The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-07-12
Personal Difficulty Between Viii
Hill in the Confederate Senate
Ghamhep

Personal D1nGultV between VIII
liam L. Yancey and Ben. H.
Hill in the Confederate Senate
Chamber.
Among the many events of personal
interest tha. transpired in the South
during the late war, but few arc of
more dramatic character or aroused a
deeper interest among our people than
the unfortunate personal difficulty
which took place in the Confederate
State Senate, at Richmond during its
secret session, between Dir. William
l.. Yancey, of Alabama, and Mr.. Ben.
II. Hill, Of Georgia. Several differ
ent and conflicting versions of this af-
fair have been given through the South
ern press, but none has yet been pub
lished that accords with q statement
we recently derived from a gentleman
who was at the time Senator, and an
eye witness to all that transpired on
the occasion.
The difficulty had its origin in the
heated political contests so common in
this country prior to the breaking out
of the war. 1t was when Yancey,
with his dazzling eloquance, was ''fir-
ing the southern heart" that barbe-
cue, attended by thousands, was given
in one of the southern counties of
Georgia. 1t was here that Hill and
Yancey met-the one the bold and
eloquent defender of the Union, and
the other the boasted champion of Sc
cession and during the debate which
ensued words were uttered that caused
an arrangement that was never after
wards reconciled.
The two mea met again in the Con-
federate Senate, both doubtless smart
ing under the recollection of past con-
fiicts and entertaining no kindly feel
ing for each other. 1t was when the
cause of the South was dropping, and
every patriot heart was heavy with
dependency and gloom, that MI. Yam
cey, rising in his place in the Senate,
declared that the war could no longer
be carried on with hope of success un-
less many of the constitutional re-
straints and embarrassments thrown
aside, and boldly advocated radical
change in the government to meet the
demands of the public and the exlg-
encies Of the Hour.
Upon the conclusion Of Mr.. Yam
cey's remarks, Mr. Hill promptly arose
to repIy.--.Ihe scene was one of most
intense excitement. He deprecated
the opinion advocated by Mr.. Yancey,
and proceeded with great severity to
review his past political career, run
ming back to the beginning of the
times when our sectional troubles were
first agitated. He said Mr.. Yancey,
not satisfied with having warred upon
and disrupted the old Union, was now
crying out against and endeavoring to
subvert and break down the confeder-
ate government When Mr.. Hill con-
cluded, the excitement, already at
white heat, was increased beyond any
thing ever before witnessed during
those troublesome times. Mr.. Yam
cey arose, and in calm, dignified and
seIi-poised manner peculiarly his own,
commenced his reply. He described
Mr.. Hill as repeating slanders that
had been uttered against him for the
past twenty years; and that all which
Mr.. Hill had uttered, had been said
innumerable times before by every
third rate politician in the country
and continued by saying: "Nature
had designed the Senator from Geor-
gia as an imitator; that he had been
cast in certain die, and it was vain
to attempt to enlarge his dimensions. "
Pallid with rage, Mr.. Hill mounted
to his feet, and seizing heavy glass
ink stand, hurled it with all his might
and power at the head of Mr.. Yancey,
which, grazing his forehead, plowed
its way to the skull and passed on its
| furious course crushing q heavy win
dow facing beyond. Without turning
his head, Mr.. Yancey, who was at the
time addressing the speaker, continu-
ing his speech, deliberately remarked,
sit is always the prerogative of cow
ards to strike from the rear. En-
ragged still more at this remark, MIR.
Hill, gathering chair, rushed upon
his antagonist, who, needless of attack,
was continueing bis remarks as calmly
as if nothing had happened, when a
number of Senators interposing, the
difficulty was settled. Mr.. Yancey's
wound bled most profusely, and a
scene of the utmost confusion prevail
ed.
It has several times been stated
since MIR. Yancey's death, that it re-
suited from injuries received in this
rencontre, but such is not the fact, as
he died from a disease that could in
no way have been superip pduced by
| this cause.