Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-08-29
THE LAST HOURS OF TH,DDRUs
STEVENS.

From the New York Tribune, August loI
Mr.. Stevens condition during Mon
day and yesterday morning was such as
TO give hope to his friends that be might
recoyer &c maintained full possession
of his faculties to the last, aud be chat
ted freely and intelligently with inc
members of his household Thnddeus
Stevens, Jr., aud his nephew, Simon
Stevens, his relative Mrs. Smith, his
housckeeper, and tho Sisters OF Charity,
were constantly in attendance on him.
Mr.. Stevens entertained a deep affection
for the Sisters" and they in turn
watched over and tended him for months
and months past, during his many
bours of illness. He was nursed by
them with the tenderest so%licilude, tue
ONLY return they could make him for the
interest which he had taken in their
institution, Providence Hospital, about
ten minutes walk from his residence.
Mr.. Stevens liberal heart knew no dis
tiuct,on of race or creed. He was in
strumental in procuring from Congress
appropriations for this institution
amounting to upward of $50 200, and
it may truly be said that it stands II
monument Of his charity and humanity.
AT 4 o'clock yesterday evening Mr..
Stevens death was not expected by
his friends, and least Of all by himself.
He was very weak, 1t is true but no
one supposed that the end was so near.
His active spirit never faltered to the
last. His last hours were smooth and
tranquil. He knew that life and death
were struggling for the mastery, as may
be gathered from the following incident:
A few days ago the physician changed
his medicine. Mr.. Stevens ut once no.
,iced the change, and said, You have
changed my medicine, have you not ~
:. Yes" "Well, this is a square
fight" aud as he said so his face was
illuminated by a grim smile of mingled
humor and determination.
Between Al and 5 o'clock, yesterday
afternoon, Mr.. Simon Stevens entered
his room, and told him that he had
been to see Mr.. Evarts, and that he (Mr.
e. had told him what would be the
purpors Of his opinion in the Rollins
case, which was that the resignation
could not be accepted. Mr.. Stevens re.
sponded, apparently very much pleased
II believe Mr.. Erarts Is not only n
sound lawyer but a statesman, who will
advise the President to administer the
laws so rs to render unnecessary II meet.
ing Of Congress in September. If he
does" he continued, ~ shall fee
prouder than ever that | urged
his (Evarts') confirmation" Then
Mr.. Stevens spoke of Mr.. Sew
nrd and his position in the
Cabinet. Said he, "He Seward,
has labored very we'll recently in reln'
lion to our foreign affairs. His purchase
Of Alaska was the biggest thing in bi:
life, and if he could have purchased
SANTANA it would have been the crown
ing event of his whole career" Mr.
Simon Stevens again remarked that ht
had seen Gen. Rosecrans, who haC
spoken of Alanson Stevens, nephew o
Thaddeus Stevens, who was killed n
Chickamauga. Ho WAS the old man.
fayorite boy, and, by the way, it may
be remarked that early in the war Alan
son, who had charge of the iron works
took all the horses Of the establishment
aud rendered them to the Governor o.
Pennsylvania for the use Of the Govern
meut, and then Joined the army as {
private, frequently receiving promotion
until be became Captain of artillery
This probably flashed across the ole
mans mind, for he smiled at the men,
ton Of his nephew's name, aud replied
"He was n brave boy; like Rosecrans
I hope that Mr.. Stewards instru ctioul
to Gen. Rosecrans will be such as viii
tend to build up and strengthen tina
tottering sister Republic" meaning
Mexico.
As the evening wore on Mr. Stevens
dropped of into n quiet slumber, from
which he occasionally started, and made
some remark, probably on national af
fairs. Once he broke out to his rela'
ton, "Sirnou, the great questions CT th'
day are reconstruction. the finances
and the railway system Of this county,
Theu he turned of, and went to sleep,
Shortly afterward he again awoko, and
said: 81 believe Grant will be elected,
and that he will carry out the Recon.
struction laws" His relative told him
about Morrissey's betting on Seymour.
He replied, ~ like him for bis pluck"
He then couYersed with the Rev. Dr.
Emory, Mrs. Smith, bis nephew, Thad'
teus, and his body-servant, Lewis
West. None Of the remarks to these
were specially noticeable, save one to
his nephew, to whom he said, "We'll
have o nice trip home; ri visit the
foundry with you, perhaps" and then
be smiled, as if aware of the impossible
ity Of the suggestion. DR.. n. Young,
his physician, called at about $3.50
o'clock aud recommended that no Que
be allowed to disturb him, and that he
must not be fatigued with talking. He
ut the same time pronounced him in n
sinking condition. He constantly ate
small pieces of ice, and appeared to en-
joy the relief afforded by being famed.
At about 8 o'clock DR.. Young again
called, aud had q brief interview with
his patient. The Doctor pronounced
him dying, and told him so. Mr.. Ste.
veus looked 1t him, and nodded his
head, but made no reply.
DR.. Young informed the household
that his patient would in all probability
lie before morning. Sisters Loretta
and Genevieye, Of Providence Hospital,
entered the roof at about 2 o'clock,
II was now evident that death was mol
far distant. The Sisters Of Charity
kuelt by the bed and began to pray,
Mr.. Stevens reached his hand TO one
Of them, aud she held it several min.
ntes. After they had flushed praying,
Mr.. Stevens took more ice, and small
pieces were put into his mouth onco or
twice after that. Tbnddeus Stevens,
Jr., Simon Stevens, Mrs. Smith, the
Sisters of Charity, Mr.. j. Scott Patter.
son, of the Interior Department, and
the servants Of the house, were in the
room at the time. The Sisters Of Char
ity had learned through some channel
that Mr.. Stevens had never been bap-
tised, and requested his permission 10
perform the ceremony. He said TINT
ne had no objections, and n Of the
Sisters took a glass of water, and
pouring it on his head, pronounced the
words ~ baptise thee, Thaddeus, in
the name Of the Father, and Of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost, Amen"
Mr.. Stevens expired precisely at IL
o'clock. about ten minutes after his
baptism. He opened his eyes once or