The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-03
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A Last Word with Mr.. Hill.


We have a certain respect for an opponent
like Mr.. Hill. He is not euphemistic. He
does not like reconstruction, and he proposes
to fight about it. II our opponents were all
as candid, we shosld have an easy canvass.
Seymour's election, he says, twill be accepted
as a decision by the American people that
these (State) governments are not esta-
blished,n and of course SeymOur's duty will
be to destroy them, and arrange the States
to the satisfaction Of Mr.. Hill. This is the
essential point in his letter, the keystone OF
his argument. Mr.. Hill knows very we'll that
the Southern loyalists cannot be deprived OF
their rights, and remanded into a condition
worse than slavery, without a revolution, aud
possibly war. II one section OF the Southern
people fought four years to keep large num-
Der of their fellow-citizens in slavery, how
long would another section fight to prevent
their own enslavement Mr.. Hill can answer
this question better than we can.
The facts of the Camilla massacre are not
unchanged by Mr.. Hills notes upon them.
Without meaning any disrespect, we regard
his endorsement of the Rebel rioters much
as the profered responsibility of "Falstaf."
We want better security for "Bardolph" than
"Sir John" Mr.. Hill, wehave no doubt, means
to tell true story, but he is not a competent
witness. He knows that We have had war,
and is not well pleased that the fighting is
over. There are great many of the same
class, North and South, who, as noted hu-
morist expresses it, were vigorously for the
prosecution Of the war; and held themselves
ready to sacrifice all their wives relatives in
their devotion. A little massacre like Camilla
Is therefore a skirmsh; and, unless we misap-
prehend Mr.. Hills meaning we are to have
good many more-with similar results. "You
think it strange" he says, "that SO many
negroes were killed, and SO few whites
injured. To me, this is not strange. The
negroes were slaughtered as they will always
be under such circumstances" We accept
Mr.. Hills correction, and are rather surprised
at our blunder. Now that we remember, there
were more negroes than white men killed at
New Orleans, and at Memphis, and at Fort
Pillow. When Mr.. Hill comes to us with these
opinions and seeks to discredit our correspon-
dents, we cannot accept him. The writer OF
the letters in the Tribune is neither "a carpet
bagger" nor "scalawag," but native of
Georgia and citizen who has always been
highly honored. He is quite as good witness
as Mr.. HILL and has the merit Of regard
ing the shooting of unoHending citizens
in mass meeting assembled as murder. He is
willing to accept reconstruction without threat
ening ''the poor negroes'' with 'sure destruc-
tion," unless the State governments are
changed. We think there must have been
mistake about the bloodhounds. Mr.. Hilps
word covers that point, and we thank him for
the correction. Considering the extent and
thoroughness of the massacre and the number
Of the slain, the hounds were hardly necessary.
This brings Us back to the text of Mr..
Hills letter: Seymour's election means the
downfall of Reconstruction. Upon which We
are moved to say
l. Seymours election does not make him
the Government. He would be no more Presi-
dent, in the absolute sense, than Andrew
Johnson. The Senate would be irrevoca6ly
and overwhelmingly against him, and the
House in all probability largely 50.
II. Seymour would find certain laws to exc
ouf md hofn ha ha hair ha
be committed to their execution by solemn
oath
III. These laws will not be repealed. Were
Seymour to carry every Northern State, they
would still stand, and behind them the i'm
pregnable barrier of Constitutional amend
ment, which no President and no Supreme
Court can override.
". AS President Mr.. Seymour could not
make Mr.. Hill tax collector without the will
of the Senate. Victorious or defeated, the Re-
publican party remains master of the situa
tion.
Now this is as clear as sunshine and Mr.
Hill is sadly deceived when he comes to New
York and expects the aid of the Democratic
party to overthrow these States His policy il
either war or it is trick of violent speech.
he is merely rhetorical then he is dema
gogue, and we pass him by. If he is in ear
nest he means war, wants war, and seeks tt
precipitate war. 1t is not the work of day Il
The policy which Congress created represents
the victories of hundred fields, the sacrifices
of great people, the assumption of vas
debt. We do not propose to amend it il
answer to the desire Of Mr.. Hill, or to desis
from its enforcement because he assures
us that his friends will massacre tn,
negroes. But for the infatuaton of Senators
like Fessenden and Grimes, he would find
even now, that it would be safe for the negro
to attend Republican meeting in Camilla
and that punishment swift as the very light
ming would have made negro massacres an un
desirable amusement. The blood of thes,
poor people dEps upon the Senate chairs o
the Republicans who sustained by their votes
the author and apOlOgist of the massacre a
New Orleans. We must endure Mr.. johnson
little longer, but we feel sure the nation will
not welcome a continuance of his admnistra
tion in Mr.. Seymour. Be that as it may
Grant or SeymOur-it is certain that recon
struction will stand, unless overthrown by tn,
revolutionary violence suggested by Genera
Blair and expected by Mr.. Hill. From tha
law there is no appeal. 1t is the written and
sealed decree of the Constitution, and, to para
phrase the rude figure of 'Shylock, - until Mr.
Hill can rail the seal from off the bond, he bu
ofends his lungs to speak SO loud.
These are not pleasant words for us to say
nor are the words of Mr.. Hill pleasant t
hear. We take him to be an honest, angry
disappointed man-not without influence il
his own country, but misled by political will
o'-the-wisps like Andrew Johnson and tn
Northern Copperheads. When he rants abou
millions of Northern men hating recenstruC
tion, and asserts that, when the new wa
comes, there will no longer be a 'unite
North, he merely repeats the gasoonade tina
has probably hoated to him through the ume