The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-02

Benz II. Hill yesterday
That amber-haired statesman had just pur-
chased o box Of peaches, and was proceeding
to cat them with gustO that showed that he
hadn't lost his appetite since he became q
Senator. After pausing TO admire the elegant
grace with which he tossed the luscious fruit
down his senatorial throat, We approached
him with copy of Aeck Stephens late
speech In Augusta.
y Placing our finger upon the following para
graph we asked him to read It, which he did,
holding q knife In one hand and pUiSing o
haIf-peeled peach In the other.
II think know as much OF organization as
anybody In the State. | dictated every word
except two or three on the platform by which
our State was redeemed, when | WINS sick,
infrm, not able to stand and there's whore
the Democracy Of Georgia got its organiza-
tion--the breath of life, in which and by
which they triumphed In the redemption Of
the State and re-establishmnnt OF cOnstttu-
tionaI government In our midst" prolonged
dWhat do you think Of it2" we asked. "Is 1t
true that the Democratic party OF Georgia
got It's organization from the platform writ
ten by Mr.. Stephens"
want TO talk about that The people know the
facts, and there's no use in going over them"
Everybody knows, Mr.. Hill continued, how
Georgia was rescued from the Republicans
The papers, led by Cen Wright, OF the Cltr0n-
Sele, called upon the people Of Georgia TO meet
In Macon, on some day In November, 1867, for
the purpose of organizing the Democratic
party, and devislng some method of resist
ancelto the thenall-p0werful Republican party.
heartily approved this call, and was In
Macon ut the appointed time: Although
earnestly invited to be present, Mr.. Stephens
was absent. In fact all Of the old leaders were
absent. / was made chairman OF the conven-
tion and appointed an executive com mittee
with Il. &. Cahanss as chairman. Gen.
Wright, Purmedas Reynolds and others of
that class were present This meeting passed
strong resolutions, denOuncing the recon-
structlon measures, raised the standard OF OPP
position, and gave
THE GEORGIA DEMOCRACY IT'S FIRST ORGAN
I1ATION,
There is where 1t was organized. Every
thing that has been done since has been done
under the organization made that day. 1t was
the committee appointed there that put Cor
don In nomination for Governor.
Mr.. Stephens took no part In that campaign.
He could not be drawn into It,
In 1870 q convention 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
BulOGk-and ] know 1t, and so charged at
the time. The party had been rallied-tts or
ganizatlon had been perfected, and 1t had q
certain victory in It's grasp. The threats Of
the military rulers had died out, and the bal
lot boxes were no longer hedged with bayo-
nets.
1t was then-and there for the first time
that Mr. Stephens came from his retirement.
Tt was then that he uttered his first word
though he had been again and again besought
to advise his people, / remember that at that
convention his brother Linton approached
me, and told me he had platform that had
eral and formal. It had been agreed that no
speeches were to he made, and no division
shown. Mr.. Stephens platForm-or / sup
posed II was hs-was adopted. At any rate,
the first one offered was taken.
But Mr.. Stephens
Is NOT CORRECT OR JUST
when he says that 1t WAS from this bit OF
writing that the party got it's first organiza-
ton. The party had been organized long
ago It had been organized without his help
In spite Of its depreciation and against his adj
vice 1T had been through several campaigns
and had carried the State twice. It carried
the State by an immense majority In 1868. It
was o great. strong defiant party when he
emerged from his long retirement and offered
1t platfarm-whiCh 1t accepted. IF his ex-
ample had been heedpd-if his advice had
been followed-he would have found no party,
nor the fraction Of q 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 victOries-they
had already won the State from the Repubii-
cans, and nothing remained but to confirm
the triumph.
During the progress OF the above converse
Jltl1 * GhLA5llhh 5bSppCa Wy w HAAs AItil hhA
solicited
HIS INFLUENCE WITH PRESIDENT HAYES
for friend.
'sDo you wish mo to think kindly Of you
and treat You politely" said Mr.. Hill.
"Of course do" renIipd the gentleman.
swell, them" said Mr.. Hill. never ask me
TO have any communication of that sort with
the President My self-respect will not allow
me to think of such a thing. | vote on his
appointments rs a Senator, but | shall have
nothing further to do with them"
"You Sec" Mr.. Hill went on to say when
the President was first inauguratad, moved
by his fair promises, | offered to assist him,
50 far as | could, In improving the Southern
civil service, which, under Grant, was notOri-
ously bad. He thanked me for nv offer,
promised to accept my suggestions, and to
call on me for Information. Under this state
OF things felt that might be of some service
TO my people by improving the officials that
were put over them.
now THE PRESIDENT FAILED TO TAKE
made several suggestions to the Presi-
dent that were based purely on the fitness or
1nfftness OF the applicant as | Judged from
my own knowledge put myself out of the
way to do this. And with what effect Why,
the President has never acted upon single
suggestion that have made--he has never
shown any disposition to do SO. While he
processes great respect for me as q public
man, he Is governed almost entirely by men
for whom he can have no respect. When |
saw that he took the suggestion OF such men
as Kellogg before he would take mine, I felt
that my own respect and the respect | had
for my people, and for the position | hold,
would not allow me to go any further.
II have, therefore, determined to make no
more suggestions, and to hold no further COM
munication with him upon the subject OF ap-
pointments. All this rumor about my having
such an influence with the President is false.
do not feel that have any; and I shall GER
tainly not try to have any Every man, 1t ap-
pears, connected with the frauds, has been re-
warded some way. But the President does
not seem to want to know the opinions of the
real representatives Of the South SO you
needn't talk to me about seeing him or writ
ing him q letter don't care what sort of
an appointment it is: II 1T was simply to
haIloo 'hurrah' when Gabriel blew his horn, |
wouldn't ask him to make the appointment. u