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Thaddeus Stevens: Nineteenth-Century Egalitarian (Civil War America)

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Hans Trefousse has done a magnificent job in portraying the "Great Commoner" and his effect on the United States. In fact, the book inspired myself and some other people in Gettysburg to start the Thaddeus Stevens Society to promote his memory. For information about the society, write The Thaddeus Stevens Society, 65 W. Middle Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325 or email me at rhetrick@gettysburg.edu.

I want to thank Hans L Tredousse for a remarkable job on the unfolding of the character of one of the most complex individuals I have ever studied. Trefousse does a great job of showing us as much of what is humanly possible to know about Thaddeus Stevens.

By far, Stevens comes alive in the preface of Trefousse'account. The reader is pulled gently into the life of this individal because of the hardships he experienced as a child and because of his determination to see justice prevailed.

As I progressed into the book, I marvelled at both the strengths and weaknesses of this complex man called Thaddeus Stevens. Personally, I think he was a man before his times. It is unfortunate that he considered himself a failure. We have had many presidents in recent years who could not or would not acknowledge that they had achieved anything of "real tangible worth". Stevens comes to the end of life feeling that he had achieved very little of lasting value. It is truly worth lamenting! If Stevens could come back to this century, I think he would be astonished to see what legacy he left the United States and particular minorities who have benefitted much from his efforts to support emancipation and a true Reconstruction for those who had suffered because of slavery.

I was first introduced to Thaddeus Stevens in Lerone Bennett's BEFORE THE MAYFLOWER. I found Stevens to be the underdog, but an all powerful hero for the rights of equality. I think the second best thing to having enjoyed Trefousse' outling the work of Stevens would be to see the book made into historical fiction. Somewhere out there in "fantasy land" is an actor who could bring more to "life" this complex man called Thaddeus Stevens

Thaddeus Stevens casts a long shadow in American History; a shadow that continues to bedevil the likes of Robert Bork, Anton Scalia and the so-called "original intent" crowd.

Stevens, the tactical leader of the "radical Republicans" through the Civil War and Reconstruction era stands probably second to only James Madison in Constitutional history.

Considering his historical role a thorough biography has been long overdue. Trefousse has gone a long way toward supplying a fresh biography of the man. In its pages he has applied the extensive depth of modern scholarship now available on the reconstruction era.

Only Fawne Brodie has attempted a biography in recent times and that book, Thaddeus Stevens: Scourge of the South has slid thankfully out of print.

The Trefousse biography will likely be the standard source on the life of "the old Commoner" for some decades to come.

Hans L. Trefousse wrote a definitive biography on this great Republican that helped initiated the Reconstruction period after the post-Civil War period. The sub-titled: 19th Century Egalitarian proves to be an aptly named since Stevens proves to be one of the foremost egalitarians of his century. The book clears up the myths and misconceptions that Stevens were often regarded in and set the records straight. Well written, nicely researched and with superbly insights, I can only wished that the book went even deeper into Stevens' life.

The book also goes into Stevens' strengths, weaknesses and his troubles. I thought it was a honest effort on the part of the author to showed the reader the complete man and the account of Stevens' life proves to be balance and fair.

One of the more interesting aspects of this book lies within the struggled between Stevens and Andrew Johnson. The fight between "reconstruction of the south" to the "restoration of the south". This struggle had far reaching consequences in our nation's politics as well as racial relationship. Although product of his time and era, Stevens proves to be far ahead of himself in terms of race relations. It was interesting to learned that his concerns lies not only with the blacks but also toward Indians and Orientals. The book reflects accurately in the end that Stevens was a true egalitarian in the truest form.