The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-02-08
From the Republic. ~.
A startling Qucstion:-Is ths South
Sill for War.


A startling Qucstion:-Is the South
Sill for War.
Mr.. B. Hill, member OF Congress
from Georgia, delivered a speech said
to have been "the grandest" the gen.
tleman ever uttered, and which was re-
ported in the Atlanta Constitution of
January "a, 1875. Mr. Hill said:
"Fellow-citizens, 1 look to the con-
test OF 1876 not only as the most impor-
tant that ever occurred in American
history, but as the mnst important in
the history of the world; for IL the peo-
pie OF the country cannot be aroused
to give an overwhelming vote against
this Republican party it will perpetu-
ate itself in power in the United States
by precisely the same means that the
President has taken in Louisiana, and
the people will be powerless to prevent
it except they go to war. Applause.
IL we fall with the ballot box in 1876
by reason OF force, q startling question
will present itself to the American poo
pie. trnst We will not fail. 1 hope
the Northern people have had a suffi-
cient subsistence Of passion to sec the
question fairly. III we must have war;
II We cannot preserve this Constitution
and constitutional government by the
ballot; il force is to defeat the ballot;
IL the war must come-God forbid that
ii should come-but il il must come,
If folly, il wickedness, il inordinate
love Of power shall decree that Ameri-
ca must save her constitution by blood
let it come; / am ready"
| IL is useless to endeavor TO conceal
the fact that the delivery OF such a
speech must have been prompted by
motives commensurate with the lam
guage employed in the influence of the
speaker. IL is useless to try TO explain
away the import Of the words. The
speech was delivered by Mr.. Hill, who
had been Senator in the confederate
congress and the mouthpiece of Jeffer-
son Davis, whose infamous orders en-
failing suffering and death on Union
soldiers he either justifies or makes
light OF. Mr.. Hill spoke in a State
which had joined the rebellion in the
hope of destroying the Union; aStatc
which had annihilated as far as il could
the colored vote and the vote OF white
Republicans; n State that had failed
in In its duty to provide fully for the
education of its colored citizens and
their children, and to afford them the
protection OF the law; and that had
been violently wrenched from Repub-
lican control be Democrats who had
obtained their their present status
through the leniency Of amnesty laws
passed by Republican Congress. To
such Democrats Mr.. Hill made his ad-
dress. They were men opposed to the
reconstruction measures. They had
no sympathy with the cause that tri-
umphed in the war; no sense ofobliga-
ton that rested upon them to accept
the situation in good faith; and no IN
tention of obeving those Federal laws
which made no discrimination in citi
zenship between whites and blacks.
The immediate audience surrounding
Mr.. Hill when speaking were spell
bound by the manner in which he
dealt with the subject But he knew,
and they knew, that he addressed
through them the whole South; that
his words were recorded with the in.
ton of being circulated among the
leading White Liners, that psstiferous
class Of fre-eaters, most Of whom have
received amnesty, but who keep the
South in perpetual agitation by main
tanning the old claims of the late slav,
States to subordinate the Federal Gov
srnment and practically disfranchis.
the blacks. The whole speech is per
vadsd by a spirit OF truculent disloyal
ty. Mr.. Hill stands upon a very fierc,
platform-the blood and thunder plat
form SO grateful to rebel ears-which
calls upon the people TO prepare fol
war il the Republican party is success
full in 1875. Such an appeal was ex
pected to meet with ready response
, and il did so. Mississippi responde,
/ in it's late election, whore the platform
: was war, and where treason was ram
: pant and the murders Of colored me
followed as . natural consequence.
! The loyal people of the Union hav
now an opportunity OF knowing who
and what Il is that causes disquiet il
the South. 1t in not Mr.. Hill alone
/ though he is largely responsible; bu
| il is the kind OF speech which he an
/ other speakers go about delivering this
/ stirs up the worst passions OF the pee
, ple and leads to murder. This is n
, ''bloody shirt" fiction; no recommend
alton to shoot down tia six blood
/ thirsty negroes that had armed them
| selves to overpowcr and exterminat
: the six hundred White Liners who wer
1 fleeing before them; no suggestion
4 keep the peace in localities where wer
r negro maiorities, by calling upon whit
: men in the surrounding counties TO ~
: semble together and do ind;scriminai
a slaughter. This is insignificance itsel
L l--...~1l .r,th wbat Mr. Hill ba1 4
r view. He says:
/ .'If the people Of the country cannt
4 be aroused to give an overwhslmin
vote against the Republican party
: will perpetuate itself t.. and the peop
n will be powerless to prevent il excel
they go to war. III we fail with u
g ballot box in 1s76....if we must ha'
3 war. Iii the war must come....iet
o come; I am ready"
Is Let the people look at II. Diveste
OF ail extraneous matter, you hay
Il there the current sentiments of I'll
y Southern leaders. Soldiers you WI
!. fought in the field 10 preserve Il
"a ITnion and it's canse-is this what yo
m axnected as the result OF all your su
Al ferings and exposure when you face
4 death on the battle field and put dow
" the rebellion The contest at the ba
70 lot box in 1876 will undoubtedly be u
Il most important that ever occurred
I American history Of the world. Wit
Il the Confederate armies amnestied at
4 breathing vengeance against the TX
10 publican party, what security is ther
n IL disloyalty shall triumph, foI the !
va teQrity of the Union: for the fulh
] a. IL -. ~ Ax s.s