The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-06-11

ing the author has falsified history and
carricatured and sIandered Thaddeus
Stevens, the Stoneman" of the book
that 1t were we'll to look into the facts
of history and see what is true.
On the investigation it will be dis
covered that the errors of Dixon are
on mercy's side. The Clansman gives
Thad. Stevens two children and ex-
PLOTS his love of them as redeeming
features of his character. This was
poetic license" SO to speak, to hui
MAMIE Thad. Stevens SO he would
be a possible figure in fiction. Stevens
was an old bachelor and the author
took license with fiction to illustrate
the point that the younger generation
do not inherit the Ill will and preju-
dice that swayed the agitators of 1850
to 1865. Stevens died in 1868 when the
author kindly gent him South But this
was the highest form of truth for his
measures and his soul came South and
worked their will. And like John
Browns soul are here today in the
form on an acute negro problem, re-
sultant of Thad. Stevens lplan of re-
construction. Lincoln favored restora-
ton, speedy and immediate. He wish
ted Richmond, after its fall, cspec-
tally to consult with Judge Camp
bell, member of the Confederate cab
met, as to best plan of restoration.
Lincoln went SO far as to say that his
desire was that, as far as possible, the
very men who. passed the ordinances
of secession in the several states
these ordinances.
The South knew of this, and the
whole South grieved over the death of
Lincoln and regarded his ASA estimation
as her greatest calamity. Lincoln only
could stay the policy of the Jacobins.
Mr.. James NJ. Scovel, a Northern
man. intimate friend and admirer of
Stevens, some years since wrote for
Northern magazine a character sketch
of Stevens. Dixon must have read the
sketch, for he follows 1t closely. Scovel
says: William Pitt became i'll with
anxiety and grief at the success of Ma
pOleon, and the unexpected surrender
of the Austrian army at Uim gave him
a shock from which he never recov-
cred. Stevens was for two years chair
man of the noted Committee on on Re-
construction in Congress, and was
chairman of the board of managers
Of the House to impeach President
Andrew johnson. The fierce struggle
between the Senate during that great
trial added to his labors as leader of
Congress, which in 1857 lasted all
summer, and his bitter disappointment
at Jonnson's acquittal accelerated his
death. III e made his great speech
urging Impeachment on February "A,
1868, and died on August IL of the
same year.
Scovel further says: "In his early
youth Stevens was sickly and lame in
his right foot. the deformity resem-
bling that of Lord Byron
And Mr.. Scovel again says: Stevens
was never married, but his home at
Lancaster was a rendezvous of all
III L yOr
adverse to a game of poker and the
people of Lancaser complained Of the
Young men lingering long over the
wine when it was red at his house.
Scovel tells how Stevens held the
written constitution in contempt;
Stevens was fond of quoting the say
ing of Abbie Sieyes, the French states
man. that he had hundred constitu-
tions in the pigeon-holes of his escri-
toire; and when at the head of the
Reconstruction Committee in Congress
he said that America was like giant
THAT had outgrown its garments, and
If it's constitutional garment would not
fit, it must be enlarged or new raj
ment must be provided
CAS- chairman of the house COM
mittee on reconstruction he reported
the bill which divided the Southern
States into five military districts and
officers until they adopted constitu
tions that conceded suffrage and equal
rights, political and civic to the
blacks" Mr.. Scovel relates this from
Mr.. Stevens to him as how legislation
was put through which gave the vote
to the negroes,
"Mr. Stevens said to me: The Sher-
man bill, as it was called, had passed
the Senate after many days and nights
nf -fHYh NI7nY -In C1Irr 1eax-
came to my house on Capitol Hill at
3 o'clock in the morning; he was in a
white heat, having wrapped his mar
tial cloak about him in disgust, pre-
ferring not to remain and witness
what he called the infamy of the Sher-
man bill, which followed Lfncoln's
plan, and put the reconstructed States
in statu quo ante bellum, with the
franchise just where it was before the
war. John Forney, in his two papers,
both daily, had heralded the Sherman
bill. which we thought was intended to
make Sherman President in 1868, as a
measure which brought light out of
darkness. Sumner came to consult me
about defeating the Sherman bill i'm the
House. 1t was late in winter of 1866.
l wanted the bill beaten as badly as
Sumner did. ] promised to beat it,
but a majority of the Senate were for
the OlIis ndl1IIl6 1t DIS d measure Oh
pacif1cation and restoration, and it was
the biggest job l ever undertook in the
House. Sentiment was for the bill. But
l went to Sawyer of Wisconsin, a rich
lumberman, as an ally skilled in all
the wiles of legislation, and We began
TO filibuster with Democrats, promise
ing them something better than the
Sherman bill after 4th of March. They
took the bait like so many gudgeons.
and with the Sumner contingent in the
House, we thus defeated John Sher-
mans bill. horse, foot and dragons.
Then in recess of Congress We went
before the people which were more
radical than Congress. The next Con-
gress gave the negro the right to vote.
Right here Thad. Stevens could have
added that as chairman of the Re-
construction Committee he went fur
Their and deceived leaders of his own
party by this device, worse than that
perpetrated on unsuspecting Demo
Gratis of the House. He instructed the
Freedmen's Bureaux in the South to
get up "outrages" between whites and
blacks. He put the outrage MILL al
full work. It's grinding at that time
became historic in the South. Riots
were gotten up, disturbances. negroes