Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-09-12
Hill .nnd Yancey.


umns when the personal difficulty oc-
Cured between the Hon. Ben Hill. OF
Georgia, and William l.. Yancey, OF Ala
bama. in The Confederate Senate. and
what was the occasion OF 1t? What was
the result? j. a. Ia.
Senators Hill and Yancey were not on
friendly terms prior TO the outbreak be-
tween them on the 4th of February, 1868.
on that day the question before the
Senate was an amendment offered by Mr..
Yancey's associate, c. c. Clay, Jr., to the
bill for organizing the Supreme Court
Of the Confederate States. Senator Hill
made a speech, In which he paid his re-
spects very pointedly to Senator Yancey'
who said that Hills remarks were
characterized by an amount OF malig-
nifty and long cherished spleen in high
degree offensive, though not perhaps per-
sonally insulting" Yancey reserved his
full reply to Hill, but said: Before I sit
down, however. i wish to send forth,
simultaneously with the remarks of that
Senator, this-that many OF the state
ments made by him as to what he has
been pleased to denominate my auto
biography are misstatements which THAI
Senator, at the time he made them,
knew to be false"
Senator Hill replied, disclaiming any
long cherished animosity, or any animos-
ity, but added: 1.-The remark that he had
wilfully made any misstatements was
false" and took his seat. Strange to
say. neither Senator was called to order!
The Senate went into secret session,
and transacted some official business. 1t
continued, not. 1t seems. in regular ses-
sion, but in sort OF informal confer
ence, when, without any motion on the
subject the controversy between Sena-
tors Hill and Yancey was taken into con-
sderation. Senator r. w. Barnweli, of
South Carolina, expressed the hope that
the matter could be and would be ami
cably adjusted. He intimated that Yam
eey had on a previous occasion, January
Both, given cause OF offence to Hill, and
urged Yancey to make the amende honor
able to HILL This Yancey declined on
the ground that he had done nothing for
which he ought 20 apologize Barnwell
persisted In advising him to do so, until
Yancey cut him off by saying: After the
manner in which he had been assailed by
the Senator from Georgia, he had no OPP
ton as to his course He should stand
upon occurrences as they had taken place.
SO far from feeling it incumbent upon
him to retract any part Of his remarks
upon Friday last, after what had oc-
Cured, he only regretted that he had not
on that occasion used language Of great
er severity" Hill then addressed Yancey
in defiant tone: you had better, then,
do so now" Yancey replied; 81 have
said all in that way that is consistent
with my character as a gentleman to
say" Hill then struck him with glass
inkstand (Which had metallic top on
the right cheek. just under his eye, and
as he turned towards him Hill threw at
him a heavy glass tumbler which just
missed him and was shivered into pieces
against window sash. Yancey, pro-
tried to get at Hill, who was about
twelve feet away. but several senators
interposed and the President called for
the Sergeant-at-Arms. and the combat
was stopped. The Senate afterwards took
jurisdiction of the affair. committee
was appointed. which reported resolu-
tons OF censure Of Yancey. and they
were adopted.
Yancey made formal protest against
the report of the committee OF the Sen
ate, who reconsidered their vote; the
protest was read and then Withdrawn.
Thus the matter ended. 1t is said that
both senators had reasons which re-
strained them from duelling.
The inkstand which struck Yancey was
broken, and his collar. neck and bosom
were soon covered with blood, so that
the blow must have been very severe.