New-York tribune., 1882-08-17
,,,O 1,rr AND PUBLIC CAREER.

-. uaryov H,u was born in Jasper
County Ca Septem ber Ia. 1915 he ohto'ou '
Sonbomore Glass in the University oI "eoIH'" III
1str and three wears later he graduated with
all the honors the University and the Demostoe-
pian Society could confer After leaving the OnVer-
sty he studied law, and in lo43 he "as auhV'ou
TO the bar beginning to practise ut La orange
Within a few years he declined several invitations
t enter politcal hfe but at last he yielded to the
pressute of his friends and consented 10 oecoho
Wing candidate for the State Legislature ho
made at the lime only one reSeTvation-that MS en-
daavor should be to commit the State to the Coh-
nromise of 1850 believing it to be the most ptac-
tic.l mode of solving the slavery problem lie was
elected, serving during the session Oh o'i. ~
1888 he declined to become a candidate Ior Oon-
greSs and also declined a reelection 10 the LesiNI"-
tute In 1854, when the Legislature repea'ou t'ie
Compromse Act Senator Hill again came iorWa'"
rs a political worker. He was defeated IN 100 "'
,ho American candidate for Congress by 40 votes
his Democratic opponent being the late Ohloi-1uo
tice Hiram Warner. In 1886 he was on the Ill
mora Electoral ticket and in one of his speeches
anring the campaign he said: q The Northern eN-
4remist who would save the Union at the expense
of the Constitution and the Southern extremist
WIN would save the Constitution by destroying
the Union are to be equally condemned Leu us
have both-the Constitution invioate anu tno
Union rs its surest defence In 1857 senator hii
80 the American candidate for Governor but was
defeated by Joseph T. Brown DEM, his colleague III
the United states Senate. by 1872 votes senator
Hill Sas again elected to the State Legislature III
1s5o having accepted the nomination so that ne
might be in a position TO fight the secession move
,nont that he prophesed would arise if a Republl-
...,, prosid.nt was elected In $50 he on the
Bell and Everett Electoral ticket and was reelected
|
time senator Hills speeches had been marked by
the strongpst Union sentiments and when the VI
ainance of Secession was introduced III the State
Convention of 1851, of which lie was nehoer' ho
opposed 1t with all the eloquenee ana energy he
could command.s Alexander H. stephens neIScn'i
Y Johnson, Linton Stephens and joshua liiiI also
onuosed the measure, but it was passed Alter uhe
ordinance was passed Mr.. Hill signed, and like
hundreds of other prominent men in the South VINO
opposed secession, he decided to go with ms Sta'e.
After the war began Mr. Hill elected to the
Confederate Provisional Congress which met at
Montgomery. Ala Upon the adoption of the Con-
federate Constitution, he was elected as senator
from Georgia and served in that capacity until the
close of the war In the Confederate Senate lie
WAS at first leader of the opposition to Jefferson
Davis but aftrIward became strong supporter Oh
the latter with whom his relations were LOT se'eral
wears most intimate and cordial. Durlhg ono VI
Aha Debates in the Confederate Senate upon gu
meme Court bill Senator Hill reviewed the recoru
of William l.. Yancey in n style which vas Regarded
>, ,be Alabama Senator as offensive. hen
Senator Hill took his seat Senator anceJ arose anu
sand that as other Senators desired to speak upon
tho oucStion he would not then consume the time
of the Senate but at proper time he would do JUS
4ice botb TO the Senator from Georgia and to HIM
sell He desired only TO say then that the asSer-
tions of Senator Hill in regard to what ne was
nleased TO term his autobiography were false anu
that he knew them to BE- false when he made then'
Senator Hill responded quickly from his seat tha'
the threw the falsehood. back in Senator Nahcey
teeth Some then made motion 10 go lhIo
.acret session. and when the motion was adopted
Senator Yanccy was appealed to to adjust the
matter. He reiterated what he had said and took
his seat. whereupon Mr. Hill threw heavy glass
,nkstand at Mr. Yancey. The latters face was
hruised and blood flowed profusely, hut he was not
osbas been often asserted knocked down or serl-
ously injured. Mr.. Yancey rushed at the georgia
Senator. but was prevented from striking hlm' a
committee was appointed to consider "hat was uue
the Senate for breach OF decorun. speeches
were made while the committee was absent WIN
the view of reconciling the two Senators ana MT
Yancey was at last disposed to yield to the lnlpor'
tunites of his friends About this time the con"
n,ittee returned, reporting in favor of censUrins
Az, ya,cev for his language and Mr.. Hill for throw
ino thp inkstand Mr.. Yancey protested against
The report but it was adopted 1t was aiterwara
reconsidered and withdrawn, upon condition tha'
Mr. Yancev would not prosecute his claim for per
sonal redress any further. Mr. 1ancey, however
reserved the right To reply TO Mr.. Hllrs sp'ech III
public which he afterward dld Inc senate "as
enga0ed from about noon until midnight In the
matter and the members were bound to secresy anu
il WAS not until few years ago that correct slalo-
L .,l.4. mad In
HIl was arrested by the Federal authorities and
was for two months prisoner IN Fort Lafayette
After he was released he returned to Georgia and
resnmed the practice OF law. In 1867, upon the
final massage of the Reconstruction Acts he again
entered INTO politics with his usual energy. lie
presided over the convention held in Macon tC
organize the Democratic party, and at once became
an influential leader IN the party. lie opposed the
Reconsideration scheme in a series of letters entitled
GNotes ON the Situation" and did much to unlt'
the whites OF Georgia in their opposition to th'
negroes and the Republican party. Ihose letter
appeared first IN The AUGUSTA Chronicle aud Conottu
tiOaalist and after ward published In pamphle
form. They were full of bitter denunication ant
lnvective and Mr.. Hill soon became very pOpulal
with the people of his State. On July 4, 1868, he
smoke at a maSs-Ineetlng in Atlanta after the peO
nIe had listened for over four hours to Howell CObl
and Robert Toombs, but he so carried away hi
hearers that they could hardly be persuaded 10 le
him STOP During the campaign OF that year his re
ceptions throughout the State were marked by th'
sone entbuslasm. Mr.. Hill would have been a can
djdate for Congress in 1870 if his party had no
deem,d IL unwise to nominate candidates per
sonall, Objectionable to the Republicans. In tn
fall of that year his language and actions lee
tomuch adverse criticism on the part Oi Democrats
At banquet given in Atlanta by certain pr3mlneh
railroad men Including Simon Cameron and GO
lumbus Delanol who were interested IN PROPOSE
tion TO lease the State railroad, Mr.. III
said he had been an old Wing and If h'
was q Democrat he did not inteGd TO be one
lchn critilsIns w hch fnllnwcd this sneech Mere