Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-10-10

penalty for his undaunted action, that
members, which was terribly
nangled in. the. incidental struggle,
never again wrete plainly. Few Of the
witnesses. OF the regrettable episode,
which occurred on the piazza of
Thompson's hotel, Atlanta, Ga, ever
expected that our illustrious worthy
would recover from the effects of the
mur8erous onslaught. To the wonder
of ALL however, he did Teeuperatej in
time to make a speech in favor of Gem
eral Zachary Taylor for the national
presidency, his carriage being tri-
umphantly drawn to the orators
stand by his admiring fellow citizens.
=. In 1850 he opposed the secession move
ment, then in gradual progress In the
south. His reason for taking this po
sitfofl was based upon the fact that
he regarded the admission OF Califof-
MIA ais a free state as a blessing, be
cause it repealed the Missouri restric-
lions and opened all remaining terri
tory, north and south. to slavery. He
was one of the authors OF what is
known as the Georgia platform of 1850,
which begins with the resolve ''That we
hold the American Union secondary in
importance only to the rights and
principles II was designed TO perpet-
uate" On the nomination" Of Frank
lin Pierce and General Winfield Scott
as candidates for presidential honors
at Baltimore in 1852 the lines OF de-
rnarkation between Wftgism and
Democracy were def1ned for the hast
time, And so the following prominent
southern members of the Whig party
in congress gave their unanimous de-
clsion in favor of its final overthrow.
AccordinRly, Mr.. Stephens with. his
Georgia colleagues, Robert Toombs
and James JOhnsonE Alex White. Mis-
sissippi;T Christopher. ii. Williams and
Meredith y. Gentry from Tennessee,
a and Chas. j. Faulkner, from Virginia,
dealt the death-blow to that political
organization through their famous
card OF July 8, 1851 fin which they ad-
!. duced the reasons underlying their re-
ftleaf ITO support General Scott. Our
honored subject was the author Of the
document in question, and In his not
able connection herewith we see an
other important phase in his foreeful
. public career.
In 1854 Mr.. Stephens defended the
principles of the Kansas Nebraska
bill. which may be said to haFmonize.
In the main, with the settled policy as
nnfolded in the compromise of 1850.
: Five years later, or I'm 1858, his eighth
consecutive term In the national house
2 SUCCESSFULLY
an affeptionate ariieu TO congress and
retired into private life In his fare
well speech to his admirsng constis-
uents, which was delivered in Augals-
ia. Ga. soon after, his official with
drawal. he fntinated that the ''only
way to get more slaves and settle the
territories with slaye-holdlng voters
was 20 reopen the African slave trade
Indeed. 20 casual observer II would
seem. that our distinguished subject
was nothing more than a bundle of
contradictions 1t must be remem-
bered. however, that he always acted
well considered reasons to. justify his
public steps as taken q While "a state
rights man at heart, ne yet saw fit TO
s support the claims of Harrison and
TYLER In 1870 Again, in 1884, though In
favor az the Aacqlisitfon of Texas. he
upheld the candidacy of Henry Clay,
who prophetically declared that war
with Mexico would assnredly precipi-
tate the rediscussion OF the slave is
sue In the following year he voted
with the Democrats in admitting Tex
as. and in 1876 and 1877 he championed
the Mexican war policy as advocated
BY J.FCg Calhoun and the Wings His
house resolution Ia February, .1s47, be-
came the basis of the Wing reorgani-
zation. as we'll as of the election in
1913 of General Zachary Taylor as ma
tional president. In 1850 our worthy
tiiffered with the policy Of Fillmore, as
he had done with that of Polk, and
n approved the compromise measures OF
Mr. Clay. In 1854 he co-operated with
stephen A. Douglas so far as the pro-
motion of the passage of the Kansas
Nebraska bill was concerned, and
united with the Democrats. in, the fol-
! lowing year, in the attempted over
throw of KNOWN othingism, while IN
1858 he aided in the election of the
Democratic q presidential standard
bearer, James Buchanan, his bitter po-
Iitical foe. When he withdrew from
the national halls in March, 1859, he
observed with, homely Significance, Il
saw there was bound to be a smash-up
on the road and resolved to jump Off
at the first. station And in the Sc
ouent year, besides making a notable
Union speech. he supported Douglass
and Johnson as against Breekinridge
and Lane. who were the acknowledged
exponents of the state rights theory.
he fnafntaing that the territorial
views Of Douglass were lifelong prin-
cipIes. =t f'T,ifaf lair z
When on the 18th of January, 1861.
the memorable Georgia convention was
convOl1eds at Milledgeville. among the
distinguished deputies who contributed
to the interest of its stirring delibera-
tions was Mr.. Stephens. He came in
the capacity of a unionist delegate,
and in him the cause which he so ably
represented found q brilliant, uncom-
promising and unqnenchable defender;
he. while strenuously advising against
the policy of secession as a remedy for
existing grievances, boldly maintained
the inherent right of q states on sur
ficient grounds, to peaceably Withdraw
from the Federal union, whenever it
so desired. But in spite of all the inn
FASHIONED efforts of the union contin-
gent, they were, in, the end, outgen-
eraIed by their disruptionary oppo-
nents, and on the historic 18th of that
evenfful month the, famous Georgia
ordinance of secession was proudly
haunted to the world. one of the II
who composed the committee special
ly charged with the framing of this
celebrated instrument was our subject;
and after the adoption Of the patriotic
ordinance, another honor was straight
way lavished upon his deserving head.
This was his appointment as one of
Georgias ten representatives IN the d.
Confederate provisional congress at
Montgomery, Ala. That remarkable.
conciave was duly convened on the 4th
of February, 1861, and its earliest la
Dor of importance found expression in
the formulation of a provisional or
temporary constitution for the nascent
nation. OF that admirable document.
(which will ever remain, not only as
monument Of the wisdom forecast