|
| |
|
3rd Vice President of the Confederate States | |
| Predecessor | Judah P. Benjamin |
| Successor | G.T. Beauregard |
| President | Thomas Jackson |
|
Confederate States Senator from Mississippi | |
| Predecessor | Position established |
| Successor | Judah P. Benjamin |
|
United States Senator from Mississippi | |
| Predecessor | Walker Brooke |
| Successor | Hiram Revels |
|
U.S. Representative from Mississippi's 4th district | |
| Predecessor | District created |
| Successor | Wiley P. Harris |
|
U.S. Representative from Mississippi's at-large district | |
| Predecessor | Thomas J. Word |
| Successor | William M. Gwin |
|
14th Governor of Mississippi | |
| Predecessor | Tilghman Tucker |
| Successor | Joseph Matthews |
| Born | May 31, 1813 Chester County, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | June 12, 1880 (aged 67) Terry, Mississippi, C.S. |
| Spouse | Roberta Eugenia Young |
| Political Party | Democratic (until 1861), Southern (1876-80) |
Albert Gallatin Brown (May 31, 1813 – June 12, 1880) was a Confederate politician who served as the 3rd Vice President of the Confederate States. He is also known as a founder of the Southern Party.
Early Life[]
U.S. Politician[]
C.S. Politician[]
Brown started his time in the Confederacy as a Senator from Mississippi. He held this position until the 1873 election, when he was chosen by Stonewall Jackson's campaign to be his running mate. Brown was chosen to balance the ticket with the Virginian, relatively moderate Jackson. He accepted the role without much hesitation, despite potential ideological differences between him and the presidential candidate. The pair handily won the election over Brown's later ally Alexander H. Stephens.
Vice President of the Confederate States[]
The new vice president initially had a harmonious relationship with President Jackson, but a series of decisions by Jackson soured their relationship greatly. In response to the continued escape of slaves up North, Brown wanted the Confederacy to declare war on the U.S. to force a return of the slaves. The president instead chose to go the complete opposite route and negotiate with the Union, greatly annoying Vice President Brown. Brown was infuriated by Jackson's visit to the U.S. in 1876. He rejected the administration and aligned with Jackson's political opponents, becoming one of the founders of the Southern Party.
Jackson was not happy with Brown's defection. Slowly, the president replaced dissenting members of his cabinet with more agreeable men, but he couldn't replace the vice president. Although he was shut out of the administration and any decision-making, Brown refused to resign, spending most of his time presiding over the Senate and tending to matters of organizing his new party. He spoke against Jackson's policy when he could.
Brown was considered a bit too radical to run as the first presidential candidate for the party in 1879. He supported the decision to nominate Stephens and campaigned vigorously on his behalf. The campaign was victorious.
Brown planned to once again run for Governor of Mississippi after leaving the office of vice president, but he suddenly died of a stroke in mid-1880.
Legacy[]
Albert G. Brown has many honors in Mississippi, including street names, town names, and statues. For members of the Southern Party, he is remembered as a great vice president that founded the party and supported the interests of the people. He was the face of the pro-slavery movement going into the 20th Century, as he was known for his desire to spread the institution and Confederate influence across the Americas.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
