The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-02-25
BEN. HILLS FIGHT.
How William L. Yaneey Came by his Death Wounds
An Old story Retold.

How william L. Yaneey Came by his Death Wounds
An Old story Retold.
George Alfred Townsend, in his Wash
ington letter to the New York Graphic,
describing the exciting debate in the
House on the Amnesty bill, between
Blame, of Maine, and Hill of Georgia,
states that the latter was a ssrebel Sens-
tor at the Richmond Capital, and struck
Yancy on the back of the head with an
inkstand." As a historian-and Mr..
Townsend aspires to that distinction,
with the late Mr.. Macauley as his model
it is well to be accurate. A memora-
BILE rencontre between Hill and Yancy
did occur at the Richmond Capital, but
the wound received by Yancey was not
from an inkstand. We remember that
shortly after the war it was mentioned as
historical fact that William L. Yancey
came to his end by violence. The cir
eumstances of his last illness and death,
with the occasion which suddenly con-
vulsed frame from perfect health into
a wreck and mere shadow, were written
and first published In this city by Mr..
Henry Watterton, then a member of the
Nashville press. According to this first
published account of it, it was toward
the close of the second session of the
first Confederate Congress that Yancey
broke from the counsels and influence of
Mr Davis op1 boeo,po With ua,-v q
Foote, a leader of the opposition. Mr..
Ben. Hill, the Senator from Georgia, had
likewise changed his front, and was re-
markable for the earnestness, personal
interest, and persistency with which he
sustained the measures of an admins
tration to which his allegiance had been
given but late in the day. Mr.. Yancey
it will be remembered, had returned
from an unsuccessful mission to Europe,
and was representing Alabama in the
Confederate Senate. This question of
a navy was under discussion in secret
session. The debate ranged beyond par
liamentary limits, and Messrs. Yancey
and Hill became animated over the alb
stract doctrines of State Rights and the
divinity of slavery. High words passed,
and finally the lie was given by Mr.. Hill..
Mr.. Yancey leaped forward, and, as he
aimed g. blow at his adversary, was
caught in the arms of the latter and
violently thrown back over O 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 hiss spine was seriously injured;
and when the bystanders rushed upon
the two and dragged the one from the
other, the great fire-eater lay uncon-
scious upon the floor, with little trickle
of blood oozing from his lips. He was
carried to the hotel, vote of secrecy
was passed, and the reneontre 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 dropped from day
to day. He became listless, hopeless,
and vacant. He was transferred to his
own home, where his convulsions ceas-
ed few weeks before his death, which
was tranquil and calm. He died with
out hope of the success of the South
err Republic he had aspired to found
and govern, and for which he had labor
ed day ami night for twenty-five years.
-NashUilIe American