The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-08-14
TRAppEus sTEYENs

A great figure in American Politics
hes been removed. Thaddeus Eens
Is dead. AS he once predicted would De
his lot, he was taken up into noun
tain and shown the beauty OF the 4a4 qS
| but was not permitted to enter IN. as
lived long enough to see the closing
conflict of the struggle, and to Know
/ that the end EGs sRre; but ms EYES
were not suffered to see the in!L pfIeus-
ness of the final triumph that even
now approaches. Yet he fell as he hSo
wished. with bis armor on: to the last
| he fought the good eight and KEPT the
Since john Randolphts, there has not
been such a death. since Henry Clay
| breathed out his lie at Ashland, SO
much actual power over the politics OF
the country has not vanished Win the
breath of q single weak old man.
There have been wiser statesmen
among Us than Thaddeus stevens"
There have been men OF puTer ives.
There have been more graceful " IlteLsi
more eloquent speakers. But In the
grace OF a pure Purpose, in the eLo-
duenca of a whole. hearted DEVOTION In
the wisdom of Etatesmanship mat
might err as to means, but never as 70
nobility OF aims, he has been without
superiorE; in lofty courage, an antique
Roman fidelity, and iron purpose he
has been without an equal.
midnight last night, quietly and peace
fully sank 20 rest on Capitol Hin, with,
in sight of the scene of his services and
his triumphs, has filled in the crowded
history OF the country We can not now
hope TO outline. How. through the
war, he was one of the bravest and
most hopeful of those who never de-
SPARED, and in the darkest hours had
the highest hopes of The Republic how
he held up the hands Of those who were
ready to faint, and infused his own
courage and his own faith into the Gov
eminent; how clearly he saw from the
beginning the vital points of the strug-
gle: with what sublime trust he de-
clared that the war could end only In
the freedom Of the slaves, and with
what relentless purpose he drove re-
luctant party to emancipation as the
only means of securing success; what
ferVor of religious zeal he brought into
the contest, and how solemnly he be-
lieved that he was doing Gods work in
| pushing the war against the rebellion
| TO the nttermost; all this is written In
the fmperishable records of the Gov
eminent, in the hearts of the race he
helped to liberate, and in the grateful
memory ofthe people he helped TO save.
Not less clear are the throngtng recol-
lections of his later and still higher SER
vices. His was the piercing vision that
penetrated the dangers of JohnsOn's re-
construction his the 1nexorable Will
that forced the Republican party into
the refusal TO admit at once to power in
Congress the rebels just conquered In
the field; his the warning voice that,
amid the confusion and cOwardice OF
the hour, proclaimed that there was no
safety for the white Union men of the
South save in dOingjustice to the black
Union men of the South, and no secur-
ity for the nation till it learned to rule
| in righteousness.
Others did their full share. 1t was a
noble struggle, and every soldier in
that war deserves the highest praise,
but It is injustice TO none, not even TO
! Charles Sumner, to gay that through
the whole contest for reconstruction
on the basis of justice to all, Thaddeus
Stevens was the pioneer. When q
faiIhless President, at the last, seemed
likely to plunge the country in civil
war rather than permit the completion
of the benefcient work, the old man,
tottering now on the brink of the open
grave that yawned before him, was
still the clearest sighted, highest heart
ed, most fearless and most resolute. de
led in the demand for impeachment
led in driving 1t through the House and
pressing 1t on the Senate, and with
manner worthy of his last great per-
Torrance, delivered the ablest argument
made for the conviction of the Execu-
tive.
Ofhis earlier achievements we can
not speak. He was native of Gale
donna county, Vermont, where he was
born in April AT twenty-five he
was graduate of Dartmouth, and an
emigrant to Pennsylvania. He taught
an academy, and while thus support
ing himself, studied law. There he
built up a great practice, and came to
be known as the most successful and
cynical lawyer of that part OF Pennsyl-
vania. He was already past the prime
of manhood, when, in 1888, he entered
the Legislature ofPennsylvania. There
he remained, with intervals of Two or
three terms, until 1SI1-having mean
time served also in the State Constitu-
tIonHl Convention, and having already
won conspicuous and, for the time, I'M
enviabIe attention by his devotion to
the equal rights of all. He entered the
Thirty first Congress, was reelected to
the rhirty-second, then remained at
home for three terms; then, as the anti,
slavery movement began to take tangi-
BILE form, returned to the Thirty. sixth,
and thenceforward remained a soldier
enlisted for the war, till, at midnight
lase night-after a career as wonderful
and a fame noble as any won on our
battle. fields-he received his discharge.
Peace to his ashes; TO bis faults charity;
to his memory immortal honor.
| -SOS-