Thaddens Stevens, an American statesman, born at Peacham, Caledonia co., Vt., April 4, 1793, died in Washington, D. C, Aug. 11,1868. His parents were poor, and he was lame and sickly from childhood; but he qualified himself by hard study to enter college, and graduated with honor at Dartmouth in 1814. He went immediately to York, Pa., where he taught school and studied law, and soon obtained a large practice. He kept aloof from politics till the election of Jackson in 1828, against whom he took part with great ardor, and became an active member of the whig party. In 1833 and for several succeeding years he was a member of the Pennsylvania legislature, and he became distinguished by his opposition to slavery. He was appointed a canal commissioner in 1838, and rendered important services to the state in the promotion of her system of internal improvements. In 1842 he removed to Lancaster, and for six years devoted himself to his profession, He was elected representative in congress in 1848 and reelected in 1850. He strongly opposed the fugitive slave law and the Kansas-Nebraska bill. He was again elected to congress in 1858, and held his seat till his death.

In his latter years in congress he was a recognized chief of the republican party, and took the lead in all measures for emancipating and arming the negroes and for giving them citizenship. He also advocated acts of confiscation and other severe measures against the confederates; and he was chairman of the managers for the impeachment of President Johnson.