Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-10-09
VICE PRESIDENT STEPHENS.
II a LI:fo~nF Al JHls..

tAS1 1AsCSiOENl
To the Editor Of tho Richmond IFdig:
Foresixteen years / was engaged in the practice
Of the law in that part of the State Of Georges an
which Alexander H. Stephens resided. q ] have
frequently been associated with and retained against
him in the trial of important causes. Ihars known
him for that period Of time intimately in private
relationships Of life. have acted with him in the
same political party, and have stood opposed to
him on political issues which divided the American
people. When the waves of political excitement
were running high and party preudices were bitter,
have met him in public discussion before the PEG.
pie. My opportunities to know him have been the
best, and embraced them. Moreover, have
lived among the people whose devotion to him
furnished the basis Of his renown. / know them
well. The sun does not shing upon better people.
They are as highly cultivated as any people are on
this continent. On the roll Of fame they have as
bright names as glitter there, and many Of them;
and no man whom it has been their pleasure to hon
or and elevate has ever deceived them or betrayed
the trust they reposed in him. 1t follows, then, as
. matter OF course, that the endorsement of their
discriminating confidence must be worth someth-
ing. But before abiding to their testimony, allow
me to give my own, and permit me to state, that no
witness appeared upon the stand from the bias
Of prejudice, or the hope Of reward, more utterly
free than | am. | hold 10 Office in this Govern
ment, and am not at all inclined to indulge the
expectation that ever shall. l am under no OBJ
legations to Mr.. Stephens for anything, and trust
never shall be. l have been taught to look upon
the truth as sacred and always worth defending for
its own sacred sake. Its defence to-day seems to
involve the name, character history, conduct and
genius of Alexander H. Stephens This is no fault
Of mine, nor does it diminish the importance of
my mission. No true friend of truth, when he I'M
dertakes its defence, can pause to ask questions
My business first then, is to deliver my own testi-
monyin the premises and am bound to state that,
after having listened to Mr.. Stephens at the Bar and
the hustngs and carefully read his great speeches
deliVeredin Congress for sixteen years, | am bound
to admit his attributes to be those of first rate
thinker irstrate reasoner and first rate speaker.
" have no man living on this continent whose
vision penetrates the veil that contains the future,
like his does, and sees the events that are coming
even before their shadows announce their approach.
In the lore of research, his great mind is an ex-
haustless storehouse. As political economist he
is familiar with every recorded fact that belongs to
the history Of every government that ever rose or
fell. As statesman he Was giant in those days
when Clay, Calhoun and Webster were in the land.
These opinions Of his attainments and power have
been the result of close study of his character and
many Of those great efforts of his at the hustings,
which for years 1t has been my privilege to hear
But have reserved for the conclusion of my per-
sonal evidence the statement Of one fact, which it
affords me Il sincere and proud pleasure to men,
ter. Never have | been able to find, ever when
crossing swords with him in the thckest of the
fight, anything resembling shadow of litteness,
meannesS or unfairness Honorable liberal, Just,
and sometimes even magnanimous to an enemy, he
has never failed to impress every familiar acouan
lance he has at the South, with the seal of lofty
integrity, and that | cannot be mistaken in this
statement, have only to rcfor to his history for
the last few months to satisfy the most ncreduous
Ha poI Tho fol-
when he knew Georgia never would give to Doug
las her electoral vote. This alone should have set
tied the fact for all time that he capable of ris
ing above his personal interests and standing
firm as pillar of iron at the post of duty, regard
less of consequences. Political weathercocks are
never found defying the popular will, and leading
mere corporals guard against the omnipotent mob
In Georgia, last Summer, Mr.. Stephens did it
Well, Lincoln was elected and the Legislature of
Georgia passed an act thereupon, calling Con
venon to decide what Georgia would do IN the
premises. large majority of the delegates elected
TO that Convention were for immediate and eternal
separation. Mr. Stephens was not. Yet when those
same delegates were called upon to elect members
to represent Georgia in the Provisional Congress,
who was their first choice? Alexander H. Stephens
Whyy Because they kncu the man. For over
twenty years the name of Alexander H. Stephens
has been household word throughout the State of
Georgia. That Convention was composed of the
ableSt men in State that aboundS with men Of
signal ability. They had known Mr. Stephens long
and well, and therefore they united with unani.ni-
ty without PARALLEL in the history Of that Conven-
ton, upon his name, and he was elected without a
dissenting voice. lie repaired to Montgomery, and
took his seat in our Provisional Congress There
| he met with men from all the Cotton States, with
whom he had been on terms of intimacy through
| long years of public service. They knew the his
tory of his adhesion 10 the standard of the Little
Giant but when they called upon to select
from among the purest and ablest men in our land a
Vice President, they did not hesitate to give their
suftrages unanimously to Alexander Fl. Stephens
Why did they dolt! Because they knew the man.
| Now ask what has he said or done since to prove
that either the people Of Georgia the Geors a Con-
venton, or the Provisional Congress- have misplace
ed their confdencey 81 pause for reply"
BRUTUS.