The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-05


sides. Mr.. Stephens's mother died in
May, 1872, little more than two months after
he was born. Mr. Stephens's father was an
excellent man, but was not money-getter,
and died poor He was not able 10 give his
children much of an education, and the little
land he accumulated for a home passed for
time tof his family; but after Mr.. Stephens
began to practice law he bought it back and
now owns it., AT very early age Mr.. Ste
phens began the struggle of life and to work
for an education 1t was uphill business, but
he finally conquered, and from the time he
left the University of Georgia and returned
to Crawfordyille and began to study law, he
began TO ascend tine upgrade of life. The
ladies OF the Presbyterian Church in Augusta
had helped him to an education, for they
intended him for a minister; but after his
school-days were over, and short time spent
in teaching, he took to the law, and subse-
quently returned to the church every dollar
that had been paid out in his behalf He
wrote in the clerks and sherffs Office at
Crawfordville both for education and to pay
for his chance to study law.
RETURNING TO THE HOME OF HIS ANCESTORS.
In 1896 he had got something of foothold
and concluded to pay visit to the home of
his ancestors in Pennsylvania. His uncle,
James Stephens, his fathers elder brother,
who went to Georgia with his family in 1875,
near the old homestead in Perry county. de
had a sweetheart upon the banks of the
Juniata before his father moved to Georgia,
and when he was twenty-one he returned to
the Keystone State and settled near where
he was born, and thatsection of Perry county
is to-day full of Mr.. Alex. II. Stephens re-
lations, whom he visits as frequently as his
health will admit Speaking last night of
his first visit to the North and to the home of
his ancestors, he said:
II was twenty-one years old the year first
came to Pennsylvania. You may imagine |
IN ade great preparations for the trip 1t took
me seven days of constant travel by stage, our
only means of cOnveya rcc, to reach Washing
ton. Here took in all the sights. | called
upon General Jackson, and went to the Senate
| and heard Webster make his great speech on
finance. / was q close observer in those
days, and made the most of my opportunity.
/ went from Washington to Baltimore and
there spent day or two. l took my first
railroad ride when going between those TWO
cities | then took the stage for Harrisburg,
and when reached there took the canal
boat up the river to Newport This was the
nearest point to my uncle's-James Stephens.
i spent the night at the county hotel, and
had pleasant time with the landlord. He
got me conveyance the next morning to
take me to my destination. 1t was driven
by German, who said he didn't know
where James Stephens lived, but he did know
where James Stinson lived As found that
he knew the place and only failed in pro-
nouncing the name, we started. On the way
| asked what such land as we were passing
through was worth
"'This on this side, said he lis worth $40
an acre. That land on the other side covered
with stun 500
why is that? I asked.
because the land that has got stun
enough on it to fence it is always most valua-
ble.'
when we reached my unoles place 1
found stone-house and neat stone fences. l
naturally supposed if the driver had spoken
truly that he had valuable farm.
when / went in and told Aunt Betsy who
l was she summoned Uncle James from the
field and they called in quite a number of
other relatives from the neighborhood. A
nice dinner was prepared and l suppose a
dozen or more of my relatives gathered about
the table. When my uncle stood up and
was carving the chicken, Aunt Betsy asked;
Alex, what business are you imp
-" Il am a lawyer | replied
'The uplifted knife fell from my uncle's
hand and he exclaimed in amazement: "A
lawyer! A lawyerp
9" Yes, a lawyer, uncle. Why?
"'Why, Alex, don't you have to tell lies?
II put in my defense OF the profession as
best | could, which somewhat satisfied my
uncles mind; but when first said | was a
lawyer there was a look of establishment
on his face much the same as i'll had pro-
claimed myself burglar. He could never
really reconcile the profession of a lawyer
with his strict Presbyterianlsm. | STAYED a
week, and went about among my relatives;
visited the old homestead, and saw the log
house where my grandfather lived, and where
my father was born. went to Baskns
Ferry, where my grandmother was
born and indeed visited all the points con-
nected with my ancestors life in Pennsyl-
vania. Thought tia great State, but not
nearly so nice as Georgia Indeed there is
to my mind no stretch OF the country of
equal extentthat offers many induce
ments to labor and capital as Georgia. l
thought the same then. In those days
boy in Pennsylvania at almost any work
couldn't earn more than $50 year, while in
Georgia he could earn $500.
COMING TO CONGRESS.
"Seven years after my first visit to Penn
sylvania l was elected to Congress, and when
came to Washington to take my seat
found Mr.. James Black, the country land
lord with whom I spent the night at New
port on the Susquehanna in 1886, on my
way to visit my uncle, there as a fellow
member He and became great friends.
We boarded in the same house and were in
innate for many years, and his friendship
was of great benefit to me during the first of
my congressional life. He was strong man
in many respects and a Democrat L was
Wing, yet we voted together upon most i'm
portant measures. l acted with the Penn
sylvania Democrats upon the tariff question,
but was always a protecGonist. l have
never to this day been able to agree with
the Democratic party i'll its free-trade
theories"
'Was your position on the tariff due to
your springng from Pennsylvania stock?'
"By no means. My political convictions
were formed while at school and have never
since been changed. "