Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1869-01-21

powerful word was gwen promptly
and without hesitation TO the vindica-
ton Of Human Rights, suffering then
from constant and most cruel outrage.
Here he stood always like pillar. -
Suffice it to say that he was one OF the
earliest Abolitionists, accepting the
name and bearing the rerroach. Not
child in Pennsylvania coming spell
ing book, beneath the humble rafters
OF village school who does not owe
him gratitude; not citizen rejoicing
in that security which is found only
in liberal institutions, founded on the
equal rights of all. who is not his debt
or. When he entered Congress it was
as Champion. His conclusions We're
already matured, and he saw his duty
plain before him. The English poet
toreshadows him when he pictures
lone in whom persuasion and belief
Had ripeneI into faith. and rai:h become
A passionate conviction
Slavery was wrong. and he would
not tolerate it, Slave masters, brim-
ming with slavery, were lmotrious and
Iawiess From him they learned to see
themselves as others saw them. Strong
IN his cause and in the consciousness
OF power, he dId not shrink from any
encounter, anil, when it was Jpine,l he
used not only argument ani history
bat all those other weapons hy which
4 nal cause is exposed to storn AM
ontempt. Nobody sald more n fewer
words or gave to language sAAr! Ell
bite Speech was with him at times. a
cato tails, and Woe to the victim
on whom the terrible lash descended
Does any one doubt the .jnstiiiable-
ness of such debate: Sarcasm, satire,
and ridicule are not given in vain
They have an office to perform in the
economies of life. They are faculties
to be employed prudently IN the sup
port OF truth and justice. 4 good
cause is helped, if It's enemies are driv
en- back; and it can not be doubted
that the supporters OF wrong and the
procrastinators shrank often before the
weapons he welded. Soft words turn
away wrath; but there is q time for
strong words as tor SOFT words. Did
not the Savior seize the thongs with
which to drive the money changers
from the Temple: Our money chang
ers long ago planted themselves with
in our temple. Was it not right to lash
them away Such an exercise OF pow
er IN generous cause must not be
COMPOUNDED with that personality in
debate which has its origin in nothing
higher than jealousy or spite. In this
sense Thadaeus Stevens was never
personal No mean thought controlled
him. VIVA, he said was tor his coun.
try and mankind.
AS the rebellion assumed its gisan-
tic proportions, he saw clearly that ii
could be smitten only through slavery
and when, after bloody st ,'uggle, il
was too tardilv vanquished, he saw
clearly that there could be no true
peace, except by founding the new
governments or the equal rights OF ali
And this policy he urged with lofty
dogmatism, which was as beneiicent as
uncompromisine. The rebels had burn
ed his property in Pennsyl, anla, and
there We're weaklings who attributed
his conduct to the smart at his loss
How little they understood his ma
ture, Injury proyokes and sonnet mes
excuses resentment. But it was not
in him to allow private grief to intiu-
ence his public conduct. The losses
Of the iron master We're forgotten III
the duties OF the statesman. He asked
nothing tor himself He did not ask
his own rights except as the rights OF
man.
know not if he could be called an
orator Perhaps. like iox, he We're
better callet a debater. And yet |
| doubt If words We're ever delivered
with more effect than when, broken
with years aud decay, he stood before
the Senate. ami in the name OF the
| House OF Rep sesentatsves and OF ali
the people q the United States, In.
peached Andrew johnson, President
OF the United States, OF high crimes
AMI m sdemeanors i'll Office " IL can
10 ct his steady. solemn utteranee o.
th!s great arrai.nments The words
were lew, but they will sound through
; the ages. The personal triumph ii ms
position at that moment was merged
IN tie historic grandeur OF the occasion.
For long time, a nst opposition q
al kinds, against Misconceptions OF the
law and against apologies Tor transac-
tons without apology, he had insisted
on impeachment; and now this old man
totterlng to your door, dragged the
Chief Magistrate of the Republic to
Judgment 1t W 5 he who I'D this
thing; and l should do poor justice to
his lie on this occasion II l tailed to
express my gratitude ier this heroic
a ed. His merit is none the less be
Cause other influences prevailed III the
end. His example viii remain forever.
In the House, which was the scene
OF his triumphs, l never heard hlm but
once; but | cannot forget the eloquence
VI Nli.tt ". SpSSNii' 1850 NAN' =
accident Just as he rose. lie did not
speak more than ten minutes; but ev-
cry sentence seemed an Grafton. With
undertaking pia,nneSs he arraignea
PENNSYLVANIA Tor her deIial OF equal
rights to an oppressed race, and rising
with the theme, declared that tins State
hal not a republican government.
presume the speech viii be found IN
the Globe. Nobody, who has consid
cred with any care what constitutes 4
republican governments especially since
the definition supplied by our Decla-
ration of independence, can doubt that
ne was right His words will live as
the testimony OF great character on
this import mt question.
The last object OF his lite was the |
OF equal rights through |
out tie whole country by the reeosni
~, .,.uirnynant nt thu lac l