The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-07-03

assed the summer months, on a visit 10 1T.
joseph Hawkins, of Warren county, Win
whom he had long been on terms OF cordial
ntimacy He was never In more robust
health than when he babe farewell TO his
family and started on his journey. On the
of his arrival at the house OF his
friend. he complained of feeling unWeil ana
retired to his room rather earlier than was
his custom, but none Of the members OF the
family nor himself supposed that he was at
all sick. Not appearing at his usual hour
for rising the next morning, DIR. Hawkins
entered his room and found him with a con
e~estive chill and sinking in death. and III a
few moments he breathed his last. He was
but fifty three years OF age, IN the full ma
turity of his powers and a strong man every
way. one who would command attention IL
any assemblaee, not only from his appear
ance and manner, but for the steady lnde-
pendence and fearlessness of consequences
with which he expressed himself on all ques-
tons of a public nature presented Tor MS
consideration. He was a worthy son OF a
noble old commonwealth, Joseph a. Illii-
Few men Of his day and generation shone
upon the stage OF life with more
unfading lustre than Joseph A. Hill.
He was a few years younger than
those | have mentioned. With a genius
equal to the greatest occasions and lottlest
efforts, his alniability and ,'bonhomie' dis
armed the envy his briliiancy excited. Tn
selfish and u~nasSuming, he alone was an
conscious OF the superiority universally con
coded HIM bold as a lion, yet gentle as a
woman, he was one to whom | cannot refer
without pride and emotion.
Mr.. Hill was born at Hilton, the former
residence of Cornelius l~larnett, about a mile
distant from Wilmington III the year 1900.
H. u-or thu son Of Hon \iIlIran1 VI Hill
and grandson Of John Ashe of revolutionary
memory and named after his first cousin
Joseph Aston, subsequently Governor OF
South Carolina and the husband OF Theodo-
sia, daughter Of Aaron Burr. lie was
graduated at Yale College and trained for
| the bar at the celebrated Litchfieid Law
School. He entered public life in 1923 as
the representative III the Legislature from
the county Of New Hanover and again in
1924, and also the borough of Wilmington
in 1896, 81 and in 1890. He had no rival
of his years as q debater and orator, and no
superior of any age in North Carolina. His
gesticulation was graceful and his voice fall,
rich and flexible. His talents were versatile
and he could as occasion demanded, convince,
c~onvulse with laughter or move to tears.
lis style was chaste not fiorid, not disdain-
ing Kramer but using it simply for %illustra-
ton, and yet his oratory was often fervid.
The writer though quite young at the time
well recollects hearing him speak on several
public occasions, and though many years
have since interviewed, yet the impression
then made upon his mind is as distinct as
though OF recent occurrence.
In 1881 when the trial of certain negroes
took place for I%articil alton In an attempt at
Instruction, Judge Strange upon the bench,
Mr.. Hill assisted the prosecution and his
< ,aocb ON that oooocio,, olo.tr,fnJ +bn ,,.l+,
tude that crowded the Court House. During
its delivery, scarcely any one moved his posi-
ton; the claims OF business and even the calls
of hunger were disregaided or forgotten. 1t
was a speech of wonderful power and elo-
quence and one to be remembered by all who
heard it. Six of the criminals were convict
ed and subsequently executed together on
the same scaffold.
His speeches before the Livonian Society
when quite a lad, on Fishers resolution
Caucus Debate) on the bank bill, on the
tariff or notification, all of which are in
print, sustain what is claimed for him. His
letters to a distinguished citizen of Raleigh
now deceased, have been pronounced BY
competent authorey the finest efforts of con
troverslal writing yet produced in North
Carolina. These with his celebrated address
at Chapel Hill give ample proof of
belle lettres culture. Wit and fancy.
The late Judge Castor and Hon.
David l.. Swain pronounced him one of
the most brilliant men they had ever met.
In the internal Improvement convention at
Raleigh III 1883, he met in debate the ablest
men of the State the journals show that he
trlumphed in carrying all the resolutions he
submitted, and tradition reports that SO
splendid was his exhibition of ability that
his claim to leadership was generally if not
universally conceded
In social life without pretension, distin-
guished for his playful humor, his satire
which lett no sting in the wound, his fund
OF anecdote, his joyous ~vivacity and his de-
lightful abandon, he was the centre of attrac
ton always. Without phari e IN, gay and
debo2atre, his society was sought by a people
distinguished for politeness and hospitality
and somewhat given to conviyiality. Be
cause a social pet, it must not be supposed
that he gave entirely to society what nature
designed for nobler uses. He did not neg
lect the duties of his profession which
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