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Alexander Hamilton Stephens, the Vice-President of the Confederacy, was born in Georgia, February 11th, 1812. Mr. Stephens suffered much from ill-health, but he overcame all difficulties, and obtained high positions, both in politics and in the law. He was a member of Congress from 1843 to 1859, at first as a Whig, but later as a Democrat, because of the slavery struggle. Mr. Stephens was very much opposed to secession, but he went with his State, considering his allegiance to Georgia higher than that due to the nation. He died March 4th, 1883.

He did not believe that the States had a right to withdraw from the Union, yet he did not think that the national government had the right to use force to compel any State to remain in the Union. He thought that Congress ought to pass some acts which would satisfy the Southern leaders, and would induce them to come back. As a result, no decision was reached during the remaining months of his administration. The President reconstructed his cabinet, and more careful attention was paid to the war and navy departments of the national government. The Washington authorities and the country at large seemed simply waiting for the 4th of March, and the inauguration of the new President. When that time came, the only practical possessions of the national government in the seven seceding States were the three fortifications, Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, Fort Pickens at Pensacola, and Key West.

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1853. Pierce inaugurated President, March 1 Gadsden purchase, December 30.

The Martin Koszta case.

1854. Treaty with Japan, March 21.

Reciprocity treaty with Great Britain.
Kansas-Nebraska bill.

1855. Formation of the Republican Party.
1856. Assault on Sumner.

1857. Buchanan inaugurated President, March 4.

1858.

Dred Scott decision.

Commercial distress.

First Atlantic cable.

Mormons overpowered by the National government.
Lincoln-Douglas debate.

1859. John Brown's raid, October 16.

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South Carolina "Secession " Convention. December 20. 1861. Secession of six other States.

Confederate Convention at Montgomery, February 4.

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538. War or Peace? What would be the result of the attempt of the Southern States to establish a new confederacy? A large proportion of the Southern people felt assured that the Union, or the North, as they chose to call what remained of the Union, would peacefully permit the separation. If any attempt should be made to resort to force to compel the States to return, it would be feeble and easily overcome. A few, like their Vice-President Stephens, felt otherwise, and urged a careful counting of the cost of the war, which they saw was inevitable.

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539. Numbers. - If war should come, what were the prospects? Had the North or the South more of the things necessary for a successful prosecution of the war? The population of the Union in 1860 was more than thirty millions. Of this number, less than one-third were in the seceding States, and, omitting the slaves from the account, hardly one-fifth. In other words, the North, or the Union, could probably furnish three or four times as many soldiers as could the Confederacy.

540. Soldiers. The contest with Mexico was the only real school in which the Americans had learned the art of war. Most of the soldiers and nearly all of the commanders had been men from the Southern States. Besides, a large proportion of the officers, who, trained at West Point, had remained in the army, were from the South, and went with their States." The North had a considerable militia

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