Secession in Georgia and the Role of Alexander Stephens
Alexander Stephens was a U.S. Representative from Georgia who was PRO-slavery, but he was against Secession. When Georgia held a convention to decide on secession Alexander Stephens argued against it by saying the South should remain loyal to the Union. He believed that if the South seceded then a Civil War would break out and if the South lost then they would lose their states’ rights, especially the right to keep slavery legal.
Despite Alexander Stephens and his words of caution, Georgia decided to secede anyway. Those states in the south that seceded created the Confederate States of America, a separate country. Alexander Stephens was persuaded to become the vice-president of the C.S.A., most likely to appeal to southerners that were just like him – wanted to keep slavery, but really didn’t want to leave the union. This would help keep the southern states united.