Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-01-26
BENJAMIN HARVEY HILL.
EULOGIES OF GEORGIA'S GREAT
SON


WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-In the Senate.
to-day having been set apart for the SER
vices in honor of the late Senator Hill, of
Georgia, Mr.. Brown, Immediately after
the reading of the journal, moved the fol-
lowing resolutions:
ReSOIUed, That earnestly desiring to
show every possible mark of respect to
the memory of Hon. Benz. H. Hill, late a
Senator of the United States from the State
Of Georgia, and to manifest the high esti-
mate in which his eminent public services
and distinguished patriotism are held, the
business of the Senate be now suspended
that the friends and associates of the late
Senator Hill may pay fitting tribute to his
high character, his public services and
his private virtues.
ReSOlged, That in the death of Senator
Hill the country has sustained a loss
which has been felt and deplored to the
utmost limits of the Union.
ReSOtced, That the Secretary of the SEN
ate communicate these resolutions to the
House of Representatives.
ReSOtEed, That as an additional mark Of
respect for the memory of the deceased
the Senate do now adjourn.
Mr.. Brown then delivered an address.
in which he sketched the history of Mr.
Hill, and spoke of his own early differ
ences with him in the politics of Georgia,
and of their later cooperation and friend
ship. In one of the last letters written
by Senator Hill before his death to Mr..
Brown, referring to the past, he said:
"WhO would then have thought that you
were during my lifetime to become
my most trusted and confidential
friend" Speaking Of Mr.. Hil's career
in Congress, Mr.. Brown said that by his
ability and character he soon won the re-
spect and even the friendship of his lead
ing opponents, and that at his death Mr..
Blaine, his great antagonist In the House
of Representatives, wrote letter of con-
dolence which did honor to the writer's
head and heart, and which was highly ap-
pTeciated by the friends of the deceased.
Mr.. Brown said that Mr.. HiIPs love for
his mother and his veneratiOn for her
memory after her death was a beautiful
and touching feature of his character
When at home it was his habit to 90 every
day into the parlOr where her portrait
hung, look tenderly into her face and bow
reVeTently on retiring, and when he had
become too feeble to walk alone he had
himself carried into the parlOr, and gazing
lovingly on the face, with eyes filled with
tears, he said: 81 shall soon be with her
again."
Mr.. Brown spoke at some length of the
religious education and character of Sem
atOr Hill, and said that the last sentence
uttered by him was, 'AlmOst homev'
Mr.. Ingalls, delivered a brief and elo-
quent address. in which he spoke of the
dead Senator as a born pOlemist, and said
that of all the dead whose obsequies the
Senate had paused to sOlemniZe, he re-
called none whose untimely fate seemed
so lamentable and yet so rich in prophecy
as that of Senator Hill. Few scenes in
modern history were more tragic than
that prOtracted combat with death.
Mr.. Vest spoke of Mr., Hill's opposition
I-.1 1. T. IL. 81
federate Congress, after he had gone out
with his State, in defense of the President
of the COnfederacy against TOombs,
Yancy, Wigfall and other assailants, and
of his attempt to nerve the people to con-
tinue the struggle until he became salts
fed that all was over and nothing re-
manned for him but to share the fortunes
of the people of Georgia. In concluding
Mr.. Vest apostrOphiZed the dead Senator,
saying:
Patriot, orator, statesman, farewelll
Let Georgia guard well thy grave; for in
her soil rest not the ashes of one whose
life has done more to illustrate her man.
hood; whose genius has given such glory
OF her name!'
Mr.. Morgan said that Alabama, the eId-
est daughter of Georgia, approached this
occasion with proud but stricken spirit.
He spoke of Mr.. HilPs devotion to the
Union, and his reluctance to admit that
secession and war were inevitable; of the
greatness of the tasks which the Confed-
crate Congress had to perform; of Mr..
HilPs share in its labOrs, and of his sub
sequent efforts in behalf of the people of
Georgia in the reconstruction period, and
said that the late Senator was bold, dar-
ing and powerful man, whose convictions
were always the guide of his action and
the measure of his duty.
Mr.. Edmunds spoke of Mr.. Hill as a
man of the very highest order of intellec-
tual strength, both in his perceptive and
in his reflective faculties, able to perceive
with clearness the relations of things, and
the remote as we'll as the near effects of
current events. A Whig and an Ameri-
can, he fOresaW something of the future
and opposed secession, but when it was
resolved upon and undertaken, he gave
himself up to what he considered his duty
to his State. This notion of fidelity
to One's State was almost natural in
stinct, and often appeared even in the
Senate, whose members are Senators Of
the United States and not, in cOnstitu=
tiOnal sense, any more representatives of
the parties or States electing them than
of all other States, Understanding and
sympathiZing with Senator Hill, though
differing widely from him in respect
to many of his acts and Opin-
ions, Mr.. Edmunds had felt deep
ly for him and his family and
his people in the calamity that had come
upon them, and the sympathy and admira-
tiOn of all had grown more profound and
tender when they had seen him bearing
the greatest Of human sutferings with a
calm and manly fortitpde and the supreme
happiness of Christian hope.
Other speeches, equally generous in
their appreciation of the dead Senator,
were made by Messrs. Sherman, Voorhees,
and Jones, Of Florida.
Mr.. Barrow made the closing address.
He spoke of the strong impression made
upon him as young man by Mr.. HilPs
Oratory, and of the great admiration of
the deceased which he had always felt in
common with the people of Georgia, He
described i'll a touching manner his last
interview with Senator Hill in Atlanta,
Just month before his death. He found
the greatest talker he had ever known
utterly powerless of speech, and COM
pelled to communicate by writing slowly
with a pencil. In reply to Mr.. Barrow's !
inquiries, he wrote: - wish ! could |
talk. Ny present doctors have given me |
to understand that l cans0t recover, and
my time is uncertain, from few
months to several years. They have told |
me to employ any other doctors and rem
edies ] see proper" At the conclusion |
of Mr.. BarrOw's remarks, the resolutions |
were adopted and the Senate adjourned. |
Mr.. Hammond opened the eulogies in
the House. Many fine speeches were |
made, S. 5. Cox made, perhaps, the best, |
though that OF Senator ingalls, was as bril- |
liant as a diamond. Mr.. hammond re- |
ferred to Senator HILLS well known love |
for the union of the States. In speak !
ing OF his delivery as a speaker, !
he said he never told an anecdOte, quoted |
neither poetry nor the classics, yet he |
charfaed and electrified his audience /
The patience OF the dead Senator in bear !
ing his suffering was told iii forcible eX- |
preston. Mr.. HilRs written replies TO |
his pastor just before his death were told |
with effect and feryors Mr. Hammond |
concluded as follows:
''Of such character as this it can be but |
said: 'Ohl death where is thy sting? Oh! |
grave where thy victOryY"
Mr.. Speer made good effort. His speech |
was rhetorical.
Mr.. Tucker, of Virginia, followed him. |
He referred TO the great amnesty debate /
in the House q few Years ago, and said it |
was battle OF giants, in which Ar. Hill /
was second to none. Though the side 4
which he advocated was often voted down,
be was never overcome by any. He |
was exalted and eloquent. His |
reasoning was not technical, but |
he cut down TO the very root |
in debate. He would snatch victory from
defeat. iIe vas aggressive in his argu-
ment. He attacked Ihe enemy in the |
centre, seldom in the flank. He was as
formidable as a debater as any man of |
1 u L - of sh,rf