THADDEUS STEVENS: A RADICAL REPUBLICAN IN RECONSTRUCTION
Thaddeus Stevens was arguably the most influential member of the Radical Republican Party during Reconstruction. He believed in harsh punishment of Southern disloyalists and fought for the rights of the freedmen. In the time just after the end of the Civil War, there was no established plan for bringing the former Confederate states back into the Union. Democrats, led by President Johnson favored a program that would be lenient on the South. More moderate Republican views proved to be the majority, though, until continued efforts of Reconstruction failed and dissaproval of Johnson’s actions grew. Stevens helped the Radical Republicans take the majority and put into action their plan for the reconstruction of the South. This included a revolutionized South based economic independence of the freedmen. This was to be accomplished by breaking up plantations and distributing land equally among former slaves. [1]
The first letter chosen was one written by Stevens to E. Billingfelt on October 29, 1866. This letter provides us with two important ideas. One is that Stevens was an ardent supporter of Negro rights, and the other is that many men of the North disliked Blacks as much as Southerners. [2] The second letter, which is written to Stevens from J.M. Boomall, shows the split between the Radical Republicans and the more moderate party members. Also we see in it the difficulty with which Reconstruction bills were voted through and enforced because of this division. [3] The third letter that we included is one to Stevens from Allen Brinmade. This letter shows the importance of affiliation with the Radical Republicans, and the political influence Stevens carried within his party. [4] Finally, the fourth letter is written to Stevens by John T. Kealy. In it we see how personal attacks at one’s morality was clearly within the scope of political argument of the time. [5] Also Stevens personal and religious views are given in his response to Kealy.[6]
The documents we chose give us different look at Stevens’ views and opinion on matters of the time. They also show the importance of party membership, give a look at personal attacks on individual character of political enemies, and offer incite into public opinions of Northern whites toward Black Freedmen. Other documents from the six month period which we researched were not chosen because they showed little relevance to Reconstruction. Most of the letters that we excluded were personal memos that were not political in nature.
FOOTNOTES
1. Barney, William L., The Passage of the Republic. D.C. Heath and Co., Lexington, Massachusetts: 1987. p. 240.
2. Thaddeus Stevens to E. Billingfelt, 29 October 1866, Media. Scholarly Resources, Wilmington: 1993.
3. J.M. Boomhall to Thaddeus Stevens, 9 October 1866, "Adam Sentinel." Scholarly Resources, Wilmington: 1993.
4. Allen T Brinmade to Thaddeus Stevens, 9 January 1867. Scholarly Resources, Wilmington: 1993.
5. John T. Kealy to Thaddeus Stevens, 21 January 1867, William M. Hall, Reminiscences and Sketches: Harrisburg, 1890. Scholarly Resources, Wilmington: 1993.
6. Thaddeus Stevens to John T. Kealy, 23 January 1867, William M. Hall, Reminiscences and Sketches: Harrisburg, 1890. Scholarly Resources, Wilmington: 1993.
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