The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-08-31

Reminiaoenoes of Ben hin of Georgia.


"Reminiscences of Ben Hill of Georgia.
A Southern correspondent relates the fol-
lowing incidents in the career of the late
senator Ben II. Hill: IN 1855 Mr.. Hill de-
clared himself a candidate for congress in the
Fourth Congressional District, and at an in
formal meeting of representative of the
Wing party, held in the town of Newman, his
candidacy was indorsed- In this campaign
Mr. Hill was in reality the candidate of the
American or "Knownothing'' party, which
had just taken shape in Georgia. He was OPP
posed by ex- Chief Justice Hiram Warner, OF
GreenviIle who ran as the nominee of the
Democratic party. The race was warm and
closely contested. Warner winning by the
trfiing majority OF G6 votes in a district which,,
prior to that time. was accustomed to roll
up democratic majority of $500 votes. In
1886 Hill was placed on the electoral ticket
for BIillard Fillmore. It was during this year
that his wonderful powers on the "hustings"
were first shown TO the best advantage he
having met and vanquishcd both Alexander
II. Stephens and Robert To0mbs in debate
in the town of Lexington, Oglethorpe
but Stephens was so ineensed at the
new great man who had literally LAID him out
on his own stamping ground that he forth
with challenged him. In reply Hill wrote that
celebrated note which is now q part of the
political history of the State. 1T was in these
words: 81 will not fight you. have con-
science and a family. You have neither" In
1858 Hill was retained to defend William A
Cholce, who killed the baiilh, webb, at Atlan-
ta- The case is reported in SO Georgia, and IS
famous. Bill Choice as he was called, was
man of good education and marked talent,
belonging to one of the best families of Rome,
Ga. While on a visit to Atlanta he got on a
spree, and while drinking with some friends
in the bar of the old Atlanta Hotel, which
then stood where the KmbaI House now
stands, James Webb, the Justice court bailff,
handed him a notice showing that he had
been stied for $40. This so enraged Choice
that he attempted to punish Webb on the
spot, but was prevented by bystanders.
Early the following morning, fresh FROM the
nights debauch, Choice walked into Prior
posite side of the street, several hundred feet
away, drew his pistol, and having taken de-
lfberate aim, shot him down withou ut the slight
est warning. The town was IN an uproar IN
a few minutes, and many OF the best cit
liens were so outraged at the act that they
declared for lynch law. Choice defied the Of
fcerS, saying that he would kill the first man
45 Ml4 Isld hIns upon IA nun, N ne as, tls iS ~ t
lock up just before the hOwling mob, clamOr
Gus Tor ms Dlood, reached the station mouse;
MANY able lawyers were engaged TO delenu
him, young Hill among the number. Public
opinion was against the prisoner. The de-
tense PLEADED INSANITY, ana aiter the IohgeSG
and most exciting trial in the annals of Full
ton County, the prisoner was convicted. Hill
had thrown his whole soul into the case, and
was bent upon saving his client. In those
days the pardoning power was vested in the
State Senate. Hill went back to Troup Coun-
ty, made the Choice case an issue in the cam
paign, and was elected to the state Senate
where he made his celebrated speech for the
pardon of Choice. OF this remarkable effort,
State Senator William Harris, of Worth COuTi-
ty once said: at was the grandest effort that
ever fell from human lips. Mrs. Choice, the
good and lovely mother of the prisoner, dress
ed in the deepest black, leaned upon the arm
of young Hill, as, pale, slender, and thought
fui, he walked down the aisle. The galleries
were packed, and the excitement was sI1Oth
cred but intense Hill spoke many hours.
His tongue seemed 'to drop mama, for surely
such exquisite strains of pathOs never fell up
onthe air. The Senate was in tears. The Presi-
dent wept aloud. The women screamed. l
shall carry to the grave two sentences of that
marvellous speech. They ring in my ears even
now, and That scene was enacted twenty nVe
years ago. He said, speaking of Choices in
sanity: Soft as the zephyr from the orange
grove, carrying the prayer OF an angel, the
spirit of Webb will whisper in your ear. Spare
him for he knows not what he did And
again: If you hang William IL. Choice, in
scribe upon the gallOws in letters of blood.
that all time may syllable the shame, this is
GeOrgia's Lunatic Asylum Choice was de-
clared insane by an Overwhelming vote and
sent to the asylum Hill was the ablest and
bitterest opponent in Georgia of the recon
structiOn measures, and at the peril of expa-
triatiOn, delivered a speech of the boldest-
and most fiery invective in Davies Hall at
Atlanta in 1866, in which he denounced the
United States authorities and hereeIy VI
tuperated and dehed the Nothern sol
diery, who, accompanied by their Of
ficeFs formed part of the audience. T0ombs,
stephens, Jenkins, and other public men had
been asked to address the people on the
situation, bat Hill alone had the audacitY to
speak his sentiments in public. He cont1n-
ing his Notes on the Situation"-which are
regarded in the South as the finest philippics
meeting of the people OF Georgia, held at At
lanta in 1868, he gave utterance to his cele-
Dftlteu BuSn AfDOr 1nNectlVe, IN Wntcn ne not
only advocated the social ostracism of Re
publicans in Georgia, but advised their own
wives TO leave them. Howell Cobb and Bob
Toombs spoke at the same time and place.
and at thecOnclusion of HIPS speech Toombs
arose in the presence of the vast crowd and
congratulated him, saying: "Sir, it the
grandest effort ever heard" Bullockhed the
State in 1871 and upon the coming into power
of the Democrats, in 1872, Hill, Gordon, and
Stephens offered for the Senate. Gordon was
elected Upon the death Of Mcmillan, of the
Ninth Congressional District Hill, who lived
part of the time at Athens in that district,
became candidate for the nomination. The
convention broke up in a row, and Hin made
the race before the people, beating his OppO
nent, Estes. His term having expired. he was
renOminated and returned to Congress with
out opposition. In 1876, while still in Congress-
he antagonized Norwood for the United States
various parts of the State, urging the Legisla-
ture to elect HILL and he made three hour
speech, advocating his claims in n mastery
manner, and then left for Washington. Nor
wood remained in Atlanta, buttOnholing
the members. The galleries were crowd
ed during the three days baloting,
and the populace we've for Hill Nor
wood held his own pretty well but the
pressure was too great, and on the third day.
a Norwood man changed his vote to Hill, the
Norwood men stampeded, and enough votes
were changed to give Hill the prize. The Re-
publicans and negroes in the Legislature vot-
ed for Hill. 1t has often been said that in
Oratory Cicero was Mr.. Hill model, and it is
known that of the great men of this country
his favOrite was Henry Clay. Hill himself
gave the best definition of the true orator
mot excepting that of DemOsthenes) the cor
respondents ever heard. He said: ''The true
orator is he who has the intellect to see the
truth, the heart to feel it, and the courage to
speak it," How could a definition be more
concise or comprehensive? Mr.. Hill was dis
tinguished in civil well as criminal law,
and received the largest fee ever paid to a
lawyer in Georgia in single case. 1t was
$50 600, paid by Thomas Metcalf, one of the
| wealthieSt men of Augusta, in a cotton claim
case argued by Hill in the United States Court
at Savannah just after the war.