Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1883-03-11
A PURE POLITICIAN.

Alexander Hamilton stephens died on
the 4th OF March at midnight. He was
born in Taliaferro County, Georgia, on
the 18th of February, 1912, and was in
the I'D year Of his age at the time of his
death. Few statesmen in this country
have had a more successful or remarka-
BILE career than Mr.. Stephens. He was
admitted to the bar in 1884, and located
at Charlottesville, in his native State,
where he soon rose to eminence in his
profession. He was elected to the State
legislature in 1886, and was reelected
for five successive terms. In lS43 he
was elected as a Wing to Congress, and
was continuously reelected until 1859.
In lS47 he submitted a series OF resolu-
tions on the Mexican war, which were
afterward Incorporated into the platform
of the Wing party. He took an active
and prominent part in support OF the
compromise measures Of 1850, and
throughout his career always opposed the
schemes Of the fire-eaters OF the South.
In 1859 he saw the approach OF the
gathering storm which burst upon the
country in 1850, and declined a reelection
to Congress. On the I'd Of July, 1850,
he made a speech at Augusta, Georgia,
in which he definitely announced his pur-
pose OF retiring from public life. In
1860 he sustained Douglas and denounced
the secessionists who desired to make the
election of Mr.. Lincoln a pretense tor
disunion, and in the Autumn of the same
year he made a speech before the Geor-
gia Legislature, taking strong grounds
against secession. Notwithstanding his
hostility, he was elected to the secession
convention which met at Miliedgville in
January, 1861, and there spoke and
voted against the secession ordinance.
He was again chosen a member OF the
Southern Congress which met at Mont
gomery, Alabama, and was elected Vice
President of the Confederacy.
1t is somewhat remarkable that the
Confederate States, in those days of in
tense sectional excitement, should have
continued to elect Mr.. Stephens to their
highest offices, Notwithstanding his
steady and determined opposition to Sc
c~ession. Sam. Houston of Texas, Andy
johnson OF Tennessee, and other Union
lists of the South, were no more decided
in their hostility to secession than was
Alexander Ii. Stephens. But while these
were driven into retirement or exile.
Stephens retained to the last the conf
dence and warm esteem OF the Southern
people. This was due to the universe.
respect for his high personal character
and the general confidence in the purity
OF his motives. He opposed secession tt
the last, yet when it became an accom-
plished fact he cast his lot with his PEG
pie. In this he showed his usual wis
dom, as he thus kept himself in position
to best serve his section when the crisi
came demanding the ablest men Of thu
South at the helm. After the close o
the rebellion he actively co.operatet
with President johnson in the recon
struction measures. During this perio'
he was elected to the United States Sen
ate from Georgia, but vas not permitte'
- %,Jyo ~, ea,t FOr tha ra,ron That h,
State had not fully complied with tn
conditions of reconstruction. In ISL
he was again elected to Congress, an
was continuously reelected thereafte
until two years ago, when he declined
denomination and was elected Governo
of Georgia.
Throughout his long public career tn
record of Mr.. Stephens was without
stain. He was never charged, or eve
suspected, with being connected wit
any schemes of iobbery during his servic
OF more than q quarter of a century i
Congress, before and after the wal
While the Blaines, the Windows, tn
Shermans, and statesmen of that ik
amassed their millions in Congress. A
H. Stephens closed his Congressions
career in 1881 with only a moderate com
potency, which he had acquired by tn
practice of his profession and the sale q
several legal and political works Of
high order Of merit. He was the con
temporary and friend of Clay, Webster
Cass and Benton-statesmen Of the oil,
school-that are rapidly becoming ex
tinct. Few men have played SO prom
inent a part in the events Of the pas
forty years, and few names will 20 dow
to posterity crowned with a brighte
lustre.