Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1869-01-13
fHE KNOXVILLE WHIG.
Knoxville, Tenn, January 10, 1869.
Death Of HOn. Thaddeus Stevens.
Terms OF subscription.

4s.staHY of llOf lLofocc 4auyfttINr " AoRtcscct 70
tie House Of Representatives, Dec. IL, 1868.
Mr. Maynard In the awful presence Of death
every voice silent except the voice OF sorrow and
ealogy. The in1rmities Of mortality are forgotten,
the good alone is remembered criticism is ois-
armed ceasure loses is power men instinctiyely
concodc as they expect, this sad immunity 20 the
grave. It IS JET Us believe, unconscious prehgu-
ration Of The better life TO come.
While Offering my tribute 70 tho memory of our
venerable and deceased associate, the late Thaddeus
Stevens, it is proper that 1 confne myself TO that
portion Of life spent IN the national Capitol Others
know him, il may be, a student, teacher a law
yer, q nolghbor-knew him in the amenities and
beneiaciions Of home. My acquaintance with him
was formed here, and here, / may say in this build
ing was our intercourse. i met him the first time
at The assembling Of the ThirtySixth Congress, in
ihe winter Of 1859. II period Of great politi-
cal excitement. The struggle had already begun
which within less than two years developed int
civil IL a time 10 call forth the best ef-
70. IS Of the best men. Members then Of different
political partiC- we naturally necessarily perhaps,
pursued what was felt 10 be a common purpose By
different methods and distinct organizations. The
scenes OF that Congress not eesily forgotten
The almost daily contest between Lovejoy and Cor
win and Stevens on the one side and Hnman and
Barksdalo and Branch on the other, speaking alone
Of The dead but settled the issues for the coming
years OF bloodshed and carnage. Some Of us, fore
seeing the calsmitous time interposed to stay The
strife praying that If It were possible this cup Of
Dreaming women, famishing children, and old men,
the victims Of torture fields laid waste and all that
make existence lovely perverted-visions fright
.Iliy roalizct-were ever present before US whose
people occupio~ what we know nrst be the battle
ground in cs,s Of armed conflict TO avert this
terrible vista on ! need not say we labored with
all the earno ness o. agonZing natures The re-
cords remain 20 tell Of our labors. refer 10 them
at this time and in this connection to attest the feel
ing Of confidence we entertained towards Mr. Ste
ycns Armed though he was in c2mpletest pano-
ply and ready Tor every encounter, we al felt that
II should ensue il would not be his generous
nature which would strike the frat blow. This is
not the occasion 20 dwell upOn the remembered in
gdents Of his intercourse with my associates-still
speaking alone Of the desd-wth Gilmer, Of North
Carolina; Boulngy, Of louisiana Bristow and
Anderson, Of Kentucky and Brabson and Hatton,
az my own State It was not the intercourse Of
mon who expected soon 10 become enemies So we
separated at the Inauguration Of Mr. Lincoln full Of
anxiety, yet not without hope. H
When, the next winter, met again members
oi new Congress all was changed A millcn Of
men were in arms, and the life of the nation hung
upon the issue Of battles We were both upon The
Committee Of Ways and mears charged, as the
House was at that time organized, with the exami-
nation OF All financial questions both Of revenue
and expenditures and with the preparation Of all
royenuo bills, which, under the Constitution must
originate in this House. The expenditures of the
Government, never loss than two millions day,
and some time reaching three millionf, made de-
uand upon the public resources wholly without pre-
cedent and greatly beyond what many regarded our
ability 20 meet Besides Intervention By at least
two Of the great European Powers for months
seemed imminent, and struggle between the Re
public and tho united civilized world. And what
wi.s stll more dishearenjng 10 one in the position
oi Mr.. Stevens he lacked confidence in the ability
and skin both Of our civil and military leaders, and
200 some important instances he had little faith in
theIr devotion 70 the cause dear 10 the general
bgaIl. Tho early decisions oi the field not al
ways assuring, and even here there were not a few
umi and unbelicving, ready 10 Zee st the frst sign
o, irresolution the part of our leader Yet
neither on the floor nor in the committee-rOom did
Dds courage once weaken his purpose grow In
firm. Ga The contrary, saw his On. rgeS increase
with every new emergency, and his spirit riAR baEy-
ant ns those around him became more despob 1iaEt
Among the elements Of our dnal success BIS u5EAi.
t.ring leadership at this cardinal period sas 6ss ~
riclst While events were shaping themSel40 4ad
the public Judgment baflled by the nG7hf5y eI
Che stuation, weakness doubt instability u .siat
quarter would have boen disastrous, might kaTe
been fatal The unabated hostility toward D3s=z,r-
t1o psrtsans Of the rebellion is explained only y
Their consciousness OF his unyieldng and OveasnSs
larIng power.
