The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-03-06
I lALExANDEls II. s1EpHENs.


dicorgia's Chief Magistrate has crossed
the river That separates mortality from
immortality,and weary with tho la-
bors Of life no rests in the blissful
shades ofeterrity. At the calm, still
and solemn hour Of midnight, whom
all nature seemed rapt in the slumbers
of repose, tho great statesi,EaR bade
farewell to country and friends and
passed away on tho "noisclcss funeral
car" ~ Et ..
Stephens is dead, but his memory
and his record will live in the count
less years to conceive to inspire the
young men with the ardor and en-
thusinsm Of his own great and useful
)ife--iive 10 teach men in the vigor
and noontide of their lives that their
highest duty to themselves is to servo
their country and their country's God
live to remind hoary-headed old age
that life is better and grander spent by
living amid its energies and activities
and dying with the harness on.
Mr.. Stephens had been in bad health
for some time, but he. attended to his
duties as usual, until tho delivery Of
his wonderful" Scsqui-Contenhial ora
tion in Savannah OH tho 18th of Feb
ruary last. Since his cxcrtion on that
occasion he was confined entirely to
his bed, growing gradually worse day
by day, until Sunday morning at 8
O'Clock, when ho passed peacefully
away at tho Executive Mansion in
Atlanta.
Alexander Hamilton Stephens was
born in ,Taliafarro county, Georgia,
February II, 1912. Both his father
and mother died when he was quito
boy and the orphan resided with his
unclo, Aaron w. Gricr, until he re-
ccivcd his education and started in life
Tor himself. With tho aid of several
distinguished gentlemen Of Washing
ton the, necessary preparations were
mado and he entered the Freshman
class Of Franklin College in August,
1923, where he subsequently graduated
with the highest lonors Of his class.
After the completion Of his cduca-
ton, he obtained u position as teacher
III Madison, Georgia, and purchasing
few law books he commenced tho
study Of law in connection with his
school, which he prosecuted unaidcd
md unassisted. lie was admitted to
tho bar on tho twcnty-sccond day Of
July, 1884, and the promising young
attorney located ut Crawfordvillc, tho
scenes Of his early childhood, and near
tho homo Of his vcncratcd fathers.
"licro," says tho Chronicle and Con-
$titutionolist, "ho laborod assiduously
day and night, poring over his legal
voliimos and often trudging mics to
court. His practice was confined cn-
tircly to tho, northern circuit, which
was the arena Of some Of the intcllcctu-
nj giants Of Gcorgia. 1t was there
that Baxter and Thomas, riding upon
tho full tides Of successful practice and
splendid reputation, ruled with sovcr-
cign Wills their judicial tridcnts. II
was there that Robert Toombs, Young
or In tho fray but promising and Wig
orous, grappled the gnarled and knot
ty limbs with master hands. 1t was
there that Dawson and Couc, eloquent
and logical, were winning srccn lau-
rcls with, advancing ycnw. II WAS IN
this fold, then, that young Stephens,
fragile, delicate and poor, entered the
portals of his chosen profession. Hour
ly, daily and yearly his professional
reputation incrcascd, until no was
known far and wide as ono Of the most
brilliant young lawyers in northern
Georgia. His cminence at tho bar
afforded him stepping stone TO po-
litical honor and prefcrmcnt. In 1886,
two years after his admission to the
bar, he was elected rs o member of the
Georgia House Of Representatives, in
1912 to tho State Senate, and in 184S
to Congress, which position no hold
continuously nutil tho breaking out Of
the war.
Mr.. Stcphcns's position on Secession
and his subsequent connection with
the Confederate government is well
known to every rcadey Of history. EIc
bitterly opposed Secession on the
ground that it was incxpctlent and
inpolitic, but nevcv for momcnt did
he deny tho riyht Of State to- scccdc.
On the contrary his work on the "War
between tho States,"' ~ i'm which he sets
forth the arguments in it's favor with
great logical power and cloouencc, has
been very properly regarded rs one OF
the most mastery productions that have
cmanated from either side Of tho con.
1lict. His record since the war hos
been marked with great conservatism,
and libcrality, and although always a
Democrat, he was not ono of those
hide-bound partisans that followed the
party call whenever and wherever
made. In 1878 lie was again. elected
to Congress, and was subsequently, re.
elected each time rs own successor
until he resigned his seat in that bo(ly
to enter tho gubernatorial contest in
Georgia. Volumes might be written
In I..I