The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-18


habits. He dsliked the use OF tobacco and for forty
years never used or admitted to his house lntoxi.
scian Mr.. Stevens was deeply loved and ialIy
trusted by his constituents. He was often in adj.
vance Of their views sometimes ne ran counter to
larlty with them 80 strong their iaith In his wisdom
In the integrity OF his action and the purity OF his
Popular with men OF all parties, with his own sup
porters his name was household word. TO them
endearment. while even his foes spoke OF him with
pride as the "Great Commoner." No man ever died
more deeply moqrned by constituency tnaa Inad.
incidents that marked the history OF my friend,
Will In conclusion say few words OF him on a sub
)ect In connection with which he Is probably more
widely known than any 0ther-slavery. MIR. Stevens
was always an antislavery man. From the time
death he was not only anti-savery in the common
acceptaton OF the term, but bod fearless, deter
any ana ever; @ He was an noe aSoanst before
there was such party name. His opposition to
American slavery, no matter what his party con-
OF expediency or political economy. lie always
viewed 1t as great wrong, at war with the funda-
mental principles of this and all good government,
as sin in the sight OF God and crime against
man. For many years, long before 1t became popu-
great crime OF the nation-on the stump, at the
forum, In party conventions and deliberative as
semDiies. On this question he was always IN adj
vance OF MS party his state and his constituents.
Always resident in border county he defended the
fugitive on all occasions, asserted the right OF free
| mob, often with peril to himself. This was one
great cause of his having been SO long minority,
OF his entrance late IN Lille into the councils OF the
| ton. But for this he was fully compensated by
living 10 see the destruction or institution which
he loahed and by receiving for his reward and as
the browning glory or his life the blessings OF mil
| lions ne had so largely aided to make free.
The remains of Mr.. Stevens lie in Lancaster, in a
private cemetery established by an old friend in a
| lot selected by himself for reasons stated in the
| touching and beautiful epitaph prepared by him.
self FOR inscription upon his tonb:-''I repose IN
tins quiet and secluded spot not from any natural
preference for solitude, but finding other cemeteries
limited by charter rules as to race have chosen il
| that might be enabled to Illustrate in m v death
| the principles which have advocated through
us trast and believe that If the earnest ana sincere
prayers OF millions OF the poor down-trodden and
oppressed may smooth the pathway Of the traveller
on his journey from this world TO the bourne OF all
his has been happy exit
| REMARKS OF MR.. ORTIZ.
Mr.. ORTIZ, rep.) OF Ind, said:-Mr. Speaker, the
grave has closed the earthly remains OF one OF
freedoms most ardent and eloquent advocates. The
| voice once so familiar in these nails is hushed in
death; its sound no longer greets ears but its
| bold and fervid enuncatons will never be for
| gotten. That heroic devotion to truth and JUSTICE
to equality and fraternity we SO often admired, and
which Is exemplifed by countless acts and incidents
extending through years and years Of an active
The principles which he protested and The work
which he performed, professions and practice being
In perfect harmony, win in all future times and in
| all nations, render the name OF Stevens SYNONYM
for human liberty. Living in an age when oppor-
tunities for the accomplishment OF great deeds
/
these opportunities. His mind grasped the true
philosophy Of events, and his practical com
| ing usefulness. Living not unto himself his
| life has not been IN vain, and the impress OF
be as permanent as his fame. The early history OF
1haddeus Stevens is similar to that Of many OF our
abest and most prominent public men. His parents
were In INDECENT circumstances and hence in his
youth he was thrown upon his own resources, and
taught those lessons of selfreiance which proved
valuable to him and to his country He was born In
the State OF Vermont in 1892 and spent the days OF
his youth and early manhood among her people,
whose thrift, energy and frugaty, long since pro-
verbal, made lasting impression upon his nature
He entered the academy at Peacham, and by teach
Ing during the vacations OF school he procured the
| means by which he was enabled to prepare himself
to enter upon collegiate course OF studies at Dart
mouth College, where IN due time he graduated with
distinction. lie often referred with evident gratca-
ton to his academical days at Peacham and evinced
his attachment for the old academy by frequent do
| bequest In his last will and testament. Leaving
his New England home, he selected Pennsylvania
porary the town Of York where he engaged e' IN
teaching school while prosecuting his legal studies.
lie admitted to the bar In 1877, and Immediately
located In Gettysburg, where he continued to prac-
tise his profession with assiduity and marked sue
for the ensuing twenty-five years. His studions
ness and his eIoquence and ability soon placed him
and kept him at the head OF his professionally
time too, when he was brought into frequent contact
with some OF the best legal talent of the State His
| bearing IN the presence OF the court and bar was
always dignded and courteous: mis- cases were thor
guarded % wsas pSnts aad rea Tne pe re-
ceved and took advantage OF those of his adversary
/ In the examination Of witnesses he most sue
| cesful his pleasing and insinuatng address gaining
the confidence OF the witness and elictng truthful
recital OF the facts while his intimate knowledge of
human nature enabled him at a glance to detect
prevarication or assimilation, and when detected he
made the witness wrthe under his unmerciful ex-
| animation. He was invincible In the presentation
OF his facts the application Of the law and the tes
| mony and In the influence OF his eoquence the
hearts and minds OF the jurors: Milton, one OF his
favOrite authors says, "True elOQuence find to be
none but serious and hearty love OF truth" This
love OF truth was one OF the strongest elements in
| the character OF Mr. Stevens. and enabled him 80
successfully TO carry conviction to his hearers He
never praclised the art Of Discrimination not merely
because he ignorant of its use but for the rea-
son that his very nature, whose impulses he followed
led him to deal with perfect frankness and candor
friend and foe and nothing could induce him to
betray the one or clandestnely injure the other
@ az the bar IN his srus9 s ON ne 2,
| rostrum and In the discharge OF his severer
and more exalted duties IN the halls OF legis.
| lat0n, and this more than anything else formed
and increased the attachment or ms friends and
! challenged the respect Of his enemies. Did I say
should rather use the words political adversaries
for II is conceded by all who knew him that man
ever passed through such fierce and embttered con-
tests, running through an active period OF half
century, with so few personal enemies during his
the grave TO detract from his well earned reputa-
| ton. His love OF truth made him an earnest man,
| acting upon the principle that whatever was worth
doing at oil worth doing well. He never es-
poused cause until he satisfied OF its merits
aud justice and then brought to It's advocacy all the
strength and vigor Of richly cultivated intellect
| The cause OF education always received his hearty
| support. To elevate mankind, to improve their
| moral, intellectual and physical condition, In a
word, leave the world better than he found It. was
with him duty which he never neglected.
Amid difficulties which might have appalled,
more timid men he entered upon the advo-
oacy OF the principle that all children are the
wards OF the Commonwealth, and that 1t Is alike the
interest and the duty OF the Commonwealth TO pro-
vide for their education The habits and opinions OF
vancng Ideas, and for years this question OF univer
sal education was the subject OF animated and fire.
quently OF acrimonious discussion. 1t entered into
the political contests OF the day, and 10 such
an extent was the opposition manifested that
the motto mo free schools was embazoned
on many banners and became the shlbboleh
OF partisan warfare. The contest was OF long
duration, but In all contests with error truth viii
eventually triumph, and his adopted state now
justly exults In having, through his fundamentally,
one OF the beat aYafaua a education the