National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-08-18
THAD. STEVENS AND ANDREW JOHNSON
"A REMINIsCEHCE OF POLITICAL HIS

TORY.
II will be long time before the discus,
sion of his character, provoked by Andrew
Johnson's unexpected death, is ended.
The fact that it still continues furnishes
undoubted proof Of the power the dead
statesman welded during his life, and de-
monstrstes the sincerity of public faith in
him as leader for good or evil 1t must
be admitted, however, that certain circum-
stances connected with his record as Presi-
dent alone gave hin, the opportunity to de-
velop the remarkable qualities of which he
now appears to be the most remarkable ex-
ponent in American history. In short, it
is not improbable that he would have
passed into that history as second-rate
man, an honest, rude but plain-spoken
patriot, or an inofensive egotist, if it had
not been for the antagonism of that most
inveterate opponent of his Administration,
Thaddeus Stevens, of Pennsylvania.
1t is known to many persons in Washing
ton that when Mr.. johnson began to en-
courage the Southern Democratic leaders
with the belief that they might regain very
soon the prestige within the Union they
had forfeited by their treason against it, his
popularity with certain class of promi.
nent Republicans in the House of Repre-
sentatives was such that he was able to
shake their fealty to party. He did not
intend to lead them into the Democratic
ranks, but was self.confdent enough to
believe that he could lead the Southern
Democrats, red-handed as they were with
the best blood of the country, to meet those
Republicans upon some common ground of
reciprocal accommodation, for the purpose
of orgszhing Third Party of which he
should be the acknowledged founder.
Thad. Stevens did not believe that this
result could be accomplished, and he FORE
saw that under any circumstance, a vigor-
GUS effort to accomplish it would destroy
all chances for the success of his stringent
schemes of reconstruction. He knew that
it would be necessary to the. success of his
designs that the most vigorous adherence
to the principles for which the war had
been waged should be preserved, and he
felt that any compromise with the Exon
federates would ruin his policy. Such men
as Raymond, Dawes, Garfield, Robert s.
Hale and Blaine were among the number
who seemed to be tempted by the plans for
the future with which Mr.. johnson had
feasted the eyes of their eager ambition.
The Democrats, including even the angular
Eolman, of Indiana, began to be uneasy,
Of ha1,arraI
have honestly Joined with the so-called
moderate men of all sections of the country
to oblIterate old political lines, and organize
a new party on the basis of his somewhat
visionary schemes. In the meantime
Schuyler Colfax, always ready and apt to
catch the popular bent had made his
famous speech declaring that the Republi-
can majority in both Houses was ready to
throw down the gage of battle to "Hi5
Accidency." Stevens no doubt inspired
that speech as Senator Sumner did the
editorials which Forney afterwards wrote
to sustain it.. This brings us to the &C.
acknowledgement that Mr.. Sumner was also
an agent in the development of Mr.. John
sons wonderful obstinacy of character;
but it must be apparent that as Senator
he could not have been so active, nor was
he by nature calculated to be, as his Co.
temporary in the House. But be this as
it may, the ''conspirators, as they were
called by the then straightout- Republican
New York Tribune, held several meet
ipgs, at which Colonies Morrow and
Warden, and, perhaps, Colonel Moore,
of Mr.. Johnsen's political household, were
present to represent him. The proceed
ings of those meetings have never been
made public, and when they are, as we
propose they shall be, they will prove to
be mighty interesting reading" to mum.
Der Of Republican leaders of the present
day, who boast Of their past consistency in
supporting the party. But Thad. Stevens
piled the party lash unsparingly upon
them, limited at their duplicity, and broadly
denounced their near approach to treachery.
1t was during one of his speeches on this
subject that he described Raymond, the
one faithful follower of Mr.. johnson for
the time being, as being the only member
of the House who could ''pair off with
himself" meaning thereby that he was
generally both for and against any ques.
ton in which the Administration was d.
rectly interested. Rsymond's reply to
this speech was scathingly sarcastic; but
he failed to reach an epigram such as
Stevens had applied to him. This had the
effect to uncover the conspiracy on the
floor of the House and to compel the con.
spirators to show their hands. With the
single exception Of Mr.: Raymond, as we
have intimated, they one and all scamp
cred back into the Republican camp. and
even the Democrats began to shirk any
connection with the affair. Eldrfdl g
described the situation in witticism, say
ing, johnson is your President and you
Republicans are in duty bound to sus-