New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-04-30
Thad. Stevens Thirty Tears Ago.

In Tuesdays Intelgencer appeared an account
of the " Brshshot War;" in which Thaddeus Ste
vens figured so largely something like thirty years
ago Then, as now, he showed himself to be
bold, bad man. He was as willing then to over
ride the Constitution OF Pennsylvania as he is now
to destroy the Constitution Of the United States.
Age sometimes moderates passion and sottens
down the sharp characteristics which make violent
men notorious Years have had 10 such effect on
Thaddeus Stevens. He is as Overhearing in his
disposition, as reckless of consequences, as regard
less of law. and as ready now to risk the ruin of
the nation for the sake OF keeping his party il
power as he was to risk the bestinterests of Penn
sylvauia thirty years ago, for similar base pur-
pose.
In ganciug over the files of the Integeucer,
We find the following pen and ink portrait OF Ste
vens as he appeared IN the sight of honest men at
the time he commanded his revolutionary gang in
the p" Bucksh0t War"
"Thaddeus Stevens, and we are glad to say it.
is not a Pennsyyanian His own history proves
that he came hither stranger to our people, and
has continued at all tines consistently adverse to
her interests. He has been, since his unfortunate
presence in the Legislature, Pennsylvania evil
genius, and il she has degenerated at all-and the
three past years Of her life proves that she has
he planned the misfortune. We will not repeat
here his utter destituton of reputa tion-for his
career is one of that kind which could only have
been run by william at heart. Pennsylvania has
three blemishes on her escutcheon: the Masonic
Inuusition the chayterlng of the United States
bank and the present outrageous condition of
affairs The first it is otrequisite to say he orgi
mated and completed The second was the fitting
offspring of his brain tor he read the infamous
bill before the Ritner House of Representatives.
Tie last (the Buckshot war; is his own by every
law of right. He began the anarchy-lt is the
sad consequences of his own plan. He dissolved
the government. He is now urging the Senate to
90 on in It's path of destruction. He is emphati-
cally the power behind the throne The last
is desperate and final plunge. 1t will either make
or unmake him. If it is successful he can cover
up the fostering namy of his life, and ave him
self and companions from impending ruin. If it
is unsuccessful he will be spurned not only from
| the halls of legislature, but from the very State
| if the laws permit his escape"
| 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 remember
purer and better days of his life? What contrast
must they present when compared to the miserable
present. Then he was not rich as he is now. He
had not sold himself, his principles, his HONOR his
| selfrespect all that men hold most dear, for the
profits of Office. He was not then the hired deten-
| der the paid eulogst of men whose principles he
hated and dispised. He was a man then; not e
mere bringing, fawning sycophant. His present
baseness is in no way more plainly shown, than in
the effort he is now making to bolster up Stevens
and his fellow conspirators in an attempted revo-
luton infinitely more infamous and dangerous to
the United States than was the % Buckshot War;
to Pennsylvania. And all men know that ne is
doing this merely for the sake of spos Of office.
Having betrayed the best friends he had in the
world Tor filthy lucre, he shows that he would not
hesitate to barter away the best interests OF his
country for the sake of s0rdd gain.
| LANCASTER Intelligencer.