The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-03-08
ME DALLAS WEEKLY Herald
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I'm, isIearaphlc columns this morning
contain the announcement OF the DEAN OF
The aoynnor Of Georgia, whom the people
TOOK such delight In elevntlng TO jhat posl'
ton last November by tremendously
large majority. The fame OF ALEXANDER
III, STEPHENS had become ooextendve Win
the boundaries Of the nadon, aud men Of all
classes and parties were ready at oil times
10 accord him the distinctioneof being one
of the ablest and purest statesmen in the
country. His loss will therefore be ielt
nationally as well as especially by the state
of Georgia as that of none other OF her pres.
ent citizens would be. Mr.. STEPHENS was
born in Georgia in 1912, and was therefore
Mt his death an unusually old man.
When the laborious study and the
physical infirmities of long years
are taken into consideration it is the more
astonishing that he succeeded in reaching
such green old age. He graduated at
Athens, Georgia, in 1882, and in 1854 began
the practice OF the law at Crawtordsville'
where his success was immediate and his
growth in reputation rapid. For six sue
cessiye terms, commencing from 1885, he
was elected to the lower branch OF the leg
islaturs of his state, and in 1S42 was sent
70 the state senate. Governor STEPHENS
first entered congress in 1913 ana retained
his seat uninterruptedly, as a Wing, until
1859. When the question OF secession arose
in 1901. Governor STEPHENS vigorously
opposed it and delivered in lSSO strons
speech before the legislature OF Georgia IN
opposition to secession, but when the state
went out of the Union, STEPHENS went
with it and cast his fortunes
with the Southern Coniederacy
He was elected vice.presldent of the South
ern Confederacy, but was antagonistic IN
most particulars to the acts and pohcy OF
the DAVIS administration. FROM tnls
safely removed era from the exciting scenes
of the war, it is very clearly fact that nau
the wisdom and conservatism OF the VICE
president of the Confederacy controlled It's
measures on innumerable OCCASIONS IL
would have been UNNECESSARILY petter lor
the South. At the close of the war, MR..
STEPHENS was imprisoned for short time
in Boston harbor, but afterwards released OF
parol. In 1866 he was elected to the oniteo
States senate from Georgia, but was not
permitted to take his seat. In 1877 ana
again in IA, '76, '7S and 'So' he
was elected to congress, ana
last year was elected by Inc
democracy to the gubernatorial chair
of the Empire state of the South py an
overwhelming majority. After but briel
term in this last position of honor ana
trust, tsis public servant OF hall a cen
tury's service has been taken away from
the active scenes of life in which he has al
ways played such powerful and consplcu'
GUS part and sleeps the long sleep that
oyertakes at last the governor as well as the
peasant. With cultivated mind broed
with political learning, strong VIII, actiVe
and intense personal convictions, ana
manner in oratory that attracted attention
always, this singular, yet powerful man
with the physical delicacy of woman anu
the intellectual strength of one OF natures
don bly, intellectually favored could not ou'
have played an important part in the MS
tory of government of the peo'
ple like ours, and it is posi-
BILE, therefore, to trace his loot
prints and influence upon the legislation In
all the varied sphere Of his duties. Gull
tured above, the ordinary legislator IN
,ttS national councils, and OF patriouc ana
incorruptible character, he was one VINO
could alva avs command attention and re-
spect. and shed flood of light and wisdom
upon the propositions affecting the country
welfare. His services were therefore par
ticularly valuable, and his loss will be pro-
portionately great. GOVERNOR STEPHENS
liberalism and conservatism were the cause
of much unfriendly criticism at times from
the more fiery of his Southern constitu-
ency, but they were just such features as
the South has needed in her representative
men. since the war. Bourbonism
of whatever character is oblec-
tionable, and the election oil Mr.
STEPHENS as governor of Georgia was con-
cession to and triumph Of the broader,
liberalized and more progressive politicai
sentiment that is taking hold OF the South,
as sectionalism grows fainter and weaker.
GOVERNOR STEPHENS was never married,
owing TO his physical weaknesses through
life, It is said, but one of the brightest stars
in his crown, here or hereafter, will be the
fatherly interes, he ever manifested in be-
half of youth and poverty and the princely
assistance which his purse yielded in a
thousand instances, TO the deserving who
were struggling against the cruelty Of a
hard fate. In 0ovERsoR STEPHENS death,
good and great man has been lost to the
country and his own state. and, coming 50
soon upon the death OF HILL, leaves
Georgia doubiy bereft Of worth, eloquence
and wisdom.