The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-11-27
Low a GeorgIa TnIonIst Tnlkn.


The most staunch and active Unionist
of the late Georgia State convention was
Joshua Hill, of Morgan county. He is
Il native of South Carolina, and has
been II lawyer and democratic politician
in Georgia for some twenty-five years.
He WAS in Congress when his State
passed the secession act, and, though he
had constantly opposed it, he resigned
his seat and went home. He stood firm
against the rebellion, and in 1868 receiv-
ed $1,000 votes as Union candidate for
Governor of Georgia-a fact showing a
sound basis of reconstruction in that
State. Just before the Georgia conven-
ton adjourned an address to the presI-
dent was adopted, and on motion of Mr..
Hill passage was inserted in it stating
the fact that the convention had repudi-
nted the rebel debt, which had been
purPosely omitted. While Mr.. Hills
motion was pending he was abused by
some of the secesh members, and was
provoked to an eloquent and indignant
speech. 1t broke the spell which had
rested on the convention through deli
cacy towards the secesh members, and
the bold words of Mr.. Hill were heartily
cheered, and when he concluded the
old State House shook with applause
oThe spirit of the speech is shown in the
following passage:-
81 never protested, because 1 never
felt it, devotion TO the iIl-starred con-
federacy. l regarded it from the first
with open disIavor, and never abated |
my disnpprOvnl of its insane origin
without attacking the personal motives |
OF the men who inauguruted secession, |
for among them We're many that num- |
bered amongst my nearest frieuds.A il |
was my deliberate judgment that il was |
unwise, rash unto madness, and des- |
tructtVe of the best interests and haDDi-
ness of the people. Never during the |
bloody progress of the unfortunate
strife that followed its enactment WINS
there II day that would not, had pos
SesSed the power, have arrested the
horrible revolution. A desire TO pre-
serve from needless sacrifice the
poor, unotiending youth of the land, OF
ITSELF, were enough to have made me
mourn the unhallowed and damninp
act. Thought and said that the. ma
teFlal interests of our people, and
the cherished institution of |
withdrawn as 1t was from its |
9ncient protector, the constitution of the |
United States, the only power by which
II could have been preserved or perpetu-
ated, were, by one fell swoop, DESTROY |
ed and lost forever.
without arTogating any superior
wisdom to myself, had others paused IN |
consider this and other insurmountnble
diihculties that doomed up like mountain
SUBMITS, this deplorable, miserable. i'll
conceived, uniustitiable, self-lestrovinp
revolution could never have had exis-
tence. From it sprnng the confederacy.
could not and did not rejoice at its |
creation; and never saw the day |
while it lasted when loved it better
than when IL began. Iasked nothing of
II, for, as an honorable man, l could |
not. 1t owed me nothing; and when
my poor boys volunteered enthusiastic |
cally to fight for what they deemed the |
Gauge OF the South, l said 10 them, with |
their nnskets on their shouldess tRe-
member my children, you go into or |
ganlzed military commands, with no |
power on my part to afford YOU promo |
ton; for, If it cost me my life, and the
NE OF every member of my household. |
| Will not seek fRvors of q government
that, If left to me, would never have ex-
isted. What results could to me have |
afforded compensation for what have
lost? The wealth of the world, if coined |
into diamonds, would be as nothipry 10
sooth the grieis bear about me. How |
can recur to the horrid past but with !
feelings OF undying regret, of endless |
condemnation?
THE gentleman says the president
looks with more favor upon those who
fought for the rebellion than those who
refused TO do so. lido not believeit hut,
even We're 1t true, IL would not induce
me 10 say oneword or think one thought |
IN favor that hideous wickedness, or
check my heart or tongue in denuncia-
ton of the damning deed. / never
fought for it, never courted its favor !:
never deprecated its wrath. All that
could do for my country, while the
storms OF passion and treason were rag |
ing round me, checrfnllly did. make
no apology for refusing to take arms in
that unhallOwed cause. If he who
fought beneath the flag of the rebellion
Is preferred before me, let it be so. In
Standing by the union OF the states, 1 |
risked more than the loss of goods or
political preferment. staSed INV life
upon the issue. For, sooner than raise
my hand against the government.
would have thought it happiness to