The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-08-20
TuELArE SENATOR HILL.
His Career I'm Politics from the Days
Of Secession Able Statesman.

III. I'LL, OF Georgia, lOoh pEtce !esttIud!
in Atlanta. The sermon was preached by
General Evans at the First Methodist
church.
The following sketch OF his political
career from the time Of the Secession Con-
yention Is from the able pen Of Isnry w.
Grady. Esq, Of the Atlanta Constitution
The Secession Convention was the ablcst
body that ever assembled in Georgia. The
passion, the impulse, and the sentiment
was with the disunionists; and they turned
the argument by claiming that better terms
could be made out OF the Union than in 1t,
and the Union more surely preserved by q
new parliament OF sovereign States. After
prolonged debate. in which Mr.. Hill sur
passed even expectation, the ordinance was
ordered by vote Of 1G6 10 100. When the
ordinance itself came before the Conyen-
ton Mr.. Hill voted for il. lie has been
criticised FOR this, but il was wise and pa
triotIc action. He saw that il was impoSsi-
bic 10 prevent the State from seeding. Ii
was then essential that every Georgian
should acQuiesce and stand by his state.
His action was more admirable than that OF
those who remained crOakerS and Obstluc-
ti0nisis through the whole OF the heroic
struggle in which our people were engaged.
when Georgia was fairly committed TO
~.
Gus or more devoted than Mr.. Hill. II was
high tribute 10 his character and indica-
tive Of the confidence Of his people that
the first Legislature after secession elected
him Confederate senator on the first ballot
over TOombs. jackson, and lycrsOn, who
had led the ScceSsiOnlStS. and johnson and
Law, who had stood with him for the
Union. Mr.. ToombS being elected for the
short term over the rest after four ballots,
declined IN honor that had come TO him 30
gTud0ingly and had been already so spOn-
taneously offered TO the eloquent young
UnioniSt. In the Confederate Senate Mr.
Hill. though the youngest man, soon be-
came the leader, and was the right arm OF
Davis i'm the Government. He never wa
vered or doubted. With unqualing cOur-
age and unqucStioning loyalty he stood by
the issue he had advised against making,
and was one OF the most heroic figures in
the revolution fought against his Judgment
During the
RECONsTRUCTION PERIOD
MI lIll shone respondent. Never did
the man and the occasion meet more tho
roughly. An alien Governor had uSurpcd
the executive functions OF the Statc-mili-
taTy sltrapS held sway Is absolute aS it
was Sponsble-bayOncts were used 10
dNt anu rOiu ~ IttlN NttttAiNNt'I ~
WRONGS most mOnstrOus and WantOn-
threats OF imprisonment and conii>cailon
were openly madc-thc civil law WAS de-
throncd, the liberties of men and the func-
tion> OF government depended on the ca
price Il soldiers inlamcd with passion and
drunk with new authority. oar people, |
stunned with deica,- moved amid the ashes /
Of their homes. beWldcrcd and uncertain /
~ 10 what further resistance was demand. /
ed 30 their hand. against the policy OF re- I
construction. i; this imcturc Ben. Hill /
appeared. His voice ram like trmpcl /
through Che stale yet murhy With Che I
smoke OF battle, rs ne called on Gcorgiams
10 rally once more AID defend with the
ballot the liberties they had lost by the
sword. The enthusiasm with which his
appeal, were received is Undesirable. lie
made
SPEECH AT DAVIS HALL
THAI no man who heard will ever forget
The hail Was in,Uilicicntly lighted. and the /
pal'or If mems faces in the PR almost put /
to shame the lamps that llichorcd here and /
there Mr.. lliil appeared in . fli.l-drcSN
suit ii black. His superb figure showed
10 hest advantage, lis gIIv eyes Il >hcd.
just before hc began. the
Federal generals. in full uniform, with
giitcling stan officers, entered the hall.
They marched 10 the front, their
snowy uniforms and flushed face, max
inc -haIp contrast with the addressed
crowd Of rebels through which thew .
pushed their way. and >at in plain censor
ship over the orator and his uttcrmcc.
Wnh Incompatible mconccm Mr.. Hill
arose. The threatening presence of the
soldiers, Tho iail- that yaNucd behind
them, the dangers that thcir slightest nod
would bring, had 40 effect On him. With
OFT be.itgtiou Lc launched his dommcia-
ti0n- ON thcir heads aud ou the power they
repre-, entcd. For two hours hc spoke "a.
mortal nan seldom poke before. and when
hc had done Georgia was once more on her
feet. and Cc0rgimS were organized for th.
protests Of '5S, and tine victories OF 20.
About tl,i, time Mr.. lliil wrote the series
OF papers called Notcs on the ~itudion."
that. in my opinion, stand alone q. the
proiouudc>t and most eloquent political
essays ever pcnucd hy an American. The,
were accepted a. the voice OF the south,
uitcring her protest and her plea, and a.
such were discussed no lc-, ON the street,
al London and The houlcyard- OF Pari,
than in the cities OF the North. Even now
they stir the blood and kindlc the pulses of
the most phlcgmatic reader, Lut tlii, is hut
hint % the sensation they produced when
they were printed. Had Mr.. Hill never
spoken one speech his e" Note, ON the Siuia-
tiou " would have stamped him a- one of
the greatest men Georgia ever produced.
The only political period OF Mr.. Hit,
life That
NIT WITH SERIOUS CRITICISM
was that which opened With mis- moX-
lected appearance at banquet given To
Hon. Columbus DclmO and presided over
10y Governor bullock. II vas claimed bv
hi- enemies thai hc Wt, o~,ociatiug with
Tho oncmic- OF his state for selfish pur-
poses. Nothing wa- further from the
truth Ii happened that about two wears
ago ii q banquet 10 General Gordon / sat
Just opposite Mr. Hill. Governor Bull
lock, one Of the invited guests. SAT
nest To Major Crane. at the head
OF the table. Mr.. Hin suddenly said
10 me, This scene recall, "a very
important night in nay liic-that of the
brltno banquet. by strange coincidence
the tables are arranged precisely "a, they
were on that night. / ann sitting exactly
where ! sat on that night. and Governor
bullock occupies precisely the same seat
have been thinking of that Affair Will,
sitting here, and after the hu>r Of NOR.
than Ten year, am prepared To- ~.,, tbof il
was thc most patriotic and hrayo,t art of d
my life. If had the power T. judrr nv.
sen is q patriot and man hy one >iuol.
"'' OF my NE, | would take that nigbt q.
me measure oi my aspiration"
"lou believed il
NECESSARY 30 C0NCunTE
The Ecpuhlicm Administration tl,ens" !
"l'S, sir knew Then, and Wcau Ln,v. {
now, thm g pan had been determined :