The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-12-27
CUL.tJMBIA,.s s. G.
Friday Morning, Deeember ~, ls74.
gpeech or Hon. Alexander H. stephen.--
Hopeful Viows.

Hon. A. h. stephens, OF Georgia, has
long been conspicuous for his talents and
eloquence, his services and patriotism.
He is great favorite in our sister State.
and faithfully returns the fondness the
people feel for him. These relations OF
confidence and regard have marked
those intervals in his life when he has
not filled office, as we'll as the periods
when he has been o chosen representa-
tive Of the State. The people Of Geor-
Ria early discovered his merits. and con-
Adingly bestowed upon him their highest
honors. The personal esteem felt for
him 7is even greater than the political
favor which has 80 often been shown
him. This confidence in bis integrity,
capacity and experience, enforced and
supplemented by personal regard, ex-
tends beyond the bounds of his State.
and was signally shown when he was
elected Vice-President of the Southern
Oonfedesaoy, although it was we'll known
that he did not originally favor secession
as remedy. Theoretically he did not
approve OF that step, but onco it was
taken and identified with the cause Of
the South. his heart yearned for it's
success, freighted, as it was, with many
precious hopes. He regarded tho sue
cess of the Southern movement ns the
best guarantee OF the liberties OF the
continent. In his judgment the South.
ern cause included and involved the
maintenance of local solf-government
and the principle Of the rights OF the
States. upon which the fabric Of Ameri-
can free Institutions rested.
Since the close of the war, Mr.. Ste
phens has lived in retirement, bot not in
inactivity. The victim of weak health
and chronic disorders OF body. his mind
is ever active and his studies inoessant.
The old cause OF constitutional, we'll re-
gulated liberty is ever present to his
thoughts, and he is most attentive OBJ
server Of passing events. He has en-
ployed his pen recently with fine effect
in presenting and describing the true
issues OF the war, and inthe preparation
= Of valuable literary and historical works.
> For year past he has been the political
editor of the, Atlanta Sun, and took
groundin the late canvass against the
support Of: Horace Greeley as the COM
promise candidate between the North
aud South, In this he differed from the
larger portion of the people OF The South
land Of Georgia. butyit was an honest
difference, and rested, on both sides, ON
sincere convictions. In this State, all
except some of the new population and
tho colored people. very cordially accept
ed Mr.. Greeley, as both honest and Ca
pable, and embodying and entertaining
the true spirit OF conoiliation. Perhaps
our condition somewhat influenced our
views. We naturally Grave to be deli
vered from the body of death to which
we are tied. We catch at every straw,
We strain our eyes toward every prospect
Of deliveranoe from q set OF thieves who
are stealing our substance. and from the
load OF ignorance which is fast crushing
the life out of as. For his own high
merits, for the good that he promised us,
and which we hoped his election would
bring to US and the whole country, we
warmly supported Mr.. Greeley's claims
to the Presidency, bat Mr.. Stephens
thought differently and stood aloof.
Upon the invitation Of his friends in
Atlanta, Mr.. Stephens, few days ago,
delivered conversational address in that
city, upon the issues of the day and his
personal relations to them. Having
elucidated these elaborately and satisfac-
torily, he presented some of the grounds
upon which he bases his hopes for bet
ter prospect in future. They show the
buoyancy and elasticity of his nature,
and perhaps the presoienoe of his mind.
We confess that we cannot see as bright
q light or as fine prospect before the
country as Mr.. Stephens does; but he is
in prosperous Georgia, where the people
govern themselves. and we are in down
trodden South Carolina, where the pub