Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-08-26
NTmt.IIa ENCEF, SATURDAY. AUGUST 90, 1852.

WHICH,. unallyI turning upon questions
of honor aud veracity; took a most
acrimonious tone.
In the senate, after it became DEM
ocratic. Mr.. Hill served on the COM
miltees on foreign relations, privi-
leges and elections, &c. In 1873 he
made notable speeches on the silver
bill, favoriug recoinage and remone-
tization, but opposing the unlimited
free coinage of the silver dollar on
The Thurman Pacific Railroad fund
ing bill. and on the army bill, oppos.
ing the proposition to call in the
army rs IL posse comitatus. During
the extra session of 1879 he delivered
a vigorous speech on the judicial ap-
preparation bill, defending the south
lug and Edmunds, and later defend
ing his own record from an attack by |
Mr.. Blame. He also published in the
World Of October 3d a vigorous open
letter to Mr.. Chittenden OIL the sub
ject of the solid south, aud made u
powerful speech against the payment
of any southern war claims. In March,
1881, Senator Hill lead the attack up
on Malone, who had rated to the
republicans, subsequently becoming
the spokesman of his party in a de-
bate with Mr.. Hoar concerning the
treatment OF colOred voters at the
south, and in October putting the re-
publicans on record against his reso-
tuition that appointment to Offices
under the federal government ought
not to be made to control or influence
elections in the various states" Early
in the present year he wrote q vlgor-
Gus reply to DIR. FELTON,, the leader of
the republicans In Georgia.
He had, however, been for some
time threatened by y dangerous dis
ease of the progress of which he vas
completely neutrality-suspicious..
He was operated upon in July last
and again in September, portions of
the tongue and the glands in The floor
OF the mouth being removed, but
without permanent relief, The cancs-
rous growth continuing. In May of
the present year he was taken to
Eureka. Springs, Ark, where it was
at irst reported his recovery was
certain. Ere long, however, it was
seen that the. hope was delusive and
that he was doomed to fall q victim
to the same terrible disease which had
already proved fatal TO his brother,
his sister aud two auHts, and he re-
turned to Atlanta to die among his
people. A correspondent who visited
him not long ago. thus describes his
visit.Et ros-eixa
"Mr. Hill received us in his library.
He was i'll AL easy-chair, but sat erect.
"a white bandage passed over, The
Qrown Of his head caught the jaws
Artnly aud covered his wounds from
sight. The upper part of his body
showed no emaclation, but his legs
had thinned considerably. In talking
MIR. Hill is as graceful as aver. He
rses his faHerife participating his
hands together by joining the tips of
the fingers. aud thuMbs-as much as |
ever, aud gestures quite freely. He
had a habit of touching his head just
back ofthe wound every few minutes, |
and tapping 1t gently. T%heasaddest
thing about Mr.. Hill-sadder even
than the limping spesch-is the pain.
ed and strange expression of his eyes.
Other men, SAID Mr.. Hill, talking to
the little group of friends, 'may have
served Georgia more brilliantly than
l.. None YER served her more um-
selishly or defended her more fear
lessly.'" II feel better since the last
operation," the senator wen: Oh oil
eat better. l look better, l sleep bet. |
ter, | walk better, l think better, I
talk better, I am better-but," and
here the white hand was lifted to the
covered zwOuud-"I don't. know |
whether this wound is BETTER" Here
he paused again aud then said: "Well,
God has been very good to me, aud
whatever his will may be | will SUBJ
NIT with a cheerful heart" There
were not lacking during this waiting
for the end evidences OF esteem. anu
affection from friends aud foes. The
democrats of Georgia assured him OF
their sympathy and hope, aud almost
simultaneously his old antagonist,
Senator Hoar, secured the signatures
of the other members of the senate
10 a letter, concluding: We desire
to assure you OF our affectionate re-
gard, of our sympathy with you in
your severe trial and our admiration
for the courage aud patience with
which you have encountered it."
For come weeks Mr.. Hill had been
kept under the influence of morphine,
being put to sleep nightly at 8 O'clock
with u hypodermic injection of the
drug aud allowed to sleep till nearly
noon, when he was assisted to dress
and placed by the window. He read
a little in the newspapers, his letters
and some devotional works, aud
wrote down his passing Impressions
and communications to those to when
his muriaurings were uninteIligible.
His strength, was sustained by adj
ministering milk mixed with yolks
of eggs aud whisky through a tube,
the fearful cancer having destroyed
all the tissues Of the throa: and mouth
on the left side, as well as the bone of
the lower jaw. Throughout all the
terrible trial his patience and cour-
age never failed him aud his frequent
exclamation was. these are the hap.
p est days of my life !" Gu Monday
t ie tube through which .his life had
been sustained was Withdrawn, and
fnr the forty.eighthours preceding his
death he was UNCONSCIOUS. About 2
O'Clock Wednesdaysm morning he made
q sign Tor a hypodermic Injection of
morphine, which was administered.
He appeared to be awake and con-
scious several times, but could not
speak. AT 6:l5 he was apparently
awake, when he gently closed his
eyes aid died without even u tremor.
The funeral took place. on Saturday.
4. ~ freely state that my political life
is an enigma. "isaid Mr.. Hill in one Of
his speeches in the Greeley campaign.
and il cannot be denied that lie was
lated repeatedly to burn the gods he
hat adored md to build up that
which he had essayed to. pull down.
Yet at the same time the fact that in
spite of all his error and of all his
changes OF opinion he never lost his
hold upon the affection and esteem of
the people OF Georgia, but rose stead
lily, must be accepted as the most
conclusive evidence of the talents of
the crater and the worth of the man.
In the senate he early made and al
ways Kept his place rs u debater of
unusual power. aud a publlc man of
large and liberal aims.
In private life he was a firm friend, |
a fond husband aud father, g%enerou.,
just, mauly and charitable.