The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1868-04-16
Speech on the Situation,
BY HON y. H. HILL,
f'. f'G' DELIVERED IN
Atlanta, Ca, March 10th, 1868.
Mr.. Presiders, Ladies and Gentlemen

Nr. presideM, LddteS ana uenHeHen !:
Iappear to-day at the instance and
under the auspices ofthe" "Young Mems
Democratic Club" of this city. Polit-
ical, like other revolutions, have their
periods, and often rapidly change in
character purpose and issues.
Far up the Niagra river the waters
are quiet and still Little children
bathe and play in their depths, and
parties Of pleasure ride merrily and
safely on their bosom. But at a given
point the current makes its start for the
great Falls, and moving slowly at first,
it grows more =. and constantly.-more
rapid, until there is a point in its wild,
mad rush, from which once reached,
nothing alive has ever been rescued.
The American people have been
peaceful, happy, free, and prosperous.
They loved their Constitution and low
ed each other. But evil whispers di-
vided them, and step by step they ap-
preached and finally entered upon rev.
olution. And how wildly and still
more wildly we have rushed, and yet
rush along! The question now reach
ed is not whether this or that party
shall triumph-not whether we shall
have Union-not, alas! whether we
shall have q government founded on
our consent. 1t is more vital STILL
The issue has wholly changed, and has
ceased to be a political question. The
issue now pressing is one of actual po-
litical life-of social existence. Moth
ing more startles the man of thought,
the readers of history, than the giddi-
ness with which the people are riding
on the rapids to destruction, seemingly
of what awaits them. You
are as giddy this day rs were the dupes
who married and were given in marri-
age, and carried on their ordinary
transactions, before the flood. The
world was neither more wicked, nor
giddy, nor guilty in that day than is
the political world Of America at this
day, The great difficulty of the times
is this: the people have no regard for
truth; they have no love for it--not a
particle. You think no less of a man
who notoriously and avowedly enga-
ges in deception, provided he be apoH
Gcian, than you do ola Christian gen
tleman. rather think you think more
of deception than you do Of truth and
that is the reason why so much deccp-
ton is practiced. 1t has not only be-
come harmless thing, but it has alb
solutely become passport to power
"A means Of success-the policy by
which you manufacture greatness out
of nothing. The church and society
are all at fault; the people themselves
are at fault upon this question. Why,
it has not only grown to be a habit,
but it has become almost maxim, that
it is "no harm to tell lie in politics" ="
Oh, what perverted judgment! What
immortality! No harmY practice
has made it So" My friends, a polit-
ical lie is the worst of all lies, and ought
to be held more infamous than all 9th
ers. lie who is guilty of it ought to
receive the fr0wn and scorn and con-
demnation of every man. and every
member of society. Why, the very
reason why the country has reached its
present condition, is the failure ofyoul
rulers to be honest and truthful, and
the failure of the people to call them
to account for their inadelity to truth
What a spectacle the American ma
ton now presents! What spectacle
for the world and posterity! And moi
morely politically, but morally. Fol
four long years the people North ant
South, were anxiously watching thu
struggle-a struggle to determine
whether certain States should be con
sidered in the Union or out Of it. Fl
nally, the struggle ended. The South
ern people unanimously said--"Wel
consent to remain in the Union-we'l
admit that our attempt to leave the Un
ion Is a failure" Nearly three year
have elapsed since then, and you hav
seen your rulers-the pretentious lead
ers Of political thought and the polit
ical sentiment Of the country-going t
| W ashington city. laying their hand
| upon the Bible, swearing 10 supper
tile Constitution of the United States
and daily violating every principle Q
that Constitution, anu setting AZ nouSn
the whole issue and the result of tn
war. Nay, the American people hav
become 90, false, Z, thenselves-s
false to every principle Of. truth an
sirtue-that an old man, the leader Q
this great party, without damage to hi
character openly and boldly ayows an
declares, that al the legislation toucl
ing these States has been. entirely ou,
i side the Constitution, SAieA h sOa
sSoss 70 ssppors! You have seen th
Legislative Department, governed b
passiops,, actuated by viudictivenes'
toverturning the institutions Of tn
coon.ryToot .. to support The unio (,
4 ths sole puFposs Of preserving pow
sssSsss !; Sess.s, 'IS:ssss 3 &: n.fdD. 3; !;
. ~crld thS S&Ssk&Sc14h II an n ahkAlheolv A