Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-11-05
ALECN STEPsHENs.
stephens and KandO.ph-Dying for
twenty Xears-A Congregational
keminfscence-AV Victory over
IN V Aarcnrul

stephens and manipulating fOl
Twenty Years-A Congregational
Reminfscence-AV Victory Over
Grow.
IN. Y. Mercury.l
A dispatch from Georgia prnma
| turely announcing that this venerable
erratic genius was suddenly attacked
by dangerous disease, and was in
critical condition. furnished our cor.
respondent an opportunity to relate
from his own experience, some inter.
estlng "reminiscences of a remarkable
man. Aleck Stephens has been, like
Randolph of Roanoke, dying for near
ly thirty years, and yet con.iuu
through all this time, and in spite OF
his moribund condition, to take an
important and prominent part in al
the grave public events that agitated
the country. 1t IS row more tnaL
twenty years since I first saw him OF
the floor of the House OF Representa-
tives at Washington. His physica
weakness was SO marked that every
body spoke about it, and all doubted
his ability to live through the session
which ended March 4, 1857 But the
n ckmen and undertake rs in the cit.
knew him better. Eh' y all said that
oteph us was IN lrnpOSfor ID the m at
ter OF Ii aith that for ten years pre-
vious h. h pretended to be
dSlug, r Isl < the hopes 81
the undel tn kers and cab Or V
ecs for lucrative employ m~ut ut b z
Congressional funeral, bub had always
chea ed them out of it by eve= seen
ing to be dying, and yet never dying
He has thus lived on ever SIX &c, pass
ed through the fierce contest over sla
very, 81 ce>slou aud the war, and man
az dsO we'll that, although Vac. z e5-
isent Of the C0rf"deracy aud author
Of the celebrated manifesto that ''tl2v-
cry was the corner stone of the new
Coz federation Of American States" ht
yet, of all 'COnfe'i, T 1t, s, attained the
most popularity in the North, aud was
the first uf them admitted to seat In
Congress afr the var, aud treat, d
with the highest regard by r publican
members. though not acting with their
party But all these things are not
recent history, ard we'll known, and
hence they need not be repeated here.
But one of bis conflicts in the House
III ante war t tines, and IN which a mem
Der from the State of New IO. k WIS
Or1amus B. Matteson represented
the Utica District, and served on the
COMMITTEES on Pensions. \ SIR Trip
plett, a pension agent at Washington,
had complied a volume of the laws auc
T. gulations CONCERNING pensions, AID
f decisions Of Court, reiatl g thereto
and this nook he was anxious to sell
to the Government. Congress- IL
MattesOn eX"rted himself strenuOnsiy
in favor of Tripplett's work, aud he
carried through Congress an appro-
pIihtlun for It's purchase, Ut fixed
price per volume. 1t leaked ont sub,
SC quently that this price was trjf1e
higher than the retail prica at Whlch
the book sold at the stores, aud thai
tie excess went to Mr.. Mattesun as
compensation for his iabOrs. Charges
were preferred on these facts, and d
committee appointed to Investigate
them. Aieck Stephens was tie CHAR
man of that Committee, and Galusha
A Grow, of Pennsylvania, one of the
members. The committee m"de two
reports, one by Stephens, 10 cXpel
MattesOn for corruption, the other hy
Grow, to ccnsure him Ouiy for care
less conduct Ill allowing hlmst II to bt
fou1d out. This occurring III 1897. Grow
was a new convert TO Repub. cat
ism, havi4g changed over from Dem
ocrat only in d previous Congress OIL
the Hans as \ hraska troubles, and he
Determined to WIN his spurs as O'.e oil
the leaders of the new party III con
Quoting the defeuse of MattesOu, alst
a Republican. The contest III the
House rested solely upon Stephens anc
Grow, and they Wele well matched
They are both, when under excitement
exceedingly passionate, the voice o
each Is bhrill and piercing, their ora
tory aggressive aud ev' violent, on
Aleck had the best of il, as lie Tough
on the side Of honesty against bribery
Never did the most robust and power
full man shine brighter IN debate th 1
Stephens on th at occasion, though the
hand of grim death seemed alread,
upon him. The denunciatiOE Of th'
turplsule of MattesOn CRIME was /
/ burst OF such fiery elOQuence as Is sci
dom heard IL Congress. His hth'
/ frame shook nervously, and appearc
as if falling asunder, as he turned hi
/ brilliantly bedmlng eye upon Matte
! son and pointed his lank, bony hnge
j in crushing scOru at the accused. 1h
! Republicans had a majority, N Bank
was Speaker, yet all the efforts o
/ Grow were vain. Stephens carried tn
House with him, and Matteson Wa
/ expelled. 1t was one Of the most eX
! II aOi binary parliamentary triumph
/ ever achieved, and will 0e long re
merbered by those who were pr sen
at tie time.