Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-08-17
sEsA~Ok RlAl,s CAxEEH.


Z BENJAMIN Harvey Hill was born in Jas
par county, Georgia, September "A. 1888.
After receiving preliminary instruction in
public aud private schools in the neigh.
borhood he entered the University OF
Georgia, at Athens, in 184l, from which
institution he graduated with first hOnors
three years later. He went into politics
very early, being a member Of the Georgia
Legislature early in the fifties. He began
his career rs q member of the American
party. In 1855, when he was 81 years old,
he was beaten for Congress by q majority
of 70 votes in . total poll of nearly Il, 900.
Ills reputation as lawyer aud as q stump
speaker had made him very popular
thrOu ,hoat Georgia, and in 1857 he was
nominated for governor by the American
party, and ran against Joe Brown, his COL
league in the Senate in his last days.
Brown beat him by some 10, 600 votes, but
Hill gained in popularity, although he
lost tho election. He was nominated for
presidential elector on the Fillmore ticket
in 1856, and again Oh the Bell aud Everett
ticket in 1860.
Like good many other prominent men
in Georgia, he was bitterly opposed to the
secession Of that state from the Union,
and voted against it in the convention,
but he, with tho others followed the
state after secession had been decided
upon. He entered political rather than
military life in tho cOnfederacy, beginning
as a member of the confederate provisional
Congress, and was subsequently ono of
the senators from Georgia while the
confederacy lasted. He was in prison for
a short time at Lafayette at the close Of
thn NfnsyA~ AI<N,. p.ctsN tn
Georgia to practice law. Although he at
once jumped into the largest practice
in Georgia, tho destinations Of pOliti.
cal life were 50 great that he consented to
run for representative in the fOrty-fOurth
Congress aud was elected, and reelected
to tho forty fifth, and while member
was elected to the Senate and resigned
from tho House. His term ~ senator
would have expired next March.
lie and Senator Brown were rival can
didates twenty five years ago for governor
aud were always upon opposite sides in
Georgia politics up tO the time Of the &C.
cessiOn of that state, aud they were finally
brought together when Brown was elected
to the Senate in place of Gen. Gordon, who
had resigned. When thoy met iu the Sen
ate their lifelong political differences
seemed only to mako more strong tho
attachment which was visible 20 all. They
chose seats in tho Senate side by side.
Hill never made a speech to which Brown
was not an attentive listener, nor did
Brown ever speak unless Hill was present,
excepting, indeed, when Hill was kept
away by sickness.
Hill was q mau of large brain and Of
rather quick temper His personal Gu
counter with fellow senator in the Con-
federate Congress was Que Of the tragic
incidents of that body. He had however
in his older years been able to control his
temper, and had mellowed greatly. There
was no man on tho Democratic side for
whom the Republicans had higher per-
sonal regard, and while he grew day by day
seemingly more radical in his democracy,
and came to bo recognized as one of the
leading men in the Senate of the So
called Bourbon faction, yet his personal
relations with senators on the Republican
side were SO kindly and pleasant that his
bitter invectives never left any personal
sting. He even became pleasantly ac-
quainted and associated with Malone, u
thing that at the timc of their encounter
on the floor of the Senate in tho spring Of
1881 would have seemed almost impOsSi-
BILE. Hills sudden discovery of the fatal
disease last summer undoubtedly gave him
far more concern than he ever exhibited.
lie took bis seat in the Senate at the be-
ginning Of the session, as Matt Carpenter
did . year ago, knowing that he was a
doomed man. Yet he betrayed no sign Of
fear or apprehension. His philosophy Of
life seemed to be broad enough to cnabio
him, as it did Carpenter, not only to &C.
cept the inevitable without repining, but
also with such large show Of cheerfulness
as to deceive his friends. even his family.