Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-07-07
BEN HILL,
In the Course OF an Interview, Tells Who
Saved Georgia and Who Organized
the Democratic Party for its First
Great Victory over
Radicalism.
He Goes to the Bottom OF Mr.. Alex. Ste.
phens's CIaim-The Reconstruction
History OF GeOrgia-HOw Mr..
Stephens Despaired.


ceeding to eat them with gusto that showed
he had not lost his appetite since he became
a senator. After pausing to admire the ele-
CANT grace with which he tossed the luscious
fruit down bis senatorial throat, we APP
preached him with a copy of Alex. Stephens S
late speech in Augusta. Placing our finger
upon the following paragraph, we asked MIN
to read it, which he did, holding a knife in
one hand and posing half-peeled peach IL,
the other:
81 think l know as much of organization
as anybody in the State. l dictated every
word, except two or three, on the platform by
which our State was redeemed, when l was
sick, infrm, not able to stand, and there's
where the Democracy of Georgia got Its or
ganization-the breath of Efe-ln which and
by which they triumphed in the redemption
of the State and re-establishment OF consti-
tutionaI government in our midst. Pro-
longed applause.
what do you think OF 1T we asked. Is
1t true that the Democratic party OF Georgia
got its organization from the platform writ
ten by Mr.. Stephens?"
Mr.. Hill laughed and said, "Oh, dom
want to talk about that. The people know
the facts, and there's no use in going over
them"
"But," SAID we, recalling him from his
peaches, "there is use in it. The people OF
Georgia would like to have the history of the
reorganization of the party after the war
given to them faithfully and correctly. And
as no man living can do it SO well as you, !
have come to you for it.
WELL said Mr.. Hill, apparently aban-
doning the peaches for good, ''there's moth
ing in it that am ashamed Of and if you
really want it, l will give it to you as briefly
as l can. You can hardly appreciate the
condition of affairs that existed just at the
close of the war. Our people were crushed,
dispirited and exhausted. Their con-
querors had proposed a plan of recon-
struction. 1t was distinctly understood
so at great personal risk: 1t was openly
proclaimed that con6scation and Punishment
awaited any man who would incite the peo-
pie to protest against il. The people were
deeply impressed with the infamy contained
in the proposed reconstruction measures, but
they were passive. They were filed with
uneasiness and alarm. At this juncture
determined, regardless of the personal conse-
quences, to put on record, as conspicuously
as might be, my protest against the infamous
measures, and to call upon my people to ex-
press their Indignation, if they could do no
more. Out of this determination came my
Notes on the Situation They were printed
in the Augusta Chronicle, and were strongly
backed by its patriotic editor, the late Cen
eral Wright. These notes appeared early in
1867. There was then no vestige of an op-
position party in the State. Indeed, there
were few persons-none of prominence who
openly expressed their opinions, except In the
way of acquiescence. The writing of the
Notes promised to bring the personal
trouble that had been threatened; for the
commanding general, in letter which was
published. recommended my Punishment
from the State. The effect of the Notes was
wonderful. 1t aroused a spirit of resistance
and Indignation among the people that
brought them to their feet. They were ready
to act, but they wanted leader. just as
had concluded my fourteenth, and last one,
l received letter from a committee in At
lanta, stating that the time had come when
the people should be addressed upon the
issues of reconstruction. DR.. j. G. West
moreland was chairman of this committee,
and Colonel Tom Howard and Bob Aston
were, l remember, members of it. They
stated that they had written letters to all the
old leaders in Georgia, asking them to join
in this movement against the reconstruction
acts. About the sixth of July | went up to
Atlanta to see what had been achieved by the
letters of invitation. Answers had been re-
ceived to nearly all of them. But the an
swers were tame and respondent beyond ex-
preston. Only one of them even expressed
opposition to the measures. This was from
Herschel V. johnson, who, by the way, had
put the seal of secresy on his dissentient ex-
pressions. The committee had received a
letter from Mr.. Stephens which made deep
impression on me- Some of its express
sions l shall never forget. 1t stated that
the writer saw no hope for the country;
that it was gone beyond redemption; that
could save it, and that whoever tried it would
simply get himself into trouble and do the
country no good. 1t was Respondent to the
last degree, and did not even express an
opinion as to the reconstruction measures.
And 1t was accompanied with queer injunc-
ton of secresy. Mr.. Stephens not only for
babe its publication, but epjoined the COM
mittee to even keep secret the fact that he
had written letter at all. Despite the let
ter, and the fact that Mr.. Stephens had all
the time deprecated the publication of the
Notes on the Situation, l determined to
continue my work, single-handed if need be,
until l had thoroughly aroused the people,
rounded them. | therefore told the commit
tee that l must make the speech that was
wanted. And did so, speaking at Davis's
hall in this city. An unparalleled excite
ment was created by this speech, and the
comment that followed it, and in few days
Chronicle, called upon the people of Georgia
to meet in Macon on some day IN Novem-
Der, 1867, for the purpose of organizing
the Democratic party, and devising some
method of resistance to the then all-powerful
Republican party. l heartily approved this
call, and was in Macon at the appointed
time. Although earnestly invited to be pres
emit, Mr.. Stephens was absent. In fact, all
the old leaders were absent. | was made
chairman of the convention, and appointed
an executive committee, with L. G.. Cabaniss
as chairman. General Wright, Purmedas
Reynolds, and others of that class were pres
emit. This meeting passed strong resolutions,
denouncing the reconstruction measures,
raised the standard of opposition, and gave
the Georgia Democracy its first organization.
There is where it was organized. Every
thing that has been done since has been done
under the organization made that day. 1t
was the committee appointed here that put
Gordon in nomination for governor. Mr..
Stephens took no part in that campaign. He
could not be drawn into it. In 1870 con-
vention Of the party was held. The
brunt of the battle in Georgia was
over then. The party was splendidly
organized. 1t had already carried the State
in hard-fought campaign, for Gordon was
elected over Bullock, and know it, and | so
charged at the time. The party had been
rallied, its organization had been perfected,
and it had certain victory in its grasp: the
threats of the military rulers had died out,
and the oallot-boxes were no longer hedged
with bayonets. 1t was then and there, for the
first time, that Mr.. Stephens came from his
retirement. 1t was then that he uttered his
first word, though he had been again and
dSdln OSSOugnt 10 ADVISE Ills people. L re-
member that at that convention his brother
Linton approached me, and told me he had a
platform that had been prepared by Aleck
1t was short, general and formal. 1t had
been agreed that no speeches were to be
made, and no division shown. Mr.. Stephens's
platform, or l supposed it was his, was
adopted. At any rate, the first one offered
was taken. But Mr.. Stephens is not correct
or just when he says that it was from this bit
of writing that the party got its first organi-
cation. The party had been organized long
ago. 1t had been organized without his help,
In spite of his depreciation and against his ad-
vice. 1t had been through several campaigns.
and had carried the State twice. 1t carried
the State by an immense majority in 1858.
1t was great, strong, defiant party, when
he emerged from his long retirement and of
fered it platform-whIch 1t accepted. If
his example had been heeded-if his advice
had been followed-he would have found no
party, nor the fraction of party, ready, in
1870, to take his platform. The party was
organized while he was in his tent. They
were veterans, and were flushed with signal
victory-they had already won the State from
the Republicans, and nothing remained but
to confirm the triumph"
And here Mr.. Hill went back to his peaches
-excusinG himself with the remark that they