Wade Keyes

Wade Keyes (1821 – 1879) was a lawyer, scholar, judge and professor from Alabama who served as the first and only Assistant Attorney General of the Confederacy, 1861–1865.

He was first being educated by private tutors at home, followed by studies at LaGrange College, Alabama and the University of Virginia.

[2] In 1853, the Legislature elected Keyes Chancellor of the Southern Division of the Court of Chancery, over Francis Bugbee and Sterling G. Cato of Barbour County.

[4] As a judge of equity Keyes would successfully apply his considerable learning to adjudications of complicated real and personal property cases.

[5] At the initiative of Justice Samuel F. Rice, the Legislature granted the school the right to confer academic degrees and to license its students to practice law.

The turmoil of the Secession Crisis led to the closing of the school in February 1861, as the students left and volunteered for different military organizations.

Benjamin had met Keyes when he was chancellor and valued him as an administrator, legal scholar and proficient writer.

[8] When Benjamin on September 17, 1861, was appointed secretary of war Keyes took over as acting attorney general until Thomas Bragg officially took office November 21, 1861.

They are characterized by conservative construction, deference to common law and cautious interpretations of acts of the Confederate Congress.

[10][12] Keyes argued that the Attorney General had no authority to issue opinions concerning constitutional questions other than when advising the president when he was about to sign or veto an act of congress.

The Attorney General was restricted to limit his opinions to rulings of the judicial branch respecting constitutionality and lawfulness.

He was reprimanded by Jefferson Davis for having questioned the president's authority when he had intervened in cases where the accounting officers by law were to make independent rulings.

Wade's other brother George was a journalist and later register and master in the chancery court, served in Hilliard's Legion and later when disabled commanded a home guard battalion.