Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-03-20
Qolultal.
Thc southern Confederacy.

those of President DAVIS and his Cabinet, as they
NAV hereafter possess historic interest
JEFFERSON DAVIS PRESIDENT.
Few men have led life more filled with stir
ring or eventfu incidents than Jefferson Davis.
A native of Kentucky, born about 1906, he went
in early youth with his father to Mississippi, then
Territory, and was appointed by President Mon
roe in 1922 to be cadet at West Point. He
graduated with the first honors in 1898, as Brevet
Second Lieutenant; and at his request was
placed in active service, being assigned to the
command of General (then Colonel) Zachary
Taylor, who stationed at the West. In the
frontier wars Of the time young Davis distin
guished himself in &c marked manner that when
a new regiment of dragons was formed, he at
once obtained a commission as first Lieutenant.
During this time a romantic attachment sprang
up between him and his prisoner, the famous |
chief Black Hawk, in which the latter forgot his
animosity to the people of the United States in
his admiration for Lieut. Davis, and not until his
death was the bond of amity severed between the
two brave men. In 1885 he settled quietly down
upon a cotton plantation, devoting himself to n
thorough and systematic course of political and
scientific education. He was married to daugh-
ter of Gen. Taylor. In 1874 he took the stump
for Polk, and in 1915, having attracted no little
attention in his State bv his vgor and ability, he
was elected to Congress. Ten days after he made |
his maiden speech. Soon the Mexican war broke
out, and a regiment of volunteers having been
formed in Mississippi and himself chosen Col
onel he resigned his post in Congress, and in |
stantly repaired with his command to join the
corps d'Grmee under Gen. Taylor At Monterey
and Buena Vista he and his noble regiment
achieved the soldiers highest fame. Twice by
his coolness he saved the day at Buena Vista.
Wherever fire was hottest or danger to be en-
countered. there Col. Davis and the Mississippi
Rifles were to be found. He was badly wounded
in the early part of the action, but sat his horse
steadily till the day won, and refused to dele
gate even a portion of his duties to his subordi
nate officers. In lS4S he was appointed to fill
the vacancy in the Senate of the United States
occasioned by the death of Gen. Speight, and in
1850 was elected to that body almost unani-
mously for the term of si:. years. In 1851 he re-
signed his seat in the Senate to become the State
rights candidate for Governor. but was defeated
BY Governor Foote. In 1853 he was called to a
seat i'm the Cabinet of President Pierce, and was
Secretary of War during his administration. In
1857 he was elected United States Senator from
Mississippi for the term of six years, which office
he held until his resignation on the secession of
Mississippi from the Union. Personally, he is
the last man who would be selected rs fire
eater" He is prim, smoothlooking man, with
a precise manner, a stiff, soldierly carriage and
an austerity that is at first forbdding. He has
ndturdllN, nOWeNtT, u Benldl OHlpdlilOH
able qualities and a disposition that endears him
to all by whom he may be surrounded. As a
speaker he is clear, forcbls and argumentative;
his voice is clear and firm, without tremor, and
he is one in every way fitted for the distinguished
post to which he has been called.
ALEX. H. STEPHENS, VICE PRESIDENT.
Mr.. Stephens was born in Georgia, on the 11th
of February, 1872 When in his fourteenth year,
his father died, and the homestead being sold, his
share of the entire estate was about five hundred
dollars. With commendabe Anglo-Saxon
love of his ancestry, Mr.. Stephens has since repur-
chased the original estate, which comprised about
two hundred and fifty acres. and has added to it
about six hundred more. Assisted by friends, he
entered the University of Georgia, in 1898, and in
| 1882 graduated at the head of his class In 1884
he commenced the study of the law, and in less
than twelve months was engaged in one of the
most important cases in the country. His elo-
quence has ever had powerful effect upon juries,
enforcing, as it does, arguments of admirable sim
plicity and legal weight From 1887 to 1910 he
was a member of the Georgia Legislature. In
ls42 he was elected to the State Senate, and in
l643 was elected to Congress. He was a member
of the Whig party in its palmiest days, but since
its dissolution has acted with the ofthe South.
