The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-12-24
CIVILIAN LEADERS OF THE CONFEDERACY

ented leaders. who would have at
tracted attention in the best days OF
the republic, such men as Michael G.
Kerr, Samuel j. Randall, Samuel S
Cox. Alexander H. Stephens, Fernando
Wood, Abraham S. Hewitt, Benjamin
H. Hill, L. @. c. Lamar, j. Procto
Knott, J. G.. s. Blackburn, William 5
Holman, William n. Springer, Adlai E
Stevenson, w. r. Morrison, John Fl
Reagan. David B. Culberson. Charles
j. Faulkner, John Randolph Tucker
and others. On the Republican side
were found such members as James G.
Blaine, James A. Garfield, George T
Hoar, William d. Kelley, Charles Eos
ter, Joseph G.. Cannon, Omar D. Con
ger, George w. McCrary, John Casson
and others.
Mr.. Blaine was the recognized
leader or the Republican side, and
was undoubtedly a man of rare talent
and parliamentary skill. He was re-
markedly quick and alert, and eXcelled
all the men | nave eve heard in what
is known as a running debate. But in
all that bright galaxy there was none
VIC could bear off the palm of vic.
tory from Benjamin II. Hill. who was
then universally recognized as the
foremost lawyer and most gifted ora
tor of the South.
Hill Me Blaine.
During the Forty-fourth Congress
MI bldIIe LOOK Tie IlOOT one morn
ing and under the stress of party ex-
igency which, as he supposed, called
for the waving of the bloody shirt,
made All assault upon Jefferson Davis
which has been rarely excelled for its
bitter invective and biting sarcasm.
Among other things. he said:
And l here before God measuring
my words. knowing their full extent
and import, declare that, neither the
deeds of the Duke of Alva in the | "
countries. nor the massacre of st. R.r-
thOlOmev'S, nor the thumb-scre VS.
and engines Of torture of the Spanish
1nguisiticn begin to compare in afro
city with the hideous crimes of Ander-
sonville.' At another place, with nos
trils dilated and flashing eyes, he said
that Jefferson Davis was the author,
knowingly, deliberately, guiltily and
wiifully OF the gigantic murder ayd
crime at Andersonville."
At the conclusion of Mr.. Blaine
address the members from the South
gathered around Mr.. Hill and insisted
that he should make reply. 1t was
then 5 O'Clock in the afternoon. Mr..
Hill was very reluctant to consent be-
cause he had had no opportunity 20
make any preparation. and Mr.. Blaine,
as was We'll known, had been engaged
for MANY months with the aid of nu-
merous clerks in the Department Of
War in getting ready for the conflict.
But. in Difference to the wishes of
his friends he finally yielded, and took
the floor on the foll~ing morning
for his reply. It is no Displacement
of MI Blaine, who has been Justly
called THE Plumed Knight to say
that by common consent he was I'M
horsed in the fray. He brought out
with tremendous effect the fact that
there was no medicine in the South.
and the United States government was
the first and only government on earth
not excepting the Consulship of Alva.
in the Netherlands. to make medicine
a contraDand of war.
Hills Terrible Attack.
He then proceeded to refer to Fed
eral statistics showing, according to a
report Of Secretary Stanton, that the