The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-08-27
The .ikIBU NE.
THE GREAT COMMONER.
, incidents In the Life of Mr.. Stevens
Anecdotes.
lErom the philade pnt.. Press. Auoust 1s1


Until within comparativelv few wear
the health of Mr.. Stevens has been re
markably good 1t was not until til,
July session of the Fortieth Congress
that his constitution gave way, apparent
" to complication of diseases. The
attack was severe, and his friends greatly
feared the result. He, however, rallied
sufficiently to return to his home in Ian
caster, where he sustained.a relapse, hi
recovery from which has never been per
feet.
2 Though his illness during the sumner
and autumn Of 1867 kept him PROSTATE
most OF the time, his great mind did not
cease to work. While prone in bed he
gave to the world, through an amanuensis
some of his most timely and powerful
productions, among which may be men
German friend, DR.. Pfeiffer. In that
production he first Elaborated his opinion
that suffrage was an inalienable right
guaranteed to every American citizen by
our National Bill of Rights, the Declara-
ton of Independence that the Constitu-
ton parted temporarily from the Declara-
ton at the behest of slavery that our
fathers designed to return to the tenets
Of that instrument at an early day had
not the slaveholding interest forced a con-
tinual divergence In that paper also.
be announced the right of the Federal
Government to regulate suffrage in all
national affairs. The letter was widely
and favorably discussed by leading jour
nails and even leading rebels about the
capital were heard to say that it passed a
novel though strong arguments IN favor
of national suffrage.
During this illness he also published
his letter on finances Hitherto the field
had been but little famed. The discus
sion had, however. taken political shape,
and the fear in NJ Stevens mind was
that it would thus drift into the Presiden-
tiai canvass. His object was to prevent
this. He did not design to herald his
own opinions merely, though the thoughts
contained therein were his genuine con
victions. He foresaw that the nation
could not be divided into parties, on a
question so momentious; hence his de-
sire to show that its true solution was a
deliberate discussion and sound conStruc-
ton.
His moments of respete from these
labors were, occupied In arranging his
work for the then approaching session of
Congress- session which he looked upon
as the most important since the promul-
CATION of the Constitution. He drew the
outlines of an amendatory reconstruction
DILL which he intended to offer, and which |
provided for a new census andappOrtlon- |
ment of the Southern territory. He |
prepared also, his plan for the partition
Of Texas, in order to excelerate her ad-
mission into the Union.
But the object of his EXTREMIST solitude |
and the one which cost him much labor,
was his school bill for the District of
Columbia As chairman of the commit
tee on education in the District, the duty
of its preparation devolved upon him.
He brought all the experiences Of u long
life to bear upon his work. and was de-
terlnined to make it what he stated in
the preamble it should be, "A model for
nation" Every work Of moment extant
within reach, appertaining to the subject,
was perused, and the fine gold treasured
up for use. After exhausting the home
field. he pondered the effective systsm Of
Switzerland, drank from the complicated
but enlightened codes IF the German
states, AMI carefully scanned the exact
mac. inery Of the Scandinavian models
so that the law, as presented to the com
mittee and reported unanimously by them,
presented an apltone of the world ex-
nerieuce. 1t is more than law it Is a
Inonumeun of patient labor and learning
worthy the father of the Penns ylvania
system. In it he thought he had settled
satisfactorily the much agitated question
of compulsory education, while he also
made teaching permanent profession by
providing liberal system OF pensions
for the snperannuated. Success In the
passage of this bill would have been, to
use his own language, lone OF the great
est triamphs Of his life. In the same
connection, he said: eff there be any
thing for which, above all others, [ would
feel grateful to benevolent Providence,
it would be for furnishing me an oppoT-
tunity to unlock the bondsmen' 5 chains
aud carry free education into every man
hut threu ghout the fertile valleys and
barren mountains of the whole land.
The first day &C he session in Novem-
Der found him in his seat, pale and feeble,
though we'll prepared for the work before
him, which he entered into with all the
zeal of his earlies manhood. Carried
dav bv day from his carriage to the com
mittee room, his appearance Was that OF
extreme helpiessness-
The beholder was struck with astoalsh-
ment at the ieebleness OF the passing
casket, and wondered how even his giant
will could keep the spark OF life agIow
within it.
4 firm advocate Of the majesty OF the
law. and believing IN the DEGREES OF the
sovereign people, he thought those who
violated the former or traduced the faith
of the latter should be summary dealt
with. Hence he gave an early and firm
adherence to the idea OF punlshing the
President for the faIthless discharge OF
executive duties ami removing hlW from
o;h.e bv impeachmcnt To this end he
gave all the strength Of his intellect, ana
under the labor aud excitement incident
to the management OF the case his en-
teebled strength well nigh tailed entirely.
After the burdens OF the session had
been lifted from his shoulders by it,
recess he revived somewhat, and had
taken steps for the journey to his home
In Manchester, which, II circumstances
permitted was to be extended to his
furnace property, and even as far as Bed
ford Springs The relapse he sustained
converted that journey into one through
the dark valley" and that bourne
whence no traveller returns.
lie had no fears of death, and always
snake Of it In the language OF a calm
PHILOSOPHY. Attached to no particular
religions sect, be favored most the Bap
fist faith aud modest of worship, to which
denomination his mother belonged.
The early portion of the great man;
life abounds in story and adventure
characteristic of manly, determined: an(
energetic hoyhood, the narrative. of which
during the latter years of his life, afford
ed the listener mirthful entertainments
Joe's Pond was tavorite bathing plac'
for the boys. This sheet of water h
described as about one and Il half mile