The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-06
DEATH OF ALEXANDER ii. STEPHENS.

Our telegraphic columns this morning
contain the announcement ofthe death Of
the governor of Georgia. whom the people
took such delight in eleyating to that posi'
ton last November by a Tremendously
large majority. The fame Of ALEXANDRA
II. STEPHENS had become coextensiye with
the boundaries the nation, and men Of all
classes aud parties were ready at all times
to accord him the distinction of being one
of the ablest and purest statesmen in the
country. His loss will therefore be felt
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 1872, and was therefore
ct his death an unusually Old man.
When the laborious study and the
physical infrmities 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 1881 began
the practice OF the law at Charlottesville,
where his success was immediate and his
growth in reputation rapid. For six sue
cessive terms, commencing from 1886, he
was elected to the lower branch Of the leg
slature of his state, and in 1912 was sent
to 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 lS60I, Governor STEPHENS vigorously
opposed it and delivered in 1860 a strong
speech before the legislature Of Georgia in
opposition 10 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-president Of the South
ern. Confederacy, but was antagonstic in
most particulars to the acts and policy of
The DAVIS administration From this
safely removed era from the exciting scenes
of the war, IL is very clearly fact that had
the wisdom and conservatism Of the vice.
president Of the Conicderacy controlled its
measures on innumorable occasions, it
would have been UNNECESSARILY better for
the South. At the close of the war, Mr.,
STEPHENS was imprisoned for Il short time
in Boston harbor, but afterwards released On
parol, In 1866 he was elected TO The United
States senate from Georgia, but was not
permitted to take his seat. In 1872, and
again in "a, '7G, IS and $50, he
was elected to congress, and
last year was elected by the
democracy to the gubernatorial chair
of the Empire state of the South by an
overwhelming majority. After put brief
term in this last position of honor and
trust, this public servant OF half n CEN
tury's service has been taken away from
the active scenes of lie in which he has nj
ways played such powerful and conspicu-
GUS part and sleeps the long sleep that
overtakes at last the governor Us well as the
peasant. With cultivated mind, stored
with political learning, strong WILL active
mud intense personal convictions, aud II |
in oratory that attracted attention |
always, this singular, yet powerful man,
with the physical delicacy of u woman and
Tie intellectual strength of one of natures
iouby intellectually favored could not but
have played an important part in the his.
tory Of government OF the peo-
pie like ours, and 1t is possi-
BILE, therefore, to trace his foot
prints and influence upon the legislation in
al the varied sphere of his duties. Cul.
.ured above the ordinary legislator in
5he national councils, and of patriotic and |
ncorruptible character, he was one who
,ould always command attention and re-
,pcct, and shed flood of light and wisdom
upon the propositions affecting the countIy's |
welfare. His services were therefore par
.icularly valuable, and his loss will DO pro-
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. Bourbonsm
Of whatever character is objec |
and the election Of Mr..
STEPHENS as governor of Georgia was n con
cession to and triumph of the broader,
liberalized and more progressive political
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
lie, it is said, but one of the brightest stars
in his crown, here or hereafter, will be the
fatherly interest 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 GOVERNOR STEPHENS death,
good and great man has been lost to the
country and his own state, and, coming so
soon upon the death OF HILL. leaves
Georgia doubly bereft of worth, eloquence
and wisdom.