Alexander H. Stephens

Alexander H. Stephens, born on February 11, 1812, was a prominent American politician and writer who played a significant role in the tumultuous era of the Civil War. He served as the only vice president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865, a position that placed him at the heart of the Confederacy's political landscape. Following the war, he became the 50th governor of Georgia, a role he held from 1882 until his death in 1883.

Stephens's political journey began after he attended Franklin College and established a legal practice in Crawfordville, Georgia. His early career included service in both houses of the Georgia General Assembly, and he was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1843. A leading Southern Whig, he was known for his strong opposition to the Mexican–American War and later became a key supporter of the Compromise of 1850, contributing to the drafting of the Georgia Platform, which opposed secession.

As the Whig Party disintegrated in the 1850s, Stephens transitioned to the Democratic Party, collaborating with President James Buchanan to promote the pro-slavery Lecompton Constitution in Kansas. Despite declining to seek re-election in 1858, he continued to advocate against secession. However, after Georgia joined the Confederacy, he was elected as its vice president, delivering the infamous Cornerstone Speech in March 1861, which defended slavery and outlined the Confederacy's ideological foundations.

Throughout the Civil War, Stephens grew increasingly critical of President Jefferson Davis's administration, particularly regarding conscription and civil liberties. In February 1865, he participated in the Hampton Roads Conference, attempting to negotiate peace with President Abraham Lincoln. After the war, he faced imprisonment until October 1865, and although elected to the U.S. Senate the following year, he was denied a seat due to his Confederate ties. He eventually returned to Congress in 1873, serving until he became governor in 1882.