Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-01-13
FELTON, TO HILL.
- Oar FrienGshEp is at an r d''-Senator
Ben is an Eccentric. Unique,
UnpatriOtic and
A Seemingly Corrupt POIitician-A Saw.
age aud Searching Investigation
of Eili's Public Record.

DR.. FELTON,, leader of the liberal movemG Mt
in Georgia, makes savage and lengthy
reply to Ben Hills denuuciation of the hide
psnlents in the Atlanta Consultations of Tues
day last. Among other severe things, FELTON,
says: "Anybody acquainted with Mr.. Hills
past record need not be astonished at any
thing he may do in politics or friendship.
Mr.. Hill was a college mate Of mine. His
friendship, then formed, has been to me
something stronger than political differences
or party alliances. l have seen many things
in his erratic public course that | was obliged
to disapprove; but while claiming to be his
friend, l was enough of gentleman to say it
to his face and iu private As Burke said 10
Fox, Our friendship is at an end" l
propose to deal with him / should do
with any other public man and Judge him by
his record, which know TO be as eccentric,
unwise, uupatriotic and too often as seem
ingly corrupt as that of any other politician
whose evil counsels have assisted to blight
the interest of the State which gave him
birth. challenge records with Senator Hill
in any and every station of life, and shall
be satisfied with the verdict of the public
the honesty issue. His lofty assurance in
stating that was honest when l started out,
therefore, ony provokes smile. / defy
Hill or any other man, in Georgia or out of
it, to place dishonesty upon my public and
private reputation. III he can furnish any
proof | demand its appearance at once. 1t
strikes me that he would be the last man
to charge such an imputation as the
one before quoted il he could be made
to "see himself as others see him." The
doctor then goes into a savage but
fearching ventilation of Hills public record,
handling it with uDgIoved hands. He makes
this serious charge: 81 wish Senator Hill to
understand distinctly that with all my polit-
ical faults no man can charge me with ap-
pearin9 before the American Congress in OPP |
position to a measure which requir, an i'm
mense railroad corporation TO pay its lawful |
dues to the government of the people, and |
when this opposition failed, as it should |
have failed, l was not found a few avs there |
after appealing to the Supreme CoEr: in the
interest of the defeated monopoly for, and in |
of an immense fee, leaving the
world in doubt whether the fse had been con-
tracted for b, fore or after the favorable vote
was given. Thank God, my Democracy is not
smrched with such crime as this" Eel
ton concludes thus: 81 am more than ever
that man should be independent
in politics, which I shall continue to be to
the close of my life. If Mr.. Hill is to be the
leader of the opposition, and this exhibition
Of uncalled for fury and malice is to be
received the spirit of the party, l think l
am safe in predicting that there will be
thousands of recruits to the Independent
camp. Honest men of all parties viii refuse
% sacrifice their self-respect TO perpetuate
'uch leadership" f-lton's reply provokes
much talk here, his friends insisting that his
points are unanswerable, while the Hill men
ay, "Just wait and see Ben annihilate him"