The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-11-05
FROM Mc .N'co", G"., Ticgroph.
"A Statesman's Home.


observe on tho summit Of ridge on the
outskirts of the village Of Charlottesville =.
two-story wooden house well shaded by {;
grove ofvenerable oaks, and with q lawn
III front gently sloping to the south, planted
with no great regard to order in shrubLerv
and fruit trees.
The house is without any prctcns;on to
modern architectural style but is built after
The fashion and in conformity with the
plans OF the country residences of wealthy
Georgia planters thirty years ago.
This modest mansion with its novel and
attractive surroundings, is tho domc of a
gentleman who has occupied no small share
OF public attention for the last fifteen wears.
lie is known TO his immediate circle ochiends
as "Aleck"-to his nc;shbors and acouain
tances Of Taliaftrro county as IS ;,irc
N'cphcns'-and TO the republic at lar.se T.,
stephens Of Georyia.' The name Of Al
cxandcr ii. Stephens, is q household word
III the eighth congressional district.
Mr. Stephens began to practise in Craw-
'ordsvI'c about the year 1854, and board.
{! III the family Of the cslimHh!c gentleman
who resided i'll AMI owned tic Lousc f.,
winch we have referred above. Ath;s J.,,,,
Mr. Stephens was left his executor, and =,
'hc sale OF the real estate became the ,,ur
ch'Ser OF the house and twenty acres Of
land a'il"ining, and has resided there Since
mat time when not an attendant on public
duties at Washington. Until recently M
material changes were made in the hams.
anu even no" to the front view it stands as
originally bu'it-two Stories, porch with
pam columns, eight rooms. passage il! the
middle, dc. l;cccntly two rooms, rtcu.
"eo lor library AMI bed chamber, and Il
small airy passage, have L.en added to the
house.
North Of Tic mansion AMI on tI:c ,,,o,c or
hill are the garden, orchard, and vine.
yard' an1 If a visitor i'll the month Of An.
s""l should tarry day i'll the quiet viilar,
near by and should CRAFTY 4 ,.arJ,u.I, j.,
curiosity 10y looking over the place, he will
IND wellsc!cctcd and choice variety ,r
'ru'ts-peachcs, pears, apples Strawberries
grapes DC. While slrolling over the car
den, II the visitor will cast his eve north
eastward, he will see the smoke curI;ur IN
from the chimncys ola farmhouse ,bou,
two miles distant, and on the highest poin,
OF land in the circuit Of his vision,
1h's is the treasured spot above all 9th
crs, to Mr. Stephens. 1t is Il f.mily home.
Stead the place where his grandfather SCI.
lied shortly after the rcvolu,on-,he place
where his father lived and died, and the
place upon which the statesman was barn
a ride Of a half hour, over a broken but
beautiful country, will bring you to the
i;srln, and on the right Of the road, and Lut
a snort distance from tho farm buildings, on
inc top OF hill, is the spot where his fa.
thcr lived. The buildings have all been
removed, and there are no traces to ,ho
eye OF stranger left to mark the SPOT. bnt
1hey are ndeliby impressed upon the mcm-
ory OF MIR. Stephens. Just under that cumn
OF trees is the spring, still flowing pure and
1ree' from which he drank; near by is the
grove OF widespreading oaks under whose
refreshing and friendly shade he acoustic
med to play, and all around arc the hills
over which he clambered when Il boy All
these mcmcntoes Of youth are treasured re-
collections with man whose name IS e..
nous Tor cloquencc, learning, and patrio-
t'sn, from the Arostook to the Rio Grande.
And 1t is refreshing to observe the Influences
OF home and hearth and youthful associa.
tons, upon SO exalted nature and such :,
lofty intellect; to see great man with such
affections glowing, spreading, and kindline
with tremulous feeling over the rccoIlcc.
Lions OF early home and boyhood, in this
unitarian, practical. unromantic ace, makes
one feel and know that the "c,eat events
with which old story rings" are rot all vain
and hollow. Reader, pardon the cposole.
Ihe farm, at the death of the father Of Mr.
stephens, was sold and went into possession
OF strangers to the blood but as soon rs the
young lawyer secured the means, he repur-
chased the old homestead. The lands lave
been IN cultivation for more than half y
century, but 10y judicious system of ma
nur'ng' dItcbing, and drainage many fields
which were turned out MS exhausted anil
worthless have been reclaimed, and, under
the improved methods of cultivation vil1.
ed return for labor almost equal to vir-
gin soil. About four miles west of C1aw-
fordville, and in full view of the railroad
may be seen the vineyard of Mr.. Ak, who
has been SO successful in making wine from
cur native grape.
The experiments OF Mr.. Ak with the Crane
conclus'vely demonstrate that Middle Geor-
g'a' In climate and soil, is peculiarly adap-
ted to the cultivation of the vine, and that
vineyards may be made source of reve-