Thaddeus Stevens as a Lancaster Politician 1842-1868 by Robert J. Hoelscher PREFACE This paper is anything but a complete study of the life of Thaddeus Stevens. Within the last forty years, Thomas Frederick Woodley, Alphonse B. Miller, Richard N. Current, Ralph Korngold, and Fawn M. Brodie have

the Old Commoner. During his lifetime, and subsequent to it Thaddeus Stevens (1792-1868) was praised by some and despised by others. On sev- eral points, however, there has been general agreement among his contemporaries and most students of history. Few will argue with the observation that he was the

. The construction con- tended for by the plaintiffs in error would be an exclusion of the citizens of our sister States from these foun- tains of health, unwarranted by any principle of humanity or policy, or the spirit and letter of the law." In his Congressional reminiscences of Mr. Stevens, the late

, Millersville, Pa. · PRESS OF THENEW ERA PRINTING COMPANY LANCATER PA. THE SPEECH OF HON. THADDEUS STEVENS IN FAVOR OF FREE SCHOOLS. The Act of 1834, providing for the organization of a system of Common Schools in Pennsylvania, was framed by Senator Samuel Breck, and passed in the Senate with three negative

freedom from vituperation and defamation, it sets an example which the politicians of to- day could follow with credit to them- selves, something they are not likely to do, however. F. R. D. First Letter to Thaddeus Stevens. Lancaster, August 16, 1832. Dear Sir: I rec'd your letter yes- terday and had