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


in the other Southern States. and 1t was at this
time that Mr.. Stephens WINS invtcd by the Leg
islature to give them his counsel in the crisis.
The speaker made no attempt to disguise his
conviction as to the impolicy " separation, and
for n moment there WINS an impression that his
address had givena quletus to secession In Gsor-
gia. Yet fortnight afterward no wrote. am
daily becoming more and more confirmed in tho
opinion that all efforts to save the Union will
bc unavailing. The truth Is. our leaders and
public mon do not desire to continue II on any
terms. They do not wish any redress Of wrongs.
and avail themselves of present circumstances
10 press thcir objects; my present conviction lie
they will carry the state with them by a large
majority" Among the letters brought out 10y
his speech at Miledgevillc. Mr.. stephens re-
ccived n brief note from the President elect.
asking him for a revised copy. In second
letter from Mr.. Lincoln. dated Dec. 9. 1860.
and headed For your own eye only" occur
these words " Do the people OF the South really
entertain fears that Republican administra-
ton would directly or indirectly interfere with
the slaves. or with them about tho slaves II
they do. wish to assure you. rs once n friend.
and still, hope. not an enomy. that there is no
cause for such fears. The South would be in
no more danger In this respect than II was In
the days OF Washington"
Mr.. Stephens attended the State Convention
which met at Mllledgeville on Jan. is. and sup
ported as a substitute for an ordinance Of
secession the resolution drawn Up by lferschcl
VJohnson. The latter proposed that delegates
from the ten Southern States still the Union
and the four which had seeded should be in
vited to meet delegates from Georgia in Con-
Gress at Atlanta. to determine on a course Of
concerted action. The resolution went on to
tf, tbnt no. har zion,
with the Northern States unless the so-called
Personal Liberty Acts were repealed. Mean
while she pledged herself. in the case Of the
Federal Government undertaking to coercc any
of the seeded States. to make common'cause
with the latter As is well known this subst-
tutc was rejected by the Convention. and the
ordinance for immediate secession having
passed. by vote of 20s to SO. II was signed by
Mr. Stephens. who shortly aiterward accepted
the post Of delegate TO the Provisional Govern
ment at Montgomery. Here. within month.
Mr. stephens was chosen Vice-prcsident OF tho
newly organized Coniedcracy. In private let
ter. written at the time. he states what he know
about Mr. Davis's nomination for President. II
seems that the South Carolina delegation looked
10 Georgia for the chief officer OF the Govern
ment. and especially to Mr.. Toombs and Mr..
Stephens. After getting 10 Montgomery Mr..
u
South Carolina delegation. and asked If he
would serve. No decided answer was given.
When the Georgia delegation met. Mr.. Stephens
proposed the name Of Mr. Toombs. but some
one asserted that the delegates OF Florida. Ain
bama South Carolina. and Louisiana had con
fcrred and agreed 10 support MIR. Davis Mr..
Toombs. we are told. looked increduous and
1t afterward transpired that the action OF the
states mentioned was based upon intelligence
received by them the night before that Mr.. Cobb
would be presented by Georgia Toombs was
undoubtedly tho choice OF the Florida. Louisi-
ana. and South Carolina delegations. and prob
ably OF Alabama also. II seems that even Mis-
sssippi did not desire Mr.. Davis. preferring
him for the Commander in-Chief of the army.
few weeks earlier Mr.. Stephens had written.
" have ceased to put much confidence in our
public mon. Most of them are destitute Of prin-
cple Whatever feelings OF dependency had
in looking to the future. come from my knowl-
edge OF the men into whose hands we are likely
10 fall. They are selfish. ambitious and UNI
scrupulous.' Now. however the Vice-presi-
dent-elcct can see a good deal OF merit In the
Confederate Congress. Upon the whole. no
says. this Congress. taken all In oil. is the
ablest soberest, most intelligent and conserva-
tive body l ever in: nobody looking on
would ever take this Congress for a set OF revo-
lutionlsts" Now and then during this period
Mr.. Stephens seems 10 have felt some appre-
tensions. but by May 80. after Virginia had Sc
coded. he spoke as follows The North. be-
lieye. will so into anarchy; they may hold W
for some time. and they may break
down in six months. The ruin is
certain to come. They never before had any
Just idea Of the value OF the South to them.
Four hundred millions would not cover the
81 nf
ing from them. They are now like leeches that
have been shaken from n horses legs. and are
beginning to ind out what it was that fattened
them. We are the horse And again. from
present indications. it would seem that we did
not cut loose from the North too soon. They
will 20 into anarchy or despotsm. The only
hope OF constitutional liberty on this continent
is now with U.S. The reign OF terror
there has not yet fully commenced The guillo-
tine or its substitute will soon follow. All their
present leaders will be swept from the board
They will be doposed or hung to make way for
worse men. who arc yet TO figure in this great
American drama"
Very soon. however a change occurs in the
tenor OF Mr.. Stephens's opinions He begins
10 lose confidence again in the wisdom aud
ability OF the Confederate Government which
had omitted on some occasions to follow his nd
vice. HIS view OF the relative merit belonging
to certain Generals happened to differ from that
OF the Administration notably in the case OF
Sidney Johnston. and accordingly. although
the Southern armies were gaining considerable
successes. he Was oppressed with approximations
based on the melancholy lack Of judgment in
the appointing power. But it was on tho policy
OF conscrp tion that Mr.. Stephens set himself in
decided antagonism to the Administration. He
/ opposed this measure on the ground OF It's in
compatibility with the rights Of States and for
a like reason opposed the suspension IT the
principle OF hah"as corpus and the subordina-
ton Of the civil 20 the military power through
the appointment Of military Governors in cities
ana the declaration OF martial law in whole
sections OF country. Now, the necessity for the
latter measure was clear enough, and soon
came to he recoenzedHa as distinctly
at tho North. while rs for the conscripton, no
one familiar with tho difficulties encountered
by Sidney Johnston IN raising troops can
doubt that. in tho interest Of secession
it should have been ordered earior. Under
all the circumstances VIC do not wonder that
well-informed and saGacious persons wero ex-
nsperatel by Mr. Stophens's attitude and were