Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-03-20
REMARKS OF
Hon. THADDRUS STEVENS,
ON THE LATE
Harangue of the President.


We give the following remarks of Hon.
Thaddeus Stevens, of Pennsylvania, made
in the House of Representatives, on the 10th
inst, while discussing the question of Re
constructions
At this point l desire to say word which
may seem egotistic You may have obserY-
ed that since l made my first speech at the
opening of Congress, giving my views on
reconstruction, certain newspapers have been
attempting to disturb the harmony which
existed between the President and myself.
In the most polite language and the most
tlattering epithets within their vocabulary,
they have denounced me as an enemy of the
President, and, with the aid of a certain high
official, as having waged a successful war
against him. Those journals have, perhaps
unintentionally, done me too much honor.
l will say, however, once for all, that atinstead
of feeling personal enmity to the President,
l feel great respect for him. l honor his
integrity, patriotism, courage, and good in
tentions. He stood too firmly for the Union,
in the midst of dangers and sacrifices, to
allow me to doubt the purity of his wishes.
But all this does not make me fear TO doubt
his judgment and criticise his policy. When
l deem his views erroneous, l shall say so;
when l deem them dangerous, shall de-
nounce them. While can have no hostility
to the President, may have, and have, very
grave objections to the course which he is
pursuing, l should have forgot the obloquy
which have calmly borne for thirty years
in the war for liberty, if should turn craven
now.
MIR. PRIcE.-I desire to ask the gentle
man, with his consent, whether there may
not be some mistake here. When l rcmem-
ber most distinctly that the public press of
the country for the last few weeks has been
repeating the name of certain Thaddeus
Stevens as having been used by the Presi-
dent in a certain speech at the White House,
and when hear u gentleman whom / sup.
pose to be the Thaddeus Stevens referred
to speak in such strong terms in favor of the
| President, ! wish to know whether he is the
same gentleman or some other Laughter
MR.. STEvENs.-Why, Mr.. Speaker does
the learned gentleman from Iowa Mr.. Pricel
suppose for a single moment that that speech
to which he refers as having been made in
front ofthe White House, was factg Laugh
ter. l desire at this time to put the gentle
man right. What l am going to say now
do not wish to have reported. II is a conf
dental communication, and presume none
will violate the confidence l repose in them
[Renewed laughter
Sir, that speech which has imposed upon
| tnG EGnlltuluu lIulll lOMu, WHICH Has uhu I
considerable run, and has made some i'm
preston upon the public mind, was one o
the grandest hoaXcs ever perpetrated, an(
has been more successful than any eXcep
the moon hoax, which / am told deceived
many astute astronomers. Laughter. ]
am glad to have at this time the opportunity
(although / do not wish the matter to q
before the public, for they might misunder
stand my motives) to eXoneratc the Presi
dent from ever having made that speech
Renewed laughter. 1t is a part of the Gun
ming contrivance of the Copperhead party
who have been prosecuting our Presiden
since the fourth of March last Why, sir
taking advantage of an unfortunate inciden
which happened ON that occasion daughter
= they have been constantly denouncing hin
as addicted to low and degrading vices. T,
prove the truth of what l say about thi
hoax, ] send to the Clerks desk to be read
specimen of this system of SANDER. 1t i
an extract from the New York World, o
March z, 1865. Let the Clerk read that vii
, slander from the leading paper of the Demo
cratic party
The Clerk read, as follows-
''The drunken and beastly Caligula, tn
l most profligate Of the Roman Emperors
raised his horse to the dignity of Consul
! an office that, in former times, had beel
filled by the greatest warriors and Statesmen
of the Republic, the Scipios and Catos, AM
by the mighty Julius himself The Consul
ship was scarcely more disgraced by tina