The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-02-15
Alexander X. stephens.

1t was reported a few days ago by
telegraph that A exander II. Stephens
was no more. Very certainly, he can
hardly live through the month. He was
horn in Taliaferr0 county, Georgia,
FEBRUARY IL, 1912. He was graduated
at Franklin College, Athens, Georgis,
in 1882, was admitted to the bar in
1884, and rapidly obtained large and
lucrative practice at Charlottesville.
He was elected 10 the Legislature Of
Georgia in 1888, and was reelected for
five successive terms. In 1912 he was
elected TO the State Senate. In 1913
he was elected to Wing Congress, and
held his seat till 1859. In February,
1Si7, he submitted d series of resolu-
tions in relation to the Mexican war,
which afterward formed the platform
Of the Wing party. He opposed the
Clayton compromise in 1913, and took
a leading part in the compromise of
1850. The passage of the Kansas and
Nebraska act in 1854, in the House of
Representatives, was strongly sup
ported by him, as chairman of the Com
mittee on Territories. Alter the break
ing up of the Wing party he acted with
the Democracy. AT the close of the
TLirly-fourth Congress and on July 2,
1859, he made speech at Augusta,
Georgia, announcing bis retirement
from public life. During the presiden-
tial canvass in 1860 he sustained Doug
las and denounced chose who advocated
dissolution of the UnIOn in case of Mr..
Lincoln's election; and in November,
1860, he made speech before the
Legislature of Georgia against seces-
sion, on which subject he had an inter
esting correspondence with Mr.. Lincoln
in December. He was nevertheless
elected to the Secession Convention,
which met at Milledgeville, January
| 16, 1861, and there spoke and voted
against the secession ordinance. He
was member of the Southern Con
gress, which met in Montgomery, Ala,
bama, in February, and was elected
| Vice President OF the Confederacy. On
March 81 he delivered a speech IN
Savannah, In which he declared slavery
to be the cornerstone of the new gov.
eminent. On April 80, as special
commissioner from the Confederate
States, he addressed the convention at
Richmond, urging the union of Virgin
ia with the Confederacy. He fire.
quently differed from the policy of the
Richmond government, especially on
the subject of martial law; and on Sep
tender 8, 1862, lie pronounced the ap-
pointment by Gen. B-agg of James NJ
Calhoun, as civil governor of Atlanta,
palpable usurpatiOn. His letter on
this subject created marked sensation
through the South. On February 8,
1865, with r. NJ. It. Hunter and John
Campbell, he held even an informal
conference on a steamer in Hampton
Roads with President Lincoln and Mr..
| Seward, which had no practical result.
After Lees surrender Stephens returned
| to his home in Charlottesville, where,
on May II, 1865, he was arrested and
sent to Fort Warren, in Boston harbor,
but on October II he was released or
parole. On February 2, 1869, he deliv'
cred a speech before the Legislature
of Georgia, favoring the restoration
policy of President Johnson. In the
same month he was elected to the
| United States Senate, but as the State
had not complied with the condition!
of reconstruction, he was not permit
ted to take his seat. Ia 1872 he wal
elected to Congress, and again in 1874
almost without opposition. He pub
lished "a constitutional view of The
late war between the States: rs causes
! character conduct and results" AnC
his child's history If the United Stat:
is the most truthful in fact and phil
osophy ever gwen to the country.