The Hereafter
Faced with $200,000 in debts in 1842 from the poor performance of his Caledonia iron
mill, friends suggested that Stevens declare bankruptcy. "Yes I could," he said. "I may
be forced to take advantage of the bankrupt laws in the next world, but that I will never
do in this. . . there is no way out of such things except to pay the uttermost farthing."
Great Leveler, by Thomas Frederick Woodley, page 141
A letter writer to Stevens said he had been told that Stevens was an unbeliever, to
which Stevens replied: "I have always been a firm believer in the Bible. He is a fool
who disbelieves the existence of God as you say is charged on me. I also believe in the
existence of a hell for the especial benefit of this slanderer." Letter to John T. Keagy,
January 23, 1867. The Selected Papers of Thaddeus Stevens, Vol. 2, by Beverly
Wilson Palmer and Holly Byers Ochoa, page 243.
Faced with $200,000 in debts in 1842 from the poor performance of his Caledonia iron
mill, friends suggested that Stevens declare bankruptcy. "Yes I could," he said. "I may
be forced to take advantage of the bankrupt laws in the next world, but that I will never
do in this. . . there is no way out of such things except to pay the uttermost farthing."
Great Leveler, by Thomas Frederick Woodley, page 141
A letter writer to Stevens said he had been told that Stevens was an unbeliever, to
which Stevens replied: "I have always been a firm believer in the Bible. He is a fool
who disbelieves the existence of God as you say is charged on me. I also believe in the
existence of a hell for the especial benefit of this slanderer." Letter to John T. Keagy,
January 23, 1867. The Selected Papers of Thaddeus Stevens, Vol. 2, by Beverly
Wilson Palmer and Holly Byers Ochoa, page 243.
Slimy Creatures, Skunks, Asses, Bastards
When walking in Lancaster one day, Stevens turned on to South Queen Street and
encountered his old enemy Alexander Harris. "I never get out of the way of a skunk,"
said Harris. "I always do," was Stevens's reply as he walked around Harris. Thaddeus
Stevens, Nineteenth-Century Egalitarian, by Hans L. Trefousse, page 127
When walking in Lancaster one day, Stevens turned on to South Queen Street and
encountered his old enemy Alexander Harris. "I never get out of the way of a skunk,"
said Harris. "I always do," was Stevens's reply as he walked around Harris. Thaddeus
Stevens, Nineteenth-Century Egalitarian, by Hans L. Trefousse, page 127
One day in the 1830s in the Pennsylvania Assembly, a fellow representative spoke
sharply against a measure Stevens had presented. Stevens took the floor and made a
short speech on the merits of the bill, completely ignoring what the prior speaker had
said. As he was about to sit down, he turned to glower upon his critic and said, "Mr.
Speaker, it will not be expected of me to notice the thing which has crawled into this
House and adheres to one of the seats by its own slime." Great Leveler, by Thomas
Frederick Woodley, page 10.
sharply against a measure Stevens had presented. Stevens took the floor and made a
short speech on the merits of the bill, completely ignoring what the prior speaker had
said. As he was about to sit down, he turned to glower upon his critic and said, "Mr.
Speaker, it will not be expected of me to notice the thing which has crawled into this
House and adheres to one of the seats by its own slime." Great Leveler, by Thomas
Frederick Woodley, page 10.