El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-08
BY L. 5. GOEN.

bodies OF Confederate officers under q
certain designated rank. assuming 70
themselves the right to determine uyoti
what conditions they would Iosu.-c
their relations to the union Mem
Of congress were elected, and as an eA-
ample Of the men selected, AieNahuea
II. Stephens, who in May was acting a.
vice president Of the COnfederacy, IN
December presented his credentials 20
the American senate as a senator from
Georgia, to legislate upon the great
questions Of reconstruction.
stevens Becomes Dictator
This is mentioned. not in criticism
but to show the political result ana
folly Of the Johnson plan. and how al
variance it was with the temper and
spirit Of the north. Under the consu-
tutiOnal provision. giving to each house
the right to Judge of the qualifications
Of its own members. the confederate
brigadiers" were, of course. refused
their seats. Stevens Immediately Of
fered resolution excluding them.
which was carried. A speaker was
elected. and Stevens appointed chair
man Of the committee on recOpstruc-
ton. Before that day." says Mccall in
his Life of Stevens" che had been q
leader Of the house OF representatives.
Henceforth he was to become its die
tator."
It is impracticable within the scope
Of a newspaper article to follow and
recount in detail the different enact
ments which were forced over the
presidents veto time after time by
stevens. Sufficient to say that there
is nothing in parliamentary annals for
mastery and holiness that anywhere
near approaches it. Nor did his power
end in the absolute control he eXer-
cised over congress. The force Of his
logic as outlined in his speeches which
were freely and extensively circulated.
so moulded and consolidated public
opinion that he was able to retain that
mastery to the end Of his career.
Undaunted To the End.
His power of leadership is singularly
eXemplified in the impeachment Of
Johnson, which he literally forced
through the house of representatives,
and came within one vote Of convicting
the president on the merest technicality
before the senate sitting as a court Of
impeachment. Throughout the whole
proceeding he was the guiding star.
and though carried into the senate
chamber on a cot, to pronounce his
grafton and defend his position as one
of the managers for the house. he did
not quail.
The pathetic picture of Grant on his
deathbed. writing with pain, writing
his Memoirs. that his family might
have a livelihood, or Of Robespierre
attempting to speak TO his followers
after one jaw had been removed by q
pistol-shot, is not eXcelled by the grim
determination OF Stevens. old, decrepit
and dying, guiding the destinies of his
people to what he believed to be the
secure ground of their liberties and
their perpetual freedom.
Stevens's Services
A careful review Of the life Of
Stevens Will disclose an unfaltering
lnTra 1fr 70 nd in
which was included those held under
the institution Of slavery. the placing
beyond question the absolute equality
OF all men regardless Of race or color.
before the law, and the elevation By
means Of governmental education Of
the poor regardless Of class. race or
color. To these principles. now gener-
ally held by US all, but then held in
contempt by a certain class Of our citi-
senship. he was supremacy devoted
From the pursuit OF those objects
nothing could defect him. From this
,ath he never deviated. and any man
Who opposed him in this became alb
-tractly his enemy. He was absolutely
rec from the faint of hypocrisy, and
iespised the trimmer, the time-server
md the straddler. and would always
Use the most merciless methods to ex-
lose them when found in others. and to
which members Of his own party were
IUA rAHAlDAs ne was ttelAN moved UF
distress and was lavish in the use OF
lis money in the relief of poverty.
This is the man whom Dixon and his
opyist. Griffith, presents to the Amer
can public as a weakling without
Conscience a poltroon without courage,
nd "unerowned king" devoid of every
-ingly quality 1
Reelected After Death.
The surest test OF appreciation after /
II is in the esteem one is held by |
hose who know him best-his home I
olSs, neighbors and constituents. Let /
s apply this test to Stevens. Stevens /
led on a Tuesday preceding the !
Urinary of Saturday which was to |
hoose his successor in congress. No /
lan in his district dared offer for his !,
lace so long as the body Of their Idol 1
7y unburied. The election was held. /
he votes canvassed. and when counted 4
isclosed that every vote in the dis /
riot had been cast for Thaddeus /
tevens. whose body was four days cold /
D death.
In view OF such a tribute the covert I