Thaddeus Stevens Chronicles No. 42

 Super Lawyer Thaddeus Stevens

June 2024

By Ross Hetrick

Of all Thaddeus Stevens's abilities, his talent as a lawyer was his greatest. In a June 28, 1885 article in the Baltimore American, a person who knew him said this: "Mr. Stevens was regarded by many people with an air of superstition. His legal knowledge was so profound and his foresight so keen, that he inspired very many with the belief that he was regarded as almost superhuman."

He won more than a thousand cases during his legal career, according to the book, Thaddeus Stevens in Gettysburg: The Making of an Abolitionist by Bradley R. Hoch. And after Stevens moved to Lancaster, PA in 1842 he earned $15,000 a year, the equivalent of $357,000 in 2004 dollars, the book said. This large income saved him from financial ruin that would have befallen him from the huge losses he took at his Caledonia iron mill near Chambersburg, PA.

Both friend and foe credited Stevens with being the super lawyer of Pennsylvania. An early biographer, Alexander Harris, who knew Stevens and hated him, said much of his power as attorney was his "remarkable memory."

"In the trial of a cause, he very rarely wrote down any of the evidence," as other lawyers did. "He possessed the rare faculty of being able to perceive, as if by intuition, the real point of every case," Harris said. 

"His memory was so powerful that often when a dispute arose among counsel, as to the exact language used by a witness, he would appeal to the judge's notes; and in such instances he [Stevens] was found almost invariably accurate in his recollection of the evidence," Harris wrote.

Another one of Stevens's legal tools was his blighting wit that he could employ on a moment's notice. In a medical case in Chambersburg, a respected Dr. Smith testified along with a quack doctor named Oliver. Stevens intentionally mixed up the names of the two doctors to undercut Dr. Smith's testimony. Smith, who was in his office as Stevens was presenting the case in the courthouse, heard about this and grabbed a cane and proclaimed that he was going to beat Stevens for his treacherous behavior. Marching down the street towards the courthouse, a crowd gathered behind Dr. Smith to see the beating. Dr. Smith met Stevens coming out of the courthouse. "Mr. Stevens," Dr. Smith proclaimed, "I understand that in commenting on my testimony, you called me Dr. Oliver." With a shocked look, Stevens replied, "Did I? I am very sorry for it and when I meet Dr. Oliver, I will apologize." Dr. Smith joined the crowd roaring in laughter, saving Stevens from a beating.

In another case involving land fraud, Stevens turned to an alleged transgressor and said, "The Almighty makes few mistakes. Look at that face! What did He ever fashion it for, save to be nailed to the masthead of a pirate ship to ride down unfortunate debtors sailing on the waves of commerce." 

Things didn't always go Stevens's way and one time a judge caught Stevens mumbling under his breath about one of his rulings and warned him against "manifesting contempt of the court," Stevens replied, "Manifesting contempt, your honor? Sir, I am doing my best to conceal it." That particular exchange went on to be used by none other than the legendary comedian Mae West in the 1940 movie, My Little Chickadee.

Ross Hetrick is president of the Thaddeus Stevens Society, which is dedicated to promoting Stevens's important legacy. More information about the Great Commoner can be found at the society's website: https://www.thaddeusstevenssociety.com/.