St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-08-16
THADDEUS STEVENS.



Readers of the CALIFORNIAN ought
to be especially interested in this
new book for two reasons, the great
statesman was a native OF Danville
and the writer is well known in this
county having married Lyndon
girl. AS no extended biography Of
"the great commoner" has ever been
published, Congressman Mccall had
to find the material from many
sources. But he was especially fortu-
nate in having personal interviews
with statesmen who served in Con-
gress with Mr.. Stevens, notably ex-
Senator Davis Of Massachusetts and
Hon. George S. Boutwell, of Maine.
He has also consulted many records
and books which throw side lights
upon the public life of the statesman
and the book is well worth a place
in any public or private library.
Concerning his birthplace, Danville,
and his early history, our readers
will be interested in these extracts
from the book:
1.-THE father of Thaddeus does not
appear to have had the thrifty and
enterprising qualities necessary to
achieve success in the wilderness, al
though he was well versed in the science
of surveying so useful to the pioneer, and
which in the settlement of this country
has often brought to it's possessor not
merely good wages, but also large tracts
of land gained by surveying on shares"
He re-surveyed the lines OF the town Of
Danville and his measurements are the
legal ones today. He was shoemaker
also and his son Thaddeus learned
enough of the trade to enable him to
make shoes for the family. He enjoyed a
wide reputation as an athlete, especially
at wrestling, and was able, like young
Abraham Lincoln, to throw any man in
the neighborhood."
THE location of Danville on the
western edge of the valley which there
takes its name from the Passumpsic, but
few miles further south merges into the
Connecticut, is beautiful in the extreme.
The land rises rapidly toward the west
from st. Johnsbury, ten miles distant,
and in general level it attains an altitude
in Danville of 1000 feet above the sea.
The principal peaks of the White and
Franconia mountains in New Hampshire
are distinctly visible, and in the other
direction the Green Mount aims make a
jagged horizon, with their SUBMITS up
lifted against the sky. Pleasing as are
outlines of the mountains and the beauty
of the valleys and lesser hills, they form
by no means the most attractive features
of the scenery. No verdure has brighter
green in the spring time, or more bril-
liant variety of coloring in the autumn
than the maple forests in that portion
OF Vermont One would not know where
to find more gorgeous picture than
can be seen from one of the hills in that
section upon clear September or Octo.
Der day. The maple trees afforded more
solid benefit than to color the Landscape
and when the supply of food was almost
exhausted at the close of long winter
they furnished that well-known, whole.
some sugar which helped to presei We the
first immigrants from starvation"
The biographer believes that the
stirring times in the state before
coming into the United States
powerfully tended to develop in a
bright and studious boy the qualities
of individuality and of a sturdy
independence" In the first chapter
is also an account Of his life al
Peacham and his rebellious act il
refusing to take part in the public
exhibition in the day time, and tax
ing part in play in the evening
which was strictly forbidden by thu
school authorities. Commenting OF
this incident, which was fully devei
oped in the recent centennial O
Peacham Academy by Prof. Bunker
Congressman Mccall says: "a
this point Thaddeus Stevens for tn
first time emerges into the full ligh
of history, and in view of his subse
quent anathemas against treason
it is remarkable that his first appear
ance should have been in the role @
a rebel"
Stevens attended the University @
Vermont and Dartmouth College
graduating from the latter institu
ton in 1911. At the Burlington
institution the biographer relate
the occurrence of this amusing inc
dent:
: "An obstinate resident of Burlingto
) insisted upon pasturing his cow upon til
? college campus at commencement tim,
in spite OF protests, and the disput
, became so warm that one night the co,
became the innocent victim of practice
! joke and was killed. Stevens an
another student were guilty of til
offence, but circumstances pointe
strongly to a student who was altogethe
/. innocent The owner of the COW d
|. manded satisfaction, and the suspecte
s student was about to be expelled frol
n college. Stevens and his college conrad
n were tree from suspicion, but they coul
e not escape punishment by keeping slenc