Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-08-18

! From the New GotiS Herald publican "
Triad Stevens was unquestionzbiy 4
| power in the land. To him, with has in.
! tense expression of the most virnlenI
pr, jadices against the origiAators OF the
unsuccessful secsssiOuist movement, i,
Chiefly due the delay OF that res Grafton
of the Union which was the osteBsibls
| OBJECT Of our late civil war. In Septem-
| Der, 1865, when the echoes OF hostile can.
non had hardly ceased 30 reYerberate,
! Mr.. Stevens, IL q public speech at Lau-
| caster, declared mis- policy of ree0nstruc-
| tiOu. lie held that the South had com
mitted no treason, bat was conquered
foreign power, and was therefore to be
condemned to what, with grim humor,
ne styled mild contiscation." D; It's
three hundred and ninety-four million
acres of land, forty millions, he con-
tended, should be given 10 the emanci-
pated negroes in farms OF forty acres
each, aud the proceeds of the sale of the
remEIuder, estimated by him at three
thousand five hundred and forty million
dU!lars, should be applied to the extiuc-
ton of the national debt. When the
President and Congress declared war
against each other, Mr.. Stevens became,
as he continued ~ be TO the last
one of the fiercest antagonists of Mr.
Johnson. dis angry shaking and
snapping of the lash over the
Senators whom he failed to eoefce into
adherence 10 his impeachment policy
proved more effectual with the House OF
Representatives. In the House of Repre-
sentetives he was the acknoW LEGGED
iegdero OF the Republican members, many
of whom surpassed him in ability, but
none OF them 10 audacIty, and, we must
perARps allow, in sincerity. This one
virtue bis worst enemies must accord to
him-the courage OF an openly avoYed
hostility. The TACT is that Thad Stevens
wRs, almost independently Of his own
volilion, an instrument for expressing
and for working out the predestined pur-
poses Of the revolution through which
The American people are passing. Ma
lsvolent, even malignant, as he appeared
10 be anu was in his capacity as a public
man, his friends represent hum as cour-
teOus and genial in bis private inter-
course with them. Publicly he was al
evil, but necessary evil, and one natIl-
rally engendered by his antecedants aud
circumstances. Accepted, therefore, as
n typical representative of the party
which recognized him as its autocraf.
he must always hold historical posi-
ton.
Nor viii the death of Mr.. Stevens re-
suit in consequences less important and
historical than the position which he
held while alive. It was his marvellous
obstinacy, his Hannibal-like luminosity
against the South, which postponed the
settlement of~our national difficulties.
His death, however much it mOy be la
mented by hisimmediatep personal friends
and by ms party, sounds the death kuell
Of the extravagant hopes Of the Radicals.
Ii was he alone whose firm will held to-
getber the most refractory among his
pArtisans. Now that the control of his
influence no longer exists, what is to bin. I
der the disintegration Of the party to
which Mr.. Stevens more than any other (
leader had given eoncentra- /
ton and force? His arrogance as party |
leader had already received q double 1
check in the failure of impeachment and /
IN the postpOnement Of the impeRch-
lnent resolutions which he revived after /
the arrival In. Washington of several /
new Representatives from the Southern /
States, whom he regarded as irrevocably /
committed TO his own revengeful policy. |
While we fully recognize the talents and 4
the strong individuality of the late Thad. |
ieus Stevens, aud even whatever merit I
here may be ia the honesty OF his open 1
and avowed hostility to ail bis opponents,
we must regard his removal by death as
! misfortune to his party rather than TO /
he nation,