The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1868-08-20
Death of Thadeus Stevens.

AAA. AuoASuS oeSNCuS utCu La w ASH
ington city, OH Tuesday night, after a
long, exciting and eventful public life.
He was born in Caledonia County, Yer
mont, April 1, 1893, and was consequent
~ in his 10th year. At the age of twen-
ty-one years he graduated at Dartmout tn
College, and soon afterwards removed
to Pennsylvania, where he entered q
law office, and was admitted to the bar
in 1916. Though an active pol itician,
he held no public Office until his cleo
ton to the Legislature in 1888, where
he served several sessions. In 1886 he
was q member of the State Constitutio n
al Convention. In 1871 he was again
elected to the Legislature. The next
year he moved to Lancaster and became
near neighbor to James Buchanan.
In 1888 he was appointed Canal Com
missioner. In 1913, being then fifty
five years of age, he was elected to Con-
gress, and again in 1859. In 1853 he was
third time elected, aud continued q
member of the House up to the time Of
his death. Mr.. Stevens was u man Of
considerable ability, of which he had
no small appreciation. He had great
purposes aud strong convictions, which
were continually manifest in his speech
es as well as in his opinions upon public
measures. Mr.. Stevens grew to be All
old man before his ambition to serve his
country was gratitied, and this seeming
neglect by the public and by party
served to render this distinguished man
4
ty ofpolicies and opinions differing from
his own. Mr.. Stevens was Chairman Of
the Committee of Ways and Means of
the House of Representatives during
the war, and until that committee was
virtually Dissolved and its duties divided
among three committees. His oratory
was peculiarly his own, and was more
remarkable for the readiness Of it's in
ve:tive and the bitterness of its repair
tee, than for the thoroughness of its rea
soning. Mr.. Stevens was a partisan of
the Protective system, to the support of
which he devoted his life. Even dur
ing the late session he was actively
engaged in the preparation of bill in
creasing the duties on iron and other
Pennsylvania products. One of the re-
grets Of his life was his inability to
make Protection part of the Republi-
as an opponent of the Democratic party.
He supported Adams in 1894 and 1923,
then the Wing party, and then the Re-
publican party. From first to last he
was the unfaltering opponent Of slavery,
and of all things tending to preserve or
perpetuate slavery. He was through
his life the consistent friend OF the ne
gro, and was always ready contributer
to his relief
The last official act with which his
name was especially connected was the
impeachment of Andrew Johnson. AS
a member of the Reconstruction Com.
mittee he labored through several ses.
sions to induce the House to impeach
Andrew Johnson, but failed. Johnson's
attempt to remove Secretary Stanton
last February, brought the impeach.
ment into practical form, and Mr.
Stevens was elected one of the mana
gers. Though physically infirm, he
was constant in his attendance at the
trial. Since its termination he had pre-
sented another series of articles which
have never been acted upon. Mr.. Ste
vens was an advocate Of the confiscatior
of the property of all persons engaged IN
the rebellion, and repeatedly proposed
| measures to that end.
Mr.. Stevens was, as we have said, {
| man of ability and unquestioned patri
otism as n statesman and q party mar
he was often impracticable, and was
therefore, never trusted as leader. III,
served his country honestly, and to thu
best of his ability, and the country will
| forget his failings, in gratitude for thos,
rare virtues, honesty and fidelity.