Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-12-30
Remarks Of Hon. l.. y. Poland,
Is House. or REPRESENTATIVES, DEC. II, 1868,
The Death of rhaddcu. stevens.


his majority, ARE both adjacent 10 the town where
! reside, and form pnrt of the district have the
honor 10 represent. Ii seems appropriate tint a
Representative OF Mr.. Stevens native State and
the Representative Of hi, native town and county
should perform this duty but ! regret that il has
fallen upon one who had 50 little personal knowl.
edge of him. Mr.. Stevens removed from Yer
mont 70 Pennsylvania before my birth. and be-
came a resident 0l his native county but few
years SINCE and after his youthful associates We're
nearly all gone. met him onrc or twice IN Yer
mont when he came 10 visit his aged mother, but
except this never saw him until ! came % the
Senate at the beginning Of the thirty Ninth Con-
gress. Since ! Became a member of this House
his advanced age and broken health prevented
his active participation in much of It's business
and for great part Of the time his attendance
during its sessions. ! can, therefore, do little
more than express the general estimation Of his
public character and service entertained hy N.Y.
self IN common with the people of hia native State
have learned that the parents of Mu. Stevens
had very small pccuniary ability, and that his
education was mainly secured by his own energy
and efforts When be removed 10 the State OF
Pennsylvania 10 begin his career of active man
hood he went among strangers, dependent for
friends. for success in business, for professional
or other advancement, for the means living even,
upon what he might, By force OF his own unaided
efforts and ability, be able 90 win. How hardly
he struggled how hardly he fought, how success
fully he won friends, professional distinction, po-
litical advancement, name and inme, we have been
told by his longtime friend and noighb0r and sue
cessor in this House. His career and his success
is another instance of what is 50 common in this
country, but so uncommon in al others, Of the at
tainment of the highest professional and political
distinction from the humbest condition by the
mere force Of personal effort and ability.
Mr.. Stevens was another tribute to our system
Of free institutions, founded upon the equality of
ta
exerted himself 50 faithfully to extend and per-
petuatc That Mr.. Stevens was a man of marked
ability has ever been conceded, as well by his POI
iticai opponents as by his political and personal
friends He had indOmitable courage, energy Of
character, and tenacious will, 50 that when he
had once settled upon course of action he pur-
sued it to the end with an apparent, almost reck-
less, disregard of the opinions and judgments Of
other men. His leading and Characteristic ambi-
ton seemed to be to elevate the masses of his fell
low-nen. lie seemed ever TO desire and 20 labor
that all men should have an equal start and IA fair
chance in the race Of life. His carlyand success.
ful efforts in his adopted State in the cause of
popular and general education were an apt and
enduring illustration Of this great trait of bis
character lie loved freedom and liberty for him
self and for all men Us we'll lie hated every form
of tyranny and oppression which clogged and OPP
posed the advancement OF men to better con
ditiOns, and especially did he abhor and detost
country and which seemed likely to prevail forever
human slavery. Accordingly, when that insti-
tuition came 10 be of the subjects of political
controversy in the country, he was found among
its most determined and advanced opponents. It
is not saying more than ! believe to be just to
him. that to his efforts as much as 10 any one
man is the country indebted for its final overthrow,
When the country had become involved in a civil
war Of appalling magnitude upon this question of
slavery, and the great question of the time was,
whether the Union or slavery should 60 down,
Mr. Stevens seemed to rise at once TO the magni-
tude and majesty of the occasion.
His leadership Of the Union men and opponents
Of slavery and its abettors during the period of
the war, in the great American Commons, was
perhaps as brilliant and successful as the world
has ever seen. Though have no reason to doubt
he loved his country its free institutions, and its
government as well as others, ! have thought his
great efforts in their behalf, during that period,
were actuated rs much by his hatred of slavery
as by his love Of country.
will not further allude to Mr.. Stevens Con-
gressional career, though his public life is mainly
included in it, but leave that 10 others whose OPP
portunities to know it are so much better than
my own Mr. Stevens had very warm sympathies
and great kindness of heart No case of suffer
ing or distress ever appealed to him in vain his
heart and his hand were always opened to sympu-
thize with and relieve the needy and the down
trodden of the earth.
