Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/642

602 profession of law, in which he speedily achieved prominence and a lucrative practice. His reputation as a jurist was rivalled by his fame as an orator, and he entered vigorously into the campaigns of that period as a leader of the old Whig party. His State, as is well known, was one of the latest to enter the Confederacy, and before that event occurred he made an earnest effort, as one of the commissioners of North Carolina to the peace congress at Washington, to avert the resort to arms. On his return to Wilmington he made a memorable address to his fellow citizens, giving an account of his service, and declaring that he could not accept the basis of conciliation proposed by the congress. On June 18, 1861, he was elected senator for North Carolina in the Confederate Congress, and in 1862 was re-elected. He was appointed attorney- general January 4, 1864, and served in that office until the dissolution of the government. Subsequently he resumed his professional work at Wilmington, and though he consented to deliver a memorable address in 1876 on political topics, he steadfastly declined all political honors which were offered, including the position of chief justice of the Supreme court of the State, tendered him by Governor Vance in 1878. In 1889, though in feeble health, he made his last appearance as an orator to pay a tribute to the memory of his departed chief and dear friend, Mr. Jefferson Davis. He died at Wilmington, February 23, 1896.

Wade Keys, assistant attorney-general of the Confederate States, was born in 1821, at Mooresville, Alabama, where his father, General Keys, was engaged in business as a merchant in addition to his interests as a planter. He was educated at LaGrange college and the university of Virginia and subsequently entered upon the study of law under the preceptorship of Judge Coleman of Athens. He continued his professional studies at Lexington, Kentucky, and after a tour in Europe, made his home