Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-03-08
BELIEFONTE PA, THURSDAY MARCH s, 1888
Death of Alexander II. Stevens.

At 3:lj o'clock in the morning,
March 4, 1888, the immortal part OF
the subject Of this sketch winged it,
fight to the great unknown He wa-
born on February IL, 1912, in that
part Of Taliaferro county, Georgia.
which was then known as Wilkcs
county. He graduated from Frank
lin college at the age Of twenty. Foi
the following eighteen months be
taught school, devoting all the time
he could spare from his duties to tn,
study Of law. He pursued his legal
studies so industriou,ly that in 1884
he was admitted to the Bar at Craw
fordsvillc. He at once entered upon
the practice Of his profession and was
soon known as one Of the clcvcrcst
young lawyers in Georgia. He took a
deep interest in politics, and in 1886
vas elected TO the Legislature of hi-
native state as representative from
Ialiaierro county. In 1912 he was
elected State Senator from the same
district. He was identified with the
Whig party, aud in lS43 was sent to
Congress. In February, ls47, he sub.
mltted series Of resolutions a. 70 the
Mexican War, which aitcrward form.
Ell a plank in the platform of the
Wing party. The breaking up Of the
Wing party in 1855 resulted in HE
adherence TO the ID, m0cratic party.
tie rcpr senicd his district in Con
grcs- uutll 1859. At the close of the
lhirty.fifth Congress he declined TO be
II candidate, and on July 2, 1859
made n speech at Augusta in which he
announced his intention to retire from
public life. He opposed secession,
but when his native state went out Of
the Union he continued to serve her.
He was elected q member of the Con.
iederate Congress which met at Mont.
gomery, Alabama, and was made Vice
President Of the newly-organized Gov
ernment. In February, 1860, Mr..
Stevens was one Of the three represen-
tatives Of the C,nfederacy who met
President Lincoln on a steamer in
Hampton Roads, when the situation
developed by the war was discussed
earnestly, though TO no purpose.
When Generel Lee surrendered. Ste
vens retired to his home. There,
on May IL, 1865, he was arrested.
He was brought North and confined
in Fort Warren, in Boston harbor,
where he was kept for several months
He was placed in damp dungeon,
where he contracted rheumatism,
which disabled him from walking for
the last twelve years of his life. On
October II, he was released on parole.
Stevens favored President Johnson's
policy of recognition. In 1866 he was
elected to the Senate of the United
States, but was prevented from taking
his seat because Georgia was consid.
cred not to have complied with the
conditions Of reconstruction. He wa,
elected to Congress in 1872, and he
retained his seat in that body until
last year, when he announced his in.
tention Of retiring from public life.
lie was induced, however, to become a
candidate for Governor of Georgia,
aud was elected by large majority.
In 1870 he published "A Constitu.
tional View Of the War Between the
States" Physically Mr.. Stevens was
very frail, being small of stature and
light of weight. Tie was gentle and
sympathetic and noted for his gener.
Gus hospitality, as we'll as for his force
of character and remarkable elo.
quenee. He was never married.