Following the Civil War, Stevens served on the Joint Committee on Reconstruction and played an important role in drafting both the 14th Amendment and the Reconstruction Act of 1867. Lincoln had already authorized reconstructed governments in Arkansas, Louisiana, Virginia, and Johnson's home state of Tennessee, and Johnson continued Lincoln's goal of quickly restoring local sovereignty to the states. The confederate armies and government surrendered unconditionally. All Rights Reserved. 1 0 obj He focused much of his political attention on civil rights, eventually. After Stevens's death in 1868, the Freedmen's Bureau was chronically underfunded, and although many African Americans held political office in the reconstructed states, the power of the former Confederates rose again through terrorist organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan. They, with their kindred Copperheads of the North, would always elect the President and control Congress. I desire that as early as possible, without curtailing debate, this House shall come to some conclusion as to what shall be done with the rebel States. There are degrees of tyranny. 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. I advocated through a long life, equality of man before his creator. An Address Delivered to the Citizens of Lancaster, Sept. 6, 1865. Such shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.Constitution United States, art.I, sec. government for some years, I know of no arrangement so There are periods in the history of nations when statesmen can make themselves names for posterity; but such occasions are never improved by cowards. What power would the President have over anyone subject of government until Congress had legislated on that subject? Congress refuses to treat the States created by him as of any validity, and denies that the old rebel States have any existence which gives them any rights under the Constitution. Within the broad limits of those eleven States the confederate States had as perfect and absolute control as the United States had over the other twenty-five. It is obvious from all this that the first duty of The second section I consider the most important in the article. Stevens had a difficult childhood; in addition to growing up fatherless, he was poor and had a club foot. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. But I beg gentlemen to consider the magnitude of the task which was imposed upon the committee. Now, Mr. Speaker, unless Congress proceeds at once to do something to protect these people from the barbarians who are now daily murdering them; who are murdering the loyal whites daily and daily putting into secret graves not only hundreds but thousands of the colored people of that country; unless Congress proceeds at once to adopt some means for their protection, I ask you and every man who loves liberty whether we will not be liable to the just censure of the world for our negligence or our cowardice or our want of ability to do so? He served on the Joint Committee on Reconstruction and chaired the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. We They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. RECONSTRUCTION. With other Radical Republicans, he agitated for emancipation, black fighting units, and black suffrage. thaddeus stevens speech on the reconstruction acts summary Thaddeus Stevens seen as one of the fathers of 14th Amendment President Lincoln, Vice President Johnson, and both branches of Congress repeatedly declared that the belligerent States could never again intermeddle with the affairs of the Union, or claim any right as members of the United States Government until the legislative power of the Government should declare them entitled thereto. Thaddeus Stevens was a Republican congressman from Pennsylvania who became the face of the opposition to Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson's lenient approach to the South after the Civil War. No one then supposed that those States had any governments, except such as they had formed under their rebel organization. The white Union men are in a great minority in each of those States. Two years after moving to Pennsylvania, Stevens was admitted to the bar and began practicing in Gettysburg. ?)(qUC . 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. It would not be wise to prevent the raising of the structure because some corner of it might be founded upon materials subject to the inevitable laws of mortal decay. and ought not to exist longer than is absolutely necessary. presenting themselves from a recognized State possess the And I need hardly say that the first time that the South with their copperhead allies obtain the command of Congress it will be repealed. True it will take two, three, possibly five years before they conquer their prejudices sufficiently to allow their late slaves to become their equals at the polls. .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.