The internal revenue system, the currency sys-
temi The national bank system the form of the
uuna debt originated at this uncture and under his
direction. Ia 10 instance, I believe did his ndi-
Yidual yicws entirely prevail and there points
upon which he was Numerically opposed BY the
action Of The two house. Having known his opin-
ions that time could easily s9preciste his feel.
ing of Injustice at The construction aerward given
go certain scattered expressions used possibly. in
reference 90 the predominant sentiments Of Others
rather than 20 his own.
His subsequent career is to- recent and too ia
wiiiar 20 be dwelt upon. His theory Of the rebel
lion and OF the legal conscq Of its overthrow
Dos views upon reconstruction and the part he took
IN the late contest for precedence between the Leg
Hlatve and the Executive are we'll understood. Du-
ring the last year We al felt that his sands had
nearly ran; day by day we saw him borne into the
Han upon the arms of yonng Ilen, weak as 8 child,
but eager and attentive, whether the discussion
turned upon foreign or home affairs. No subject
was above his grasp, none beneath his notice
Treaty siipulAttons with great power and the sal
hy oi the humbiest clerk alike found in him an ad-
N'2ate Toward The close Of the summer session ma
llfe made a final rally. For a few DAYS the old vi
Vacy returned She brilliant repsrtee and unexpect-
ei saihes that all enjoyed SO mueh He hims eli
ie. the renewal Of strength and revival of hope
ana ibc future Ii the last gliui.ner of the ex-
pring Same. We had scarcely dispersed TO our dis.
taut homes before the telegraph announced that he
was no more And so he passed away in tho mel
low autumn Of his age having lived to enjoy the
Hpened fruits Of The spring time planting and the
summer culture.
4 maxim Of ono of the sages would have us wait
until the end of life before pronouncing IL happy
historian closing the biography Of ono of the IL
lo.ulous meH Of hii time exesims 10 the spirit Of
'i-f 4h ciFo fcttE, mon rtfai tdSltitfH CtdTT
.'.e seq e5dis 9pp0-ti8Iitaic mortis" IL brilliant
career be happy one, and il thai career be bril-
uaul, which, unaidtd by wealth. family or powerful
friends attains The front rank among the great
leaders Of great epoch and makes A name for ban
gT biesIng IN every household Of the lsnd then in
deed iE this champion Of the oppressed 70 be ac-
e'lnled happy. But thrice happy in the opporsune
article Of his doath- Though the strength Of man
mood was gone, the babbe and drivel OF dotage had
POO. slperyenod. He had seen bis country emerge
a--'f long and psinfal strife, from the clouds aad
-3TiHo.. OF civil war, and resume her place among
sAe nations frcer, richer, stronger, happier and
more aonorc4 than before catering upon a new
era oi prosperity and growth, eXcclling them all in
.ae sp.endor ot her renoWn even as one star excel
-I another star in glory The principles for which
l-a cenleadei through a heightened life had
]gniz-1 and adopted His lifc-work WAS
M. -' ana " be shall say il had not been done we'll
IN Oh David has said there is a time 90 die !;
t--' "Ae1 20 die Is better than 20 live; and for
'uAA.s are laey who are summoned AZ this Ausp-
'tus monc1i permitted 20 attain tho fill measure
tle,r fame but not b survive their rorftat ion or
usefulness 20 mankind.
~, 81 character Of Mr. Stevens shall not attempt
~ -| 'H long friends is delineetion viii be a
2 y F.--aae pride; / leave il 70 them remark
5 - ~" lIAia which seemed very prominent
ne ~ ~ MANN ness ss opposed 70 oTeminacy.
Ol laics and soft recorders .
lIa fvfnoe1 1fffla rArnaof f,r