Thaddeus Stevens April 4, 1792 - August 11, 1868. The law has nothing to do with it. In the speech below which Stevens gave in the U.S. House of Representatives on January 3, 1867 supporting the Reconstruction bill then being debated, he issued a response to those who said his call was radical and incendiary with a now famous quotation: I am for negro suffrage in every rebel State. As a politician in Pennsylvania, he supported free public education and suffrage for African Americans. SUMMARY On May 8, 1866, Thaddeus Stevens delivered this speech introducing the 14thAmendment in the U.S. House of Representatives. The leader of the Radical Republicans in the House, Stevens was a lawyer, politician, and staunch abolitionist. No one then supposed that those States had any governments, except such as they had formed under their rebel organization. Call Us Today! if we leave them to the legislation of their late masters, endobj Under such governments, while electing members to the territorial Legislatures, they will necessarily mingle with those to whom Congress shall extend the right of suffrage. University of Pittsburgh Press, 1998). The Reconstruction Act also divided the South into five military districts under commanders empowered to employ the army to protect black property and citizens. Heaven forbid that the southern states, or any one of them, should be represented by this floor until such monuments of freedom are built high and firm. Simply allowing the Southern states to rejoin the Union upon the acceptance of federal sovereignty by ten percent of voters and ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment was not even close to sufficient for Stevens, who, like many in the North, held the Southerners completely responsible for four years of unprecedented bloodshed. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. . In what have we taught them the science and granted them the privilege of self-government? Thaddeus Stevens was born in Danville, Vermont, on April 4, 1792. Analytical Services; Analytical Method Development and Validation . Thaddeus Stevens on the Great Topic of the Hour. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. I have long since wished that capital punishment were abolished. In the States they form the great mass of the loyal men. All Rights Reserved. They, with their kindred Copperheads of the North, would always elect the President and control Congress. Stevens became a natural leader in Congress and served as a member of the House until his death in 1868. practice justice to all men, and accustom themselves to make Do not tell me that there are loyal representatives waiting for admissionuntil their States are loyal they can have no standing here. There they can learn the principles of freedom and eat the fruit of foul rebellion. Viewing Pres. The war was acknowledged by other nations as a public war between independent belligerents. Stevens was an opponent of slavery before the war and after the war sought to secure the rights of the newly freed population in the former Confederacy. Not in the Executive, for he only executes and cannot make laws. the Constitution shall have been so amended as to make it As the nation edged toward Civil War, Stevens, now living in Pennsylvania, was elected to Congress in 1849 as an antislavery Republican. Stevens attended Peacham Academy, where he excelled in his academics, and then enrolled at Dartmouth College. homesteads, and hedge them around with protective laws; I deny that there is any understanding, expressed or implied, that upon the adoption of the amendment by any State, that such State may be admitted, (before the amendment becomes part of the Constitution.? Possibly the people would not have inaugurated this revolution to correct the palpable incongruities and despotic provisions of the Constitution; but having it forced upon them, will they be so unwise as to suffer it to subside without erecting this nation into a perfect Republic? They were subject to the controlling power of the conquerors. Radical Republican congressional leader during Reconstruction (1865-77) who battled for freedmen's rights and insisted on stern requirements for readmission of Southern states into the Union after the Civil War (1861-65). This I take to be the great question between the President and Congress. How far their liabilities remained there was more difference of opinion. . %PDF-1.5 Best Known For: Thaddeus Stevens, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives during Abraham Lincoln's presidency, fought to abolish slavery and helped draft the 14th Amendment during Reconstruction. The Meaning of Emancipation in the Reconstruction Era K. A. Cuordileone New York City College of Technology, CUNY Overview The end of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery raised complicated issues and dilemmas for Americans during the Reconstruction era (1865-1877). What power would the President have over anyone subject of government until Congress had legislated on that subject? . Whose especial duty is it to do it? Mr. Speaker, that charge, as I have stated, is. . Let us at least escape that condition. A few moments may be profitably spent in seeking the meaning of