Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-08-12
ALEX ANDRIA.

ALEXANDRIA.
DEATH oF:THADDEUs STEVENS. -Thaddeus
Stevens, died at midnight last night, at his
residences on Capitol Hill, Washington. His
nephews, his housekeeper, Mr.. j. Scott Pat
terson, Of the Interior Department; Sisters
Loretta and Genevieve, of Providence Hos
pitaI: and the servants of his household, were
at his bedside. It is stated that be passed
away calmly and quietly. Mr.. Stevens has oc-
cupied recently large share of public atten-
ton, as the late leader of the Radical party in
Congress He has been long in public life.
He was a native of Vermont, but. settled in
Pennsylvania in lSl6-and was upwards OF
IS years of age at the time of his death. .~r
His public career was always marked with
great bitterness of spirit, and was well calcu-
lated to exasperate those against whom he &C
ted, and, frequently, not even to conclllate his
own political friends His teachings, 10 our
opinion, we're never designed for the real good
of the country, and his course actuated by an
apparently vindictiye disposition, which ex-
cused, if it did not justify, the feelings enter
tanned towards Kim by thousands at the North,
and in the whole Southern country.
THE CATTLE DIsEAsE.-Col. Capron, the
Commissioners Of Agriculture, has appointed
Professor Gamgee, distinguished veterinary
surgeon Of the Royal Albert College, Eng land,
who has had great experience during the re-
cent cattle plague in that country, to investigate
the causes and means of prevention OF the cattle
disease now prevailing in the West The Gov
errors Of New Y ork and Pennsylvania arc TAX
ing active measures to prevent the introduction
Of diseased cattle into those States. .ss X
The panic at the Union Stock Yards in Chi,
cago,, is, in measure, subsiding, and yet
there is scarcely any business doing. There
were no new cases of the disease in the yards on
Friday or Saturday, but some COWS owned In
the vicinity are still dying. Along the line Of
the Illinois Central railroad the excitement con-
tinues, cattle continuing to die off rapidly.
The Baltimore Sun No cattle afflct.
cd have reach the Baltimore market. In fact
our supplies are generally from most ap
proved and healthy section, Southwest Virgin
ia and Ohio, and of native stock-ot which
there are none better" ~
Before it became manifest to the Radical
leaders that, as matter of necessity, aud not
Of choice, they would have to take Gen. Grant
as their candidate for President, not few Of
them, in order to check the proclivites of the
rank and file towards the General, did not hes
itate to express the opinion that he was not the
fright man, y nor would he be in the fright
place." if he were to be their candidate-and
some of them were candid enough to give their
reasons why. The New York Tribune, for in
stance, admitted that Gen. Grant was not "a
great man nor even great general; and a
statesman was wanted. All these, however,
when the hour came, and they could not alter
the situation, and found that circumstances
controlled the case, 'caved in,'' and had if not
10 eat their own words, at least, to attempt to
bury them out of sight. Now, we hold to the
former opinion of the Tribune in this matter,
that the country, at this time, needs the servi-
ces of statesman. Without saying a word
disrespecttully of Gen. Grant as soldier Chow
ever much VT think he is oVerrated in that re-
spect by many;) and without any detraction OF
his character, we think all unprecedented per
sons must acknowledge that he is not states
man-that he is not an accomplished civilian
that he has had no experience in matters of ma
tional law, finances, or foreign relations, that
be has never given any evidence of ability in
the administration of civil aifairs-that he is not
particularly distinguished or<ever been recog-
nized as remarkable for any natural strength Of
mind or original qualities which would supply
the defects Of inexperience aud want Of training
and that, as far as we know or have the evil
dence, he is, in mental qualifications, not at all
elevated above thousands of his fellow cltIzens
who are in the walks of private life It's for
these reasons. along with many others, that we
prefer Gov Seymour, looking only at thor per.
sonal capacities, and individual claims as men !;
as we regard the latter the superior in mind
and qualifications: When we, look at the polit-
ical parties which Gen. Grant and Gov. Scy-
mour represent, of course our preference becomes
more decided than ever We have the further
objection toGen: Grant that his course towards
the President has been highly Objectionable;
and that he: is the Radical candidate, in our
judgment, not from conviction of the utility of
Radical measures, but from mere temporary
party motives. NJ 5s
Gen. Grants Recommendation as Secretary
of War, ad interim, in the case of Lusk, in
September, 1867. in which be urged the execu-
ton of the prisoner, not because he deserved
capital punishment, but simply because lit
was the first trial for murder under a military
commission under the reconstruction acts, is
brought up in Judgment against him. Il was