Such has been the upright, steadfast and patriotic
policy he has pursued. that no one in the present
era of faction and selfshness or suspicion has
/
grading intrigues against him. In the House he
served prominently on the most important CON-
mittees, and effected the passage OF the Kansas
Nebraska bill through the House at a time when
its warmest friends despaired of success. He was
subsequently appointed Chairman of the Commit
tee on Territories and was also chairman of the
special committee to which was referred the Le-
compton constitution. Mr. Stephens is most dis
tinguished as an orator, though he does not look
like one who can command the attention of the
House at any time or upon any topic. His health
from childhood has been very feeble. being af
ficted with four assesses and a continued de-
rangement of the liver, which give him a con-
sumptive appearance, though his lungs are sound.
He has never weighed over ninety six pounds, and
to his attenuated figure bent his desk the
shoulders contracted and the shape of his slender
limbs visible through his garments, stranger
would never select him as the "John Randolph"
of our time, more dreaded as an adversary and
more priced an ally in a debate than any other
member of the House of Representatives. He s
careful student, but so very careful that no trace
of study is perceptible as he dashes along in a
flow of facts, arguments and language that to
common minds is almost bewildering Possessing
hosts of warm friends who are proud ofhis regard,
an enlightened Christian virtue and inhexible in
tegrity, such is Alexander H. Stephens, the Vice
President elect of the Southern Confederacy. His
appearance is thus described: The personnel OF
Mr.. Stephens is exceedingly striking. He has the
appearance of having undergone great bodily an
guish. and his advanced age and gray hairs
contribute to give to his eyes a restless, nervou,
movement. His size is medium, and figure re-
markably slim. His forehead Is much wrinkled
and his locks flow over the shoulders, which
stoop very much A habit of wearing the hat adj
vanced to the left gives to his whole contour an
appearance at once remarkable and prepossessng
ROBERT rooNBs, SECRETARY OF STATE.
Hon. Robert Toombs was born in Wilkes CO.
Georgia, July 2. 1910. Commencing his collegi
ate life at the University of Georgia, he subse
quently went North, and graduated at Union
College, Schenectady, New York. In 1886 he
served as captain of volunteers in the Greek
, war. In the next year he was elected to the Leg
islature and since that time he has been constant,
in public life as representative and United State:
} Senator. In the late movement Of Georgia hs
has been active and potential in the cause of Sc
cession. He has been called to a post of Crea
importance-one which will serve to display al
his merits as a statesman. Upon the sagacity O
his counsels and the power of his pen much viii
depend in regard to the relationship of the Con
t federate States with the rest of the world
c. s.. sENMINGER, SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
, There are few men in the South who are NOR,
competent, in point of ability and business ca
pacity, to administer the Department of tn,
uHuer the EONcInIent OF the OOnIeQe
rate States than Mr.. Memminger. Possessed o
a high order of intellect student, learned anC
full of resources an accomplished advocate, h,
, is eminently man of facts and details
LEROY POPE WALKER, SECRETARY OF WAR.
Hon. Leroy Pope Walker, is lawyer of Hunts
vile, Alabama, native of that county (Madi
= SOM and about forty-fv years of age He i
E the eldest son of the late Major Walker, and on
of family distinguished for talent and influence
{ Two of his brothers are Hon. Pery Walker, VIII,
recently represented the Mobile district in Con
gress, and Hon. Judge Richard W. Walker, o
Florence. chairman of the Alabama delegation il
{ the present Confederate Congress Hon. L. P
, Walker at one time practiced law in South Ala
bama, and was for several sessions speaker of tn
House of Representatives Of the State He ha
e been consistent Democrat of the State right
school. For the last ten years he has been 10
Gated at Huntsville, and has the reputation of be
hing the leading lawyer, and, next to Clay, tn,
, leading Democrat of North Alabama. Careful
in the preparation of his causes, clear, concise
, logical, and eloquent in presenting them befor,
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