The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1865-10-19
The Death Of Yancey.


gomery, ard turn to the right, you will
perceive colonade of maple trees lead
ing off toward quiet glen. Beyond is
a grassy knoll, and leaving this to the
left, you approach pleasant level OF
green sward Here you may be tempted
to pause before a plain slab of marble
Of the most humble description II
bears single inscription. William L.
Yancey." His last words were .sPut
me out of sight," and it is said that he
was constantly muttering towards his
latter end, those lines of Pope:
LET me live unseen, unknown,
And unlamented let me die,
Nor mound nor monument, nor stone,
Tell where lie"
His death was quiet and painless, after
year of acute mental and physical
suffering He was a strict churchman,
man or quiet manners, handsome
declaimer and a fair scholar. He was
never wealthy, and it is understood that
he left his family without an indepen-
dence.
The time has come when the circum-
stances which occasioned his death,
with the occasion which suddenly con-
vulseda frame from perfect health into
q week and mere shadow, may be men
toned as a historical fact William l..
Yancey came to his death by violance.
1t was toward the close OF the second
session of the first Confederate Congress
that he broke from the counsel and in
fiuence of MIR, Davis, and became, with
Henry ). Foote, leader of the oppo-
sition Mr.. Ben Hill, Senator from
Georgia. had likewise changed his front.
and was remarkable for the earnestness
and persistency with which he supported
the measures of an administration to
which his allegiance had been given but
late in the day.. Mr.. Yancey, it will be
remembered, had returned from an un-
successful mission to Europe, and was
representing Alabama in the Confederate
Congress.
The question of n navy was under
discussion in the secret session. The
debate ranged beyond the parlam entary
limits, and Messrs. Yancey and Hill be-
came animated over the abstract doe
trines Of State Rights and the divinity
of slavery. High words passed and
finally the lie was given by Mr.. Hill--Mr
Yancey ieaped forward, and as he aimed |
and rs he aimed blow at his adversary.
was caught in the arms of the latter and
violently thrown back over desk Mr.
Hill is a man of wonderful muscular de
velopment. Mr.. Yancey was never very
heavy. though. 1.-the and active. In the
fall his spine was seriously injured, and
when the bystanders rushed upon the /
two and dragged the one from the other,
the great ii re eater lay unconscious upon /
the floor, with little trickle of blood i
oozing from his lips. He was carried To |
his hotel, a vote of secrecy was passed, |
and the rencounter was hushed up No /
one in Richmond except that body OF
men knew of the circumstances for six |
months after. MEANWHILE the victim did |
not recover. He dro 5ped from that day. |
He became listless, hopeless and vacant. I
He was transferred to his own home, |
where his commissions ceased few |
weeks before his death, which was very
tranquil and calm.
He died without one hope Of the sue
cess of the Southern Republic he had
aspired to found and govern: for which
he had labored day and night for twenty
five years to which he had sacrificed his
people, the Union OF the States, aud the
chosen institutions of the South, bro
ken hearted man-.'unwept, unhonored, I
and unsung y -Rspubican Banner
After persuing the foregoing article, 4
we fell into the company of a member +
of the Richmond Congress who confirms |
the thruth of the story. The secret was 1
well kept by the rebels, for our inform I
ant states that the fight and injury to I
Yancey were not known in Richmond I
for six months after the occurrence
Bro,cnior's Wig.