Stevens, Thaddeus (1792–1868)

US representative. A passionate opponent of slavery and campaigner for the rights of black Americans, he went to the US House of Representatives 1849–53 as a Whig but left in impatience over the party's stand on slavery. He returned to the House 1859–68, exerting major influence on the conduct of the US Civil War, strongly advocating harsh policies against the Confederate states. He later conflicted with President Andrew Johnson on the treatment of the South, and led the move to impeach Johnson, then died soon after his acquittal.

He was born in Danville, Vermont. Congenitally lame, he grew up with an intense empathy for society's poor and disenfranchised. He graduated from Dartmouth College, then studied law, setting up practice in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 1816. He served in the Pennsylvania's house of representatives 1833–41, and helped form the new Republican Party in Pennsylvania. He often disagreed with Abraham Lincoln on the conduct of the Civil War. After the US Civil War he emerged as the leader of the Radical Republicans and got himself appointed to the joint committee on reconstruction. He favoured treating the South as what he called ‘a conquered province’. He remains one of the most problematic of American politicians – his espousal of the rights of black Americans spoiled by his intolerance of those who disagreed with his approach.