am aware that since the close Of the war, in
dealing with the subject OF the restoration of the
reyolted States and their people, Mr. Stevens
has been charged with entertaining malignant
and uncharitabe feelings, and being influenced by
them in his public action. So far as this charge
applies TO the masses of the people Of those States
who might well be regarded as the deluded vic
tins of unwise leaders, have never seen any eyi.
dence OF it, truth. lie did regard the promoters
and leaders of the rebellion as great criminals
x.b., .,,,rlt q, no ,ppiahai ono ba fall 4.
righteous and holy indignation against them, ant
as if the nation itself was endangered unless JUS
tice and Judgment were meted out against them
Mr.. Stevens always retained strong feeling d
attachment 10 his native State, and very high
regard for her people. II was sufficient pass
port to his favor that the applicant came from
Vermont. So long as his mother lived he mad,
almost annual pilgrmages to the old home upor
the Green Mountains TO see TO her comfort and tC
visit the scenes of his boyhood. | do not think
ever met him since | have been in Washington
but he inquired about something or somebody il
Vermont, and almost always had some amusing
anecdote 10 relate connected with his early life
His strong llial affection is beautifully shown by
the provision in his will for the annual planting
of roses and other cheerful flowers at the corner
Of the graves Of his mother and brother ; and hi,
attachment to the scenes and memories of hi,
youthful days is equally well exhibited by his be
quest to the Juvenile Library Association Of Tia,
pantory education. The people Of Vermont fell
q Just and laudable pride in Mr.. Stevens and IL
his distinguished public career.
They watched his success, as they have many
others of her sons who have gone out from hel
and attained position and fame in other States
I In the case OF Mr. Stevens his public course was
generally such rs commended itself 10 their owl
Judgment. Sometimes he announced doctrines anc
! ADVOCATED measures more extreme than they Were
prepared to accept but they ever felt that for hin
something was TO be pardoned TO the spirit Of
liberty.
The people of Vermont always loved to beliey,
that the strong love of freedom and independents,
for all men exhibited by him, his hatred of al
forms Of OPPRESSION and his efforts to elevate and
benefit the masses, were, to some extent, due Il
his being born in Vermont. The early history 0
Vermont was that of continual struggle agains
what they deemed 10 be unlawful and unjust at
tempts Of other States to obtain jurisdiction an,
exercise governmental power over them. Ihel'
struggles had ceased, to he sure, prior to TIN
birth Of Mr.. Stevens but the heroes and states
men who We're her leaders in those trying day
were still alive, and gave tone and temper 10 pub
lie sentiment and opinion for many years after
We have loved 10 believe in Vermont that the fire.
and independent opinions inhaled by him in hi
: youth, with the iree air OF our grand mountains
in some degree contributed to make him what h
was SO emphntieally, the friend of the oppresse
and the foe OF the oppreSsOr. Like other men, h
} had his faults but he has done so much for tn
great cause of humanity, that this and all iutur
generations in this land have ample cause to bles
and revere his memory To show the estimate i
. which Mr. Stevens wns held by the people O
! Vermont, ask TO have the Clerk read the follow
f ing resolutions, which were unanimously adopte
by the Vermont Legislature at tier recent ses
, sion.
The Clerk read az follows
) " Mr. Vanum, Of Peacham, offered the follow
ing Joint resolution
Nj " Resolved By he Srnats and House Of Rcpr,
SIGNATURES, That 50 great loss TO the nation a
the death of Hon. Thaddeus Stevens deserves, an
should receive, Of the Representatives Of the pee
Q pie Of his native State in General Assembly col
yened, u behttng Inappropriate recognition.
g Resolued, That we mourn and deeply syn
pathize with those of his adopted State, whom /
$ 50 faithfully represented in the councils of on
y nation, and by whom he was 50 nobly SUSTAINED
+, in this their great bereavement and ireparabl
loss, Of one 80 firm, so devoted 10 the Interest,"
the welfare, and the honor Of the people.
r " RESOLVED, That his patriotism; his 6eyotio