The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-08-18
held long conversation with a Tribune re-
porter, which is now published. we make ma
| CANA artrnnfa. -

s
Dropping politics, we came to speak Of the
course of the newspapers toward him, and the
vast amount Of vituperation which had been
poured on his head. He remarked that he did
not fret at that, it was all he could expect,
'tfor you know" he added, "that have always
been plain speaker myself" This led to my
asking something in regard to his early lifo
and his history. As I used the word 'history,
he glanced at mequickly, and / thought rather
suspiciously, and directly said, "You news
paper men are always wanting to get at mans
history. AS I said to young girl who came
to see me some time ago to collect materials
for g. biography of me, I have no history. My
lifelong regret is that ha, e lived so long and
so uselessly.'
I yentured to suggest that his friends were
not disposed to agree with him in the use OF
the word ''uselessly" as applied to his Congress
sional achievements.
II have achieved nothing in Congress. Un-
til the war beganI was plodder without. IN
fuence, and since it began l have been 80
radical that Ihad no control over anybody.
Some of The papers call me the Leader OF the
House, Ionly laugh at them. lead them.
yes but they never follow me or do as
want them until public opinion has sided with
me-"
sNo," he added after pause Of moment
or two, "pm not over proud Of my Congress
sonal career. I like my State service better:
!
the crowling utility OF my life was the adop-
ton Of the Common School System Of Penn
svlvania."
he explained that in 1885 an attempt was
made by the Democracy for political purposes
to repeal the school law passed during the
previous session OF the Legislature, and they
did succeed ip repeating it IN the Senate. They
would have succeeded in the House but for
strong speech and "a good deal Of fhbuster.
ing" as Mr. Stevens remarked, on the part OF
himself and friends in the House, and Gov.
Ritner in the Executive mansion.
"That is the work." he said, resuming after
his explanation, "that take most. pleasure in
recalling, except one perhaps. really think
the greatest qualification OF my life resulted
two hundred and fifty acres, and
dairy OF fourteen COWS, and. an occas-
ional bright gold piece, which she loved to de-
posit in the contribution box OF the Baptist
Church which she attended. q. This always
gave her great pleasure, and me much salts
faction. My MOTHER he suddenly added,
twas very extraordinary woman, and have
met very few Tomen lil1, her. M father"-he
hesitated moment, ard several times COM
menced the sentence before pursuing it fur
ther; it WIS evident he was trying to make o
confession he did not like. At length the in
| nate love OF the truth and plain speaking got
the better Of him, and he continued: 80.
"My father, you see" ne said, was not
well-tc-do-man, and the support and education
Of Of the family depended on my mother. She
worked night and day to educate me. I was
feeble and lame in my YOUTH, and as couldn't
work on the farm she concluded to give me an
education. tried to repay her afterward, but
the debt OF child to his mother, you know,
is one of the debts We can never pay. Poor
woman the very thing did to crafty her
most hastened her death. She was very proud
l lo.r md NJ hor
night going out to look after them she fell and
injured herself 80 that she died soon after"
+ had heard the fact mentioned that Dir. Ste
yens had on one occasion given $l0O, ,OO0 to the
Door of Lancaster County, and asked him
about the truth Of it. T..
"Ohl it was not true," he said. "1 have
never been aole to do any such thing. I have
been failure in everything. I have failed
financially three times. The first was through
fine practice had in Adams County. The Sc
cond was through the carelessness Of partner
in soma iron mills. Notes were presented to
me for payment which I had neve. executed OF
known OF. ! went to my partner aud asked how
il was. He explained that be had been losing
money for some time, but as he bad induced me
to embark in the enterprise he had aot the cour-
age to tell me Of the losses, and had signed the
firm name to notes without consulting me.
'Well,' said, what's to be doneT He be-
gan to make apiteous mouth, but cut him
short. I don't come to upbraid you,' said, i
come to get at tho facts looked over the
books and saw that We we're deeply involved:
pay all claims, releasing me entirely He de.
clined and at once said, Then will; and it
was thus the iron works near Ohambersburg
came into my possession. The third time
failed was when the rebels burned these works.
My friends in Lancaster and elsewhere raised
about 100000 which they tendered to me, but
I declined it, and it went to the Poor Fund, but
did not give it. managed to get through
my trouble, and have never taken advantage oil
bankrupt law yet"
He evidently had some feeling on the sub
| ject, and asked him his views on the bank
rupt law.
''WeII," he said, personally I feel that my
creditors are entitled, among my other worldly
goods, to my labor until am dead. II my
debts are not paid, then the bankrupt law ol
another world will cancel them"
OBITUARY COMMENTS OF 1HE REPUBLICAN PRESS.
The New York Evening Post, q Republican
journal which is generally very candid and
plain speaking in its views Of men and things,
has an editorial article upon the late Thaddeus
Stevens which, while giving him ample credit
as an able lawyer and skilful political manager,
notices his deficiency in the qualifications Of
craftsmanship. The Post says:
AS O statesman he was singularly ignorant
and narrow-mnded. The skill III management,
and the tact which lie knew how to use in the
prepar Ition and passage OF his favorite mea-
sures, lie never thought to use in the framing
OF policy. He had so long fought the slave
holders that he never would do anything else.
What was 1--we OF liberty in some other men,
was in him hatred OF oppressors-a generous
sentiment, bat not wise or safe one for
statesman.
OF the question Of political economy which
necessarily, during and since the war, became
nm important part Of statesmanship, he ap-
pears to have known absolutely nothing. He
imagined that the price Of gold could be kept
down by statute forbidding men to buy or
sell! It, He did not scruple lately to assert
that the national bonded debt ought to be paid
off in greenbacks which are only other evi-
dcnces Of debt. He attempted at one time to
abolish by. law gold as standard OF value. In
fact, he thought laws could accomplish any
thing; and he imagined liberty to consist SIM
ply iu the abolition of chattel slavery. Of any
kind of sluvery he knew nothing; he never
ceased his efforts to enslaye trade; he would
have made us the slaves OF most vicious
and rumous currency ifhe had been able. 1t
must be said for him that he was not much
more ignorant than the majo of American
politicians Of both parties. l. lie the others,
he grew up and was trained Ill great cont st
for and against slavery: ard like the others, ne
knew that question and none others. But his