The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-03-15
Thdd. Sfcrens Thirty Years lao.

IHdd. Sfcrens Thirty Years lgo.
In tuesdays MteHigencer appeared
an account of the !" Buckshot War; in
winch Ihaddeus Stevens figured so
largely something like thirty years ago,
Then, as now. he showed himself to he
bold, bad man. He was as willing
then to override the Constitution Of
pennsylvania a he now is to destroy
the Constitution OF the United States
Age sometimes 1noderates passion and
softens down the sharp characteristics
which make violent men notorious
Years have had no such effect upon
Ihaddeus Stevens. He is as overbearine
IN disposition, as reckless of conse-
quences, as regardless of law, and as
ready now to risk the ruin of the nation
for the sake of keeping his party in
power, as he was to risk the best inter
ests OF pennsylvania thirty years ago,
Tor similar base purpose.
In CHANGING over the files of the IN
!e1tge'aeer we find the following pen and
INK portrait of Stevens as he appeared
In the sight of honest men at the time
he commanded his revolutionary gang
in the /" Buekshot War:''
ihaddeus Stevens, andwe are glad to
say 1t, Is not a Pennsylvania. His own
history proves that he came hitber a
stranger to her people, and has contin-
ued, at all times, consistently adverse to
her interests. He has been, since his
unfortunate presence in the Legislature,
Pennsylvania's evil genius, and if she
has degenerated at all-and the three
past years of her life prove that she has
he planned the misfortune. We will
not repeat here his utter dcstituton of
reputation-for his career is one of that
kind which could only have been run
by villain at heart. Pennsylvania has
three blemishes on her escutcheon the
Masonic Inquisition the chartering of
the United States Bank and the pres
ent outrageous condition of affairs. The
first it is not requisite to say, he origi
mated and completed. The second was
the fitting offspring of his brain; for he
read that infamous Bill before the Rit-
ner House of Representatives. The last
the BuckshOt war is his own by every
law of right. He began the anarchy.
1t Is the sad consequences of his own
plans. He dissolved the Government.
He is now urging the Senate to 60 on in
its path of destruction. He is emphati-
cally the power behind the throne."-
The last is a desperate and final plunge.
1t will either make or unmake him.
If it is successful he can cover UP the
fostering infamy Of his life, and save
himself and companions from impend-
ing ruin. If it is unsuccessful he will be
spurned, not only from the Halls of
Legislature, but from the very State-if
the lars permit his escdpe.o
That sketch of Thaddeus Stevens is
from the pen of John w. Forney. 1t
was written almost thirty years ago--in
the days when Forney was honest,
truthful and trusted. Does he remem-
Der it . Does he ever call up the men,
ory of those purer and better days ofhis
life: What a contrast must they pre-
sent when compared to his miserable
present. Then he was not rich as he is
now. He had not sold himself his
principles, his honor, his self-respect,
all that men hold most dear, for the
profits of office He was not then the
hired defender, the paid eulogist of men
whose principles he hated and despised.
He was man then; not a mere ering
ing, fawning sycophant. His present
baseness is in no way more plainly
shown, than in the efforts he is now
making to bolster up Stevens and his
fellow-conspirators in an attempted rev
olution Intimately more infamous and
dangerous to the United States than
was the " Buckshot War" to Pennsyl-
vania And all men know that he is
doing this merely for the sake of the
spois of Office. Having betrayed the
best friends he had in the world for fill
thy lucrc, he shows that he would not
hesitate to barter away the best inter
ests of his country for the sake of sordid
I Oh