Thaddeus Stevens

Thaddeus Stevens (April 4, 1792 – August 11, 1868) was an American politician and lawyer. He served in the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. He was a leader of the Radical Republican group in the Republican Party during the 1860s.

Stevens was born in rural Vermont. He had a club foot and faced challenges as a child. He later moved to Pennsylvania and became a successful lawyer in Gettysburg. He entered politics and supported free public education. He then moved to Lancaster and worked against slavery.

During the Civil War, Stevens chaired the House Ways and Means Committee. He helped manage the country's money. He pushed to end slavery and support the rights of freed people. After President Abraham Lincoln died, Stevens disagreed with President Andrew Johnson. Johnson wanted to bring Southern states back into the Union without strong protections for freed people. Stevens worked in Congress to oppose Johnson and sought to hold him responsible for his actions.

Early life and education

Thaddeus Stevens was born on April 4, 1792, in Danville, Vermont. He was named after a Polish general who fought in the American Revolutionary War, Tadeusz "Thaddeus" Kościuszko. Thaddeus had a condition called a club foot, which made life harder for him. His family moved to Peacham, Vermont so he could go to school. Even though other students teased him, he worked hard to learn.

After finishing school, Thaddeus went to the University of Vermont, but his studies stopped because the buildings were used during the War of 1812. He then went to Dartmouth College and graduated in 1814. After his graduation speech, he returned to Peacham to teach and started studying to become a lawyer. Soon after, he moved to York, Pennsylvania to teach and keep studying law.

Pennsylvania attorney and politician

Stevens started his path to becoming a lawyer in Pennsylvania. He studied at York Academy and then went to Harford County, Maryland. There, he asked to take the test to become a lawyer and gave some wine to the board, and they let him try. He then moved to Gettysburg and began his law practice in 1816.

At first, Stevens had trouble finding clients. But his reputation grew after he defended a farmer who had been put in jail because he owed money and later hurt one of the jailers. Even though Stevens lost the case, people admired his bravery, and soon he had many cases. He was known for his quick wit and strong views, which later helped him in politics. Stevens cared a lot about education and worked to improve schools in Pennsylvania, helping to start public schooling for all children.

Stevens joined many political movements, including the Anti-Masonry movement, which worked against the secret group called the Masons. He became a leader in this movement and spoke out against them. Later, he moved to Lancaster, where he kept working as a lawyer and in politics, and became one of the most successful lawyers in the area.

Abolitionist and prewar congressman

In the 1830s, many people did not want to end slavery right away. Thaddeus Stevens became one of the early leaders fighting against slavery. He believed strongly that everyone should have equal rights, no matter their background.

Stevens worked hard to protect the rights of African Americans. He helped people escape slavery through a secret network called the Underground Railroad. He also stood up for equal voting rights and treated everyone fairly in his workplace.

Stevens was first elected to Congress in 1848. He spoke out against laws that allowed slavery to spread and warned that these laws could lead to big problems in the country. Even though some people disagreed with him, he kept fighting for what he believed was right.

After leaving Congress for a while, Stevens joined new groups that also opposed slavery. He returned to Congress in 1858 and was elected again in 1860, just as tensions over slavery were reaching a breaking point in the nation.

American Civil War

Slavery

When the Civil War began in April 1861, Thaddeus Stevens believed the Confederates needed to be stopped by force. He thought they had lost the protection of the U.S. Constitution by making war, and that slavery should end in any rebuilt United States. He was appointed chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, giving him control over the House's plans.

Stevens pushed hard for laws to take property, including slaves, from rebels. He wanted all slaves to be freed, though this didn’t happen right away. Over time, laws were passed to end slavery in Washington, D.C., and in areas not part of any state. Stevens was upset that President Lincoln moved slowly on ending slavery. Even so, Stevens used Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in his re-election campaign. He kept pushing for Congress to pass a constitutional amendment to end slavery completely. This finally happened with the Thirteenth Amendment, which officially ended slavery. After that, Stevens also pushed for rights and help for freed slaves.

Financing the war

Stevens helped create laws to pay for the Civil War. He worked quickly to get money for soldiers and to allow the government to borrow funds. He also helped pass important laws, like the Legal Tender Act of 1862, which allowed the government to print paper money. Stevens supported higher taxes on goods, especially iron, to help pay for the war efforts.

Reconstruction

Main article: Reconstruction Era

After the Civil War, people argued about how to bring the Southern states back into the United States and what to do for people who had been slaves. Thaddeus Stevens wanted big changes. He thought the Southern states should be treated as if they had lost their rights. He believed the government should help freed slaves get fair treatment and rights.

Stevens worked hard to make sure the Southern states followed new rules. He wanted land from big plantation owners given to freed slaves so they could start new lives. He also pushed for laws to give African-Americans equal rights and protect them from unfair treatment. Stevens was very strong in his beliefs and worked with other leaders to make these changes happen, even when many people disagreed.

Impeaching President Johnson

Main articles: Efforts to impeach Andrew Johnson, Impeachment of Andrew Johnson, and Impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson

See also: 1868 impeachment managers investigation and Timeline of the impeachment of Andrew Johnson

Thaddeus Stevens thought President Andrew Johnson should be removed from office. He believed Johnson was not following the laws made by Congress and was not supporting the rights of freed people after the Civil War.

Stevens helped lead the effort in the House of Representatives to impeach Johnson. Even with poor health, Stevens worked to support impeachment. The House voted to impeach Johnson, but the Senate trial did not remove him from office. Some senators did not agree with impeaching the president, and there were not enough votes to convict him. Stevens was very unhappy with the result.

Final months and death

Thaddeus Stevens was unhappy that the Republican Party was not fully supporting voting rights for African Americans. He tried to get President Johnson removed from office, but he could not. Stevens was also worried about the violence in the South, where some groups were trying to keep control away from African Americans.

Stevens became very sick and stayed in Washington, D.C., unable to travel back to Pennsylvania. Even though he was in pain, he still met with friends and talked about the upcoming election. He passed away on the night of August 11, 1868. Many people, both Black and white, honored him at his funeral. He was buried in a cemetery that allowed people of all races, showing his belief in equality.

Personal life

Stevens never married, but there were rumors about his long relationship (1848–1868) with his widowed housekeeper, Lydia Hamilton Smith. She was a light-skinned African American. Stevens treated her with great respect, asking his family to call her "Mrs. Smith," which was unusual at the time.

When Stevens passed away, Smith was with him, along with friends and family. Under his will, she could choose between a large sum of money or a smaller yearly allowance, and she also could take furniture from his home. She used the money to buy his house, where she had lived for many years.

Stevens also cared for his two young nephews after their parents passed away. One nephew worked at Stevens's business, while the other studied and later joined his uncle's law practice. During the Civil War, the younger nephew became a captain and sadly passed away in battle.

Historical and popular view

People's ideas about Thaddeus Stevens have changed a lot over time. Early writers who knew him said he was a sincere man who cared about fairness. Some later historians said he strongly supported African Americans but was also very tough on the South.

More recent historians try to see Stevens more fairly. They say he was a powerful speaker and a smart politician who cared about equality. Movies and books show him in different ways, but most agree he was one of the most important leaders in Congress during his time.

Legacy

Thaddeus Stevens is remembered today through schools and buildings named after him. In Washington, D.C., there is a school called Thaddeus Stevens Elementary School. It was founded in 1868 and was the first school for African-American children in the city.

In 2022, a statue of Stevens was unveiled in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to celebrate his 230th birthday. The statue was made by artist Alex Paul Loza and stands in front of the Adams County Courthouse.