Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-01-09
WHOLE NUMBER 903.


Of correcting errors and mis-statemen,s
which should have never been made.
In 1850 Mr.. Stevens was elected 20
Congress His ardent love of liberty
and his inextinguishablo hatred ofAmsri-
can Slavery threw him headlong into an
opposition to that institution ms detern-
incd as it seemed hopeless. The senti-
mcnt and conscience of the nation was
bluntcd aud debauched, and the forlorn
hope which Thaddcus Stevens then led
did not suffer themselves TO hope for q
view of the bright and swiftly coming
day which his old eyes wcre permitted. TO
see in all its glory. Failing to secure q
denomination, be retired from Congress
IN $50, ana resumed the practice of the
law. II's public career seemed to have
closed III the very prime of his vigor.
But mighty change was at hand.
la 1854, the shareholders, unsatisfied
with any thing short Of absolute domin-
ion, shocked aud lullcd the conscience of
the nation by att1cking and destroying
What drmgogUcs called the settlement
Of the slavery question:" and what wise
men knew 10 be but n postponemont Of
| all inevitable trouble. This high-handcd
outrage On vast majority by numeri-
calIy contemplate minority produced a
revulslon in our politics, compared with
which all others are insignificant. Old
parties melted away. Old thoughts gavo
way to new vigOr The respectability of
claimed for the Shareholders was laughed
at in the light OF their degrading attitude
before the asst nished country. Their
highly-extollrd honor became iibe when
compared with their runic faith New
organizations wrcsted tire Legislature
from men who used it for our disgrace.
Old Leaders, remembered 4er fthcir atda-
city, were recalled. in 1858 Thaddeus
Stevens returned TO Congress, and the
! foremost men Of the now powerful oppo-
siliun accepted him as their leader.
This crime of the shareholders cuImi-
mated III terrible war, that ended in the
obstruction of tho cause which provoked
the conflict. During that period Mr..
Steve"s is inextricably interviewer with
the history of lis country Space and
'propristy alike require that should leave
any elaborate reference to his services
during that period to those whom time
and freedom from partiality shall enable
to do the subject full justice.
'Sincc the death Of Thaddeus Stevens
have been panied TO notice the vulgar
fury with which his character has been
| assailed. | had INDUCED the hope that
vituperation lad exhausted itself on him
during his long life, but / have been
mistaken. If malignant and merciless
abuse could destroy the usefulness of
men, the services which Mr. Stevens has
rendered TO mankind would have been
prevented. Men every way his interiors
set critics aud ccnsors of his private life
The manner in which they performed
their self-imposed duty, shows they nov
er knew, or had forgotten, that the
strongest virtue consists In successfully
battling against even present temptation
and that those who overcome are more
to he honored than those who lack the
inclination to 60 astray. We have for
gotten the bravery of the Gascon, and
only use his name now TO describe a
braggart. A mere reference to the fact
proves the injustice and the same in
justice will be perpetuated if we remem.
Der only the caustic sarcasms of the
dead statesman, and forget his lifelong
! love and devotion TO down trodden
race.
Mr. President, move the adoption of
the following resolutions:
R&solced, That the Senate has received
with profound sensbility, the announce
ment of the death OF Hon. Thaddeus
Stevens, late member of the House of
Representatives from the Stste of Penn
sylvania.
Resolced, That from a sincere desire
of showing every mark of respect for
the memory of Hon. Thaddeus Stevens,
the members and officers of the Senate
will go into mourning by the usual mode
| of wearing Grape on the left arm.
Resoiced, That as further mark of
respect for tho memory of Mr.. Stevens,
the Sekate do now adjourn"