each of these terms. While slavery sat upon her defiant throne, and insulted and intimidated the trembling North, the South frequently divided on questions of policy between Whigs and Democrats, and gave victory alternately to the sections. He must ask leave of Congress. States and declare when they are entitled to be represented. With the basis unchanged the 83 South With other Radical Republicans, he agitated for emancipation, black fighting units, and black suffrage. Thaddeus Stevens, "Reconstruction" Speech, September 6, 1865. >IQ No Government can be free that does not allow all its citizens to participate in the formation and execution of her laws. The policy and personal disputes between Johnson and Stevens helped frame the Reconstruction era, mirroring the divisions present in the nation as a whole. For while some in Congress may have believed that enough was done to assist them already simply by being freed, the only thing essentially done was what was morally right (the bare minimum) by freeing them of the confinements of dependence they had been succumbed to, and then leaving them . Petition to US Congress for Womens Suffrage, President Andrew Jacksons Message to Congress On Indian Removal, Canada Bans Commercial Fishing in Lakes St. Clair and Erie, Great Britain Withdraws from the Concert of Europe. Certainly many people shared his outrage and desire to see the former Confederates punished, but his particular bitterness ran counter to the feelings of many others who wanted to see a quick reconciliation with the South and who cared little about anything more than rudimentary freedom for former slaves. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thaddeus-Stevens, HistoryNet - Biography of Thaddeus Stevens, National Endowment for the Humanities - Biography of Thaddeus Stevens, Spartacus Educational - Biography of Thaddeus Stevens, Thaddeus Stevens - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). I know that there is a morbid sensibility, sometimes called mercy, which affects a few of all classes, from the priest to the clown, which has more sympathy for the murderer on the gallows than for his victim. For I believe, on my conscience, that on the continued ascendancy of that party depends the safety of this great nation. And yet I am amazed and alarmed at the impatience of certain well-meaning Republicans at the exclusion of the rebel States until the Constitution shall be so amended as to restrain their despotic desires. As everyone within the government knew, Stevens was not amenable to allowing the Confederates to regain their role within the Union. stream We have turned, or are about to turn, loose four million slaves without a hut to shelter them or a cent in their pockets. The first section, prohibits the States from abridging the privileges and immunities of citizens of the United States, or unlawfully depriving them of life, liberty, or property, or of denying to any person within their jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. He served on the Joint Committee on Reconstruction and chaired the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. In 1867 Pennsylvania Congressman Thaddeus Stevens and Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner led the campaign for full voting rights for African Americans across the nation. Many Southern states quickly passed what became known as the Black Codesrepressive laws that governed where and when freedmen could go, the conditions under which they would work, and the limits on their gathering together. How absurd that a mere executive officer should claim creative powers! Thaddeus Stevens, (born April 4, 1792, Danville, Vermont, U.S.died August 11, 1868, Washington, D.C.), U.S. % Such a course would be senseless, inconsistent, and illogical. The material spans the years 1811-1927, with the bulk of the collection dating from 1850 to 1868. Holding them like clay in the hands of the potter, we must see that no vessel is made for destruction. Astrological Sign: Aries, Death Year: 1868, Death date: August 11, 1868. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Finally, Stevens turned his attention to the plight of the former slaves who, though free, were without a hut to shelter them or a cent in their pockets. Rather than looking for Congress to help the Confederates, Stevens thought it more proper for Congress to shepherd the freedmen, providing them with the basic tools they needed in terms of education, legal protections, and security to establish themselves in their newfound freedom. The President claims the right to exercise them. Whether they should ever have all men of both sections, without exception, agreed would depend on the will of Congress, if the United States were victorious. . May I ask, without offense, will Congress have the courage to do its duty? After the war Stevens emerged as one of the most militant of the Radical Republicans, consistently striving for justice for the black masses. Death State: Washington, D.C. Death Country: United States, Article Title: Thaddeus Stevens Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/political-figures/thaddeus-stevens, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: May 25, 