The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06
SOME NEW BOOKS.



rous discussions touching the condu' It and sig
nlficnnce of battles. and the merit OF command
ing officers. precise and authentic data from
the archives of both Governments are taking
the place Of loose and Interested assertion. and
the true scope and bearing Of particular events
upon tho final issue are In course Of demon-
etrntion. Meanwhile important disclosures OF
the interior workings oi the Confederate Adj
ministrntion-thc volume. distribution. and APP
plicnton Of its material rrsources-the motives
aims. and projects Of it's controlling spirits and
the varying sometimes conflicting policy which
shaped or disturbed their councis-upon all
these matters light is Mt length forthcoming
from quarters Of unpueetionabc authority.
One OF the most curious and fruitful sources Of
Information is the work now published By Lip
pncott and entitled tho Lie Of Alexander H.
Stephens. BY RICHARD NJ. JOHNSTON and WILL
LIAM II. BROWNE.
One word ms to the origin OF the record set forth
in this volume. A large part OF the matter con.
sists OF speeches and correspondence and OF
copious answers TO direct inquiries in letters
addressed by the authors 10 the subject OF the
memoir. Tho manuscript thus prepared has
been submitted to Mr.. stephens. and IN pro-
bounced by him substantially correct. The lat
ter adds in predatory note that ne consents to
tho publication OF the book in his lifetime on
the ground OF misrepresentation OF his mo-
tives and conduct on several occasions in not
uneventfu career. Mr.. stephens nlludcs. OF
course. to his attitude toward secession. and to
the line of policy which he subsequently, advo-
Gated as Vice President of the Couicderacy. and
which was often ut variance with the views Of
his official superior. These are matters whose
explanation opens some interesting chapters in
the secret history Of the Rebellion. 1t is the
.f,ai,
cially concerned. and to which we shall conilne
ourselves after glance at earlier events recited
in this biography.
Alexander II. Stephens Is the son OF a small
Georgia farmer who began life as village
schoolmaster Neither by birth nor associa-
ton was the stephens family identified with the
Southern arstocracy. In 1928. AT the age Of
eleven, the boy Alexander LEFT school and went
to work upon the farm. whore for some years
his highest aspiration was 10 acquire sufficient
education TO become Il clerk in store. With
this object. he found means in 1927 10 attend an
academy whore. through the influence OF
friends. he was persuaded 10 III himself for the
State University at Athens. After graduation
he acted ~ private tutor for time. until in
1884 he WIS admitted to the bar As a lawyer
he gradually acquired considerable practice
and. adopting the principles Of the Georgia
years one OF the leaders Of the party in his
section Of the State. In 1913 no was
elected Ia Congress. where he supported
the admission Of Texas on the ground
that it would add to the political weight
of the Southern States. The bill was
carried with the help Of seven southern Wings.
including Dir. Stephens who were aitcrward
held up to oiium by the Wing party through
out the country. and denounced IL traitors. Al
this time. as upon some other occasions Mr..
Stephens seems to- have managed to offend both
sides. his vote angering tho North. and n rc-
mark in his speech to the effect that he was no
defender Of slavery in the abstract giving rise
to bitter structures throughout the South l. is
worth noting taat another Georgian. Robert
Toombs. entered Congress little later than
Mr.. Stephens although he soon eclipsed the lat
ter in popularity. We may point out here that
Mr.. Stephens is entitled 10 the credit. such as il
is. Of nominating Gen. Zachary Taylor for the
Presidency. having secured the endorsement Of
his name from the Georgia State Convention as
early he 1916.
During tue struggle in December. lsis. over
The Speakership Of the House Of Representa-
iives. Stephens. Toomhs. and four other South
srn Wings bolted the caucus Of their purity and
voted against Winthrop. At this time Mr.
Stephens writes. that he finds the feeling
among Southern members for dissolution Of
the Union II the ant-slnvery measure THE Will
mot Proyisol should be pressed to extremity.
becoming much more general" he adds in Ian
guage which is likely 10 surprise some Of his
Northern friends. ." ! would rather to-day see
the whole Southern race buried in honorable
graves. than see them insolently trampled over
by such canting. whining. pulling hypocrites as
are now setting themselves up as their judges
a 80 At.l I 49,
SEQ Georgia share the fate OF Hungary OF Po-
land than see her trucking 10 the dication OF the
Northern hordes Of Goths and Yandals who arc
threatening her with their power" This
sounds more Ike the Trades printed Ia the
Richmond Whi9 during the war, and parodiod
by Artemus Ward than the deliberate uticrunce
OF steadiast champion OF the Union. such as
Mr.. stephens has sometimes been pictured By
imaginative journalists. Il appears. however.
that in 1851 when the leading men OF South
Carolina aud many Of those in other States IA
vored secession from the Union, Mr. stephens
advised against separation. not from any doubt
OF the right. but from conviction OF the mex
pediency. One of his present biosraphors has
hoard him say that II az that time lS5ll his
whole section had been unanimous in senti-
ment. and he had felt any assurance that tue
requisite patriotism. virtue. and stutesmanship
Wpu4A NuNf b'fll lhlAN'tiA4ik - garry lllf new
commonwealth through the trials OF It's birth,
he would have counse!el such resistance a.
would have secured equality under the Consti-
tuition or ended In disruption. In the contest
between Pierce ana scott. which followed. Dir.
Stephens and other leading southern Wings re-
fused TO supper; the latter. holding the North
ern Wing party profoundly tainted with Abo-
litionism
Nj. Stephens supported the Nebraska bill and
was largely accountable for its passage Ac-
cording 10 . statement in one 81 his letters. he
took the re!ns in his hand. applied the whip
and spur and brought the WAGON out at II
o'clock P ". GLORY enough for one day" In
a speech delivered about this time. Mr. Ste
phens affirmed that the condition Of the States
AT the South was Infinitely preferable to that Of
the free blacks at the North. SO much. he said.
for the Idea that slavery is curse 20 the negro.
He then proceeded 10 den with the assertion
thnt it's curse Z. the white man, and declared
that tae numbered convictions Tor crimes q
every grade IN Aas-arhhsou, WIS ten times
larger than 10 Georgia. State OF equal popua-
ton. He went on to " denolish " the assertion
that slavery impoycri-hos q State 10y Hllrmng