The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-17
O BI r r Y.
The Late Thaddeus StevegS
Eulogies by the Hon. o. J.
Dickey and Hon, William
D. Kelley.
FROM WASHING TON.

WASHINGTON, Dec. H.-At the opening of the
House to-day an unusually large crowd was in
attendance, i'll expectation that eulogies unOn
the life aud career of the late Thaddeus Stevens
would be pronounced. The galleries were closely
packed, and the floor )t the hall fully occupied.
many being anxious to hear aud witness the
maiden effort in the House Of the successor of
the "Great Commoner."
EuIOgy by the Hon. o. j. Dickey.
After the reading of the journal, Mr.. Dckey
of Pennsylvania, the successor OF Thaddeus
Stevens, arose and said:-
Mr.. Speaker:-The painful duty has deyolved
W on ne OF announcing to the House the death
OF my predecessor, Hon. Thaddeus A. Stevens
OF pennsylvania. This distinguished statesman
was not merely my predecessor III this body, but
IN my childhood my father taught me TO admire
and love HIM who was the instructor aud guide
OF my youth end the friend Of my mature years.
II an intimacy with wise and noUie men be one
OF the greatest blessings that can crown q man,
then IN no part OF my career have | been so
fortunate as in my ASSOCIATION with Thaddcus
stevens. 1t was III his office aud in connection
with hun that L commenced my professional
ie, and from that moment, through the turmoil
OF my legal and political contests down to tie
H. oment when in his last will he selected me TO
perform the last service one man can ask from his
fellow, our friendship suffered neither dImmu-
tiOn or interruption.
Informed that my duty requires of me n sketch
OF The history of my friend, hope to be par
uoDed by the House for an7 pfoliyty OF sta; e.
ment, promising to leave 10 others, ADLER and
filter, his associates here, who are to follow me,
the anal sis of his character rs a statesman
and the story of his struggles and triumphs IN
this arena, where he was recognized as great
leader and bore the name OF the "0d Com
moner.n
Tbaddeus Stevens was born at Danville Gale.
donna county, Vern ont on the 4th day of April,
1892, and died at his residence in this city at
midnight on the 1lth day OF August, 1868. His
parents were poor, in a community where pJv-
erty was the rule and wealth the exception. OF
his father [ know but little, save that he en-
listed in the war of 1872, aud died ia the service
Upon his mother CHIEFLY fell the burden of
rearing their four sons. She was woman of
great energy, strong will, and deep pIety. Early
seeing the ambition aud fully sympa hjzing
with the aspirations OF her crippled boy, she
deVotedly seconded his Efforts I1r the acquisl-
ton OF knowledge, and oy her industry, energy,
and irugality largely aided him in procuring
collegiate education. He returned her affection
with the full strength OF his strong nature and
for many years after he had acquired fame and
fortune in his adopted stale had the pleasure of
making an annual pilgrimage to the home
which he had provided for her comfort aud
where she dispensed with means he furnished
liberal charity.
In the last year of his life, in writing his will
with his own hand. white making no proVi-
sion for the care or his own grave, he did not
forget that OF his mohel, bat set apart an ample
sum toI that purpose, directing yearly payments
grave in good rder, ami plant roses and her
cheerful flowers at each OF the four corners of
said grave each spring." In the same inslru-
ment, devising one thousand dollars in and of
the establishment at his home of a Baptist
church, OF which society his mother was an
earnest member, he says, II do this out of re-
spect to the memory OF my mother, to whom |
owe Whatever little of prosperity | have had on
earth, which, small as it is, l desire emphati-
cay 10 acknowledge"
After attending tue common schools Of the
neghborhood, he fitted for college at the Pea
cham Academy, in his native county, entered
the University OF Vermont, and removed there
about two years. The college suspendug ope-
rations on account OF the war, he proceeded TO
Dartmouth, and graduated at that institution in
1914. After reading law at Peacham in The
Office of Judge Mattocks for some months he
left his native State and settled in Pennsylvania
in 1915, first in the town of York, where he
taught an academy and pursued his legal
studies. The rules of court in that district
having required students to read one year in the
office OF an attorney, he went to Bel Air, Har-
ford county Md, and was there examined and
admitted to practice in August, 1916. He at
once returned TO Pennsylvania and opened q
law office at Gettysburg, in the county of
Adams, aud entered upon the practice of his
profession IN that and adjoining counties. He
was soon in the possession of an extensive and
lucrative business, TO which he gave his entire
attention for some sixteen years.
! may here be allowed briefly to allude TO q
wtTaIts OF Mr.. Stevens as lawyer. Al hOugh
not perhaps OF great national reputation as
such, he was recognized by the pro'es-
sion, in State claiming some emineUce for the
high character of her advocates AMI iurists, as
one of her greatest lawyers, and was so pro.
uounced by three of her ablest chief Justices
Gibson, Black, and lie Wis who tried him by
the sure test OF uniform DO 6er. need scarcely
cay that Mr. stevens shone at the bar with the
same clcarness of statement, force aud elo-
quence OF expression, power OF augmentation,
wit, sarcasm, and inyectiVe which he employed
in legislative halls, and that there, as here he
was master OF all the weapons OF debate.
AS an advocate he was al ways jealous Of tue
rights OF his profession, aud resisted their iunO-
vatiOp. He was always courteous to the court,
and uniformly brrf never speaking beyond an
hour on any question. He never took or used
notes OF the evidence the speeches of opponents,
OF the rulings OF the court trusting wholly ~ a
memory that never tailed him. Iu the plepara-
tion of his Law he was indus rious and e'ul.
Here, too, relying upon mis- memory, his
brief address contained no more than he name of
the case and page OF the book, In argument
he cited but few authorities, and those dnecty
10 his purpose, Graspng one or two points
which he conceived vital TO the cause, he
directed all his energies and concen rated all
his powers upon them, giving little attention TO
subordinate questions.
No matter with whom associated, he never
tried cause save upon his own theory of the
case. At N{Si PriUS he uniformly insisted on
personally seeing and examining before they
were called the important witnesses on his own
side. Generally relying upon the stfcngth and
presentation OF his own case, he seldom iudulged
in extended cross'eXamnatlon OF Witnesses,
though possessing rare ability in that direction.
He never consented to be concerned or act as
counsel In the prosecution of a capital case -
not from opposition TO the punishment, bat
because 1t was repuguaut TO his Feelings, and
that service was the duty OF public officers, He
was as remarkable for his on,lderaian, lor0elr-