caught up his notes and have |
played them with astonishing fidelity. |
There has been no discord; no jar; and for |
three months, the readers of the press have
seldom been furnished any other sort Of
music in the Congressional proceedings.
What is, and has been, the object of this
That 1t is craftsmanship, no enlightened be-
ing, on whose mind prejudice does not sit
like an oppressive nightmare, will for a
moment pretend. The object is to render
reconciliation mpossible-pacihcatio i'm
possible-Union impossible-so that pre-
text can be furnished for the subversion OF
our form of Government, and making out
of it consolidated or centralized Govern
ment, instead of one of Republican form.
This is what STEVENS has in view-it is a
purpose that has been dear to his heart for
wears, and no man in the United States
more fully understands his purpose than
does President JOHNSON, nor is there man
who knows better than him that this at
tempted subversion Of the Government is
as Objectionable, as destructive ''of the safe
guards thrown around the liberties of the
people in the Constitution" as though 'the
disruption of the Government" were at
tempted "by military force" False to his
oath of office, therefore, would he be did
he not sound the alarm, and attempt to
awaken the people to the danger by which
they are beset.
In this hour of the country's history,
who can doubt that ALEXANDRA FL. STE
PHESs is doing for the country more
praiseworthy service than THADDEUs STE
y