PRINTER'S NO. 3720
No. 539 Session of 2000
INTRODUCED BY BARLEY, JUNE 13, 2000
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
JUNE 13, 2000
A RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee of the
2 United States Postal Service to consider and recommend to the
3 United States Postal Service Board of Governors the issue of
4 a commemorative stamp honoring Thaddeus Stevens.
5 WHEREAS, Thaddeus Stevens is known as the "Great Commoner"
6 for his unfailing advocacy for downtrodden people and his
7 vigorous opposition to slavery; and
8 WHEREAS, Born of poor parents in Danville, Vermont, in 1792,
9 Thaddeus Stevens graduated from Dartmouth College in 1814 and
10 moved to York, York County where he was employed as a school
11 teacher, and in 1816 he became a lawyer in Gettysburg, Adams
12 County; and
13 WHEREAS, Thaddeus Stevens had a passion for education and as
14 a member of the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of
15 Pennsylvania gave a speech in 1835 that helped to prevent the
16 law offering free education to the children of this Commonwealth
17 from being repealed; and
18 WHEREAS, Thaddeus Stevens represented Pennsylvania as a
1 member of the Congress of the United States for 14 years and
2 worked tirelessly to end slavery and to create increased
3 economic opportunities for all people; and
4 WHEREAS, During the Civil War, as chairman of the House Ways
5 and Means Committee of the Congress, Thaddeus Stevens ensured
6 that the Union forces were adequately funded and introduced
7 legislation to establish the nation's first greenbacks; and
8 WHEREAS, Thaddeus Stevens served as cochair of the Joint
9 Select Committee on Reconstruction of the Congress and authored
10 the 14th Amendment, the most enduring legislation of the
11 Reconstruction period and likely his greatest contribution to
12 civil rights; and
13 WHEREAS, In 1866 Thaddeus Stevens played a dominant role in
14 the enactment of this amendment guaranteeing equal protection of
15 the laws to all citizens of the United States; therefore be it
16 RESOLVED, That the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
17 memorialize the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee of the United
18 States Postal Service Board of Governors to consider and
19 recommend to the United States Postal Service Board of Governors
20 the issue of a commemorative stamp honoring Thaddeus Stevens as
21 an individual worthy and deserving of the issue of a
22 commemorative stamp by the United States Postal Service; and be
23 it further
24 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
25 the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee of the United States
26 Postal Service.
F9L82DMS/20000H0539R3720 - 2 -