2021, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. endobj The abolition of slavery slowly became Steven's primary political focus and, as a result, he emerged as one of the nation's most militant Radical Republicans. . This amendment supplies that defect, and allows Congress to correct the unjust legislation of the States, so far that the law which, operates upon one man shall operate equally upon all. government for some years, I know of no arrangement so The states of the entire southern half of the nation had seceded, but they were again under federal jurisdiction after the Union victory. Some answer, Your civil rights bill [the Civil Rights Act of 1866] secures the same things. That is partly true, but a law is repealable by a majority. Congress is to pass a law declaring the condition of these Let us now refer to the provisions of the proposed amendment. If it be just, it should not be denied; if it be necessary, it should be adopted; if it be a punishment to traitors, they deserve it. outside or defunct States, and providing proper civil Congress must create States and declare when they are entitled to be represented. Thaddeus Stevens, Speech on reconstruction, December 18, 1865. 2023 National Constitution Center. endobj Thaddeus Stevens (April 4, 1792 - August 11, 1868) was a . The wagon of Watson was broken. ?)(qUC What are the great questions which now divide the nation? Military rule is necessarily despotic, and ought not to exist longer than is absolutely necessary. The Black Codes passed in those states to keep the freed slaves from exercising their new freedoms further angered the Radical Republicansand even most moderate Republicans. But I beg gentlemen to consider the magnitude of the task which was imposed upon the committee. The President is for exonerating the conquered rebels from all the expense and damages of the war, and for compelling the loyal citizens to pay the whole debt caused by the rebellion. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. The President assumes, what no one doubts, that the late rebel States have lost their constitutional relations to the Union, and are incapable of representation in Congress, except by permission of the Government. governed by martial law. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Thaddeus Stevens, Republican congressman from Pennsylvania, gave a speech before Congress that articulated his vision for the period following the Civil War, known as Reconstruction. But the public mind has been educated in error for a century. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}The Candidates in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Race, Sen. John Fetterman Wants to Talk About Depression, 6 Key Players in Donald Trumps Indictment, The Story of President Ulysses S. Grants Arrest, Dianne Feinstein: 10 Issues She Has Worked On, What We Know About Mitch McConnells Fall. The commander of an army who should find his enemy intrenched on impregnable heights would act unwisely if he insisted on marching his troops full in the face of a destructive fire merely to show his courage. Thaddeus Stevens, (born April 4, 1792, Danville, Vermont, U.S.died August 11, 1868, Washington, D.C.), U.S. These are great advantages over their present codes. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. By 1866, the Radical Republicans had taken significant control of Congress, due in no small part to Stevens's leadership. Contributor: Stevens Thaddeus [Radical Republican Thaddeus Stevens was a Congressman from Pennsylvania who long opposed slavery and advocated for black suffrage. wrapinknot - wrapinknot by ragtag online; ! Possibly with their aid loyal governments may be established in most of those States. To my mind it is either the most ignorant and shallow mistake of his duties, or the most brazen and impudent usurpation of power. ; Hon. The infernal laws of slavery have prevented them from acquiring an education, understanding the common laws of contract, or of managing the ordinary business of life. It portrayed a strident vision of the Reconstruction era, wherein the defeated Southern states were not welcomed back with open arms, and their rights would remain curtailed until Congress saw fit to restore them. The confederate States refused to negotiate with the United States, except upon the basis of independence of perfect national equality. The parties acknowledged each other as such, and claimed to be governed by the law of nations and the laws of war in their treatment of each other. Andrew Johnson as soft toward the South, he introduced the resolution for his impeachment (1868) and served as chairman of the committee appointed to draft impeachment articles. In this, Stevens was zealous, but well outside of the mainstream of Northern opinion, a fact that would shape the mixed record of accomplishment and frustration that followed. The Candidates in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Race, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Thaddeus Stevens, Birth Year: 1792, Birth date: April 4, 1792, Birth State: Vermont, Birth City: Danville, Birth Country: United States. He composed his own epitaph, which reads, "I repose in this quiet and secluded spot, not for any natural preference for solitude. After the Confederacy was defeated, the southern states were devastated Corrections? What can be plainer? With the basis unchanged the 83 Southern members, with the Democrats that will in the best times be elected from the North, will always give a majority in Congress and in the Electoral college. Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" (2012) is a two-and-a-half hour film that zeroes in on a defining moment from near the end of the Civil War -January 1865 and the debate over the proposed amendment to the Constitution abolishing slavery. There are several good reasons for the passage of this bill [Military Reconstruction Act]. Image 3 of Speech of Hon. He desires that the traitors (having sternly executed that most important leader, Rickety Weirze,7 as a high example) should be exempt from further fine, imprisonment, forfeiture, exile, or capital punishment, and be declared entitled to all the rights of loyal citizens. Congressional Globe, December 18, 1865, p. 72. Having witnessed the oppressive slave system at close range, he early developed a fierce hatred of bondage and defended numbers of fugitives without fee. 3 which possibly now, on looking at it, I might deem intemperate, but which I then deemed necessary to rouse the public attention and cast odium upon the worst institution upon earth:. The film claims that it was "Based in Part on Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln . exclaims some horror-stricken demagogue. This Congress is bound to provide for them until they can He is determined to force a solid rebel delegation into Congress from the South, and, together with Northern Copperheads, could at once control Congress and elect all future Presidents. and obey equal laws. Then Persia, with her kings and satraps, was free; then Turkey is free! our republican Government firm and stable forever. He dominated the House during Reconstruction and proposed the impeachment of President .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Andrew Johnson. Rather than debate the presidential plan, Stevens took a different tack, questioning the very propriety of having the executive branch direct Reconstruction policy. He desires that the States created by him shall be acknowledged as valid States, while at the same time he inconsistently declares that the old rebel States are in full existence, and always have been, and have equal rights with the loyal States. It guaranteed all citizensincluding freedmenequal rights and protections under state and federal law and set conditions for readmission of former . acting in the Union, or of being counted as valid States, until An anti-Masonic member of the state legislature (183341), he proved himself a friend of banks, internal improvements, and public schools and a foe of Freemasons, Jacksonian Democrats, and slaveholders. Stevens's Reconstruction efforts were resisted by President Andrew Johnson, which frustrated the congressman and prompted him to fight back against the president; Stevens introduced the resolution for President Johnson's impeachment and chaired the committee responsible for drafting impeachment articles. Now, sir, it is for these reasons that I insist on the passage of some such measure as this. He graduated at Dartmouth College in 1814, removed to York, Pennsylvania, was admitted to the bar (in Maryland), and for fifteen years practiced at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. . RECONSTRUCTION. and ought not to exist longer than is absolutely necessary. No one then pretended that the eleven States had any rights under the Constitution of the United States, or any right to interfere in the legislation of the country. They did not claim to raise an insurrection to reform the Government of the country -a rebellion against the laws-but they asserted their entire independence of that Government and of all obligations to its laws. That decision, although in terms perhaps not as infamous as the Dred Scott decision, is yet far more dangerous in its operation upon the lives and liberties of the loyal men of this country. I pronounce it no nearer to a true Republic now when twenty-five million of a privileged class exclude five million from all participation in the rights of government. In the second place, it is a necessity in order to protect the loyal white men in the seceded States. . But this is not all that we ought to do before inveterate rebels are invited to participate in our legislation. of Thaddeus Stevens, Vol. There are those who admit the justice and ultimate utility of granting impartial suffrage to all men, but they think it is impolitic. It is to be regretted that inconsiderate and incautious Republicans should ever have supposed that the slight amendments already proposed to the Constitution, even when incorporated into that instrument, would satisfy the reforms necessary for the security of the Government. Ensuring the rights of former slaves, now called freedmen, was, to Johnson, a matter for state governmentsanother important issue on which he and Stevens's Radical Republicans disagreed.
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thaddeus stevens reconstruction speech summary