The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-06-06
BENJAMIN II. HILL AND HIS
LOYALTY
Continued from Page Ski

AASASo ulSdDIlIAlcS from
every person in the United States that
were mpos by the fourteenth
to n Constitution. Mr..
Randall brought his bill to a vote on
the 10th OF January. 1875. Mr..
biaine moved to amend by excepting
Jefferson Davis from the benefits of
the bill. Blaine made a speech in
support Of his amendment. in
which he gives the following rea-
sons for his amendment, that "Mr.
Jaws was the author. knowingly.
u~eiiDerateiy, guiltily and willfully of
the gigantic murder and crime OF An
and he further says:
ana mere before God. measuring my
WORDS. knowing the fun extent and
declare that neither the
oeeds OF the Duke Of Alva in the low
countries. nor the massacre of ST.
6artholemeW nor the thumbsCreWs
and engines OF torture Of the Spanish
ity with the hideous crimes Of Ander-
sonVllle.' This is the gravest and
seVerest Indictment that ever was
orought against a public man. and il
II were true would consign Mr.. Davis
to the lowest depths Of eternal in
fanny. In the 18th century the people
OF the Netherlands were fully mbued
With the spirit of the reformation of
he Christian religion. At that time
she was g. province of Spain and the
Emperor Charles V and his son, Phil
tipII. undertook to punish them for
their heresy. So the Spanish govern
ment dispatched the Duke Of ALIVE to
the Netherlands who introduced the
horrors of the InQuisition among the
people as a means Of suppressing the
revolt against Spain. Alva was one of
the most deSpicable characters and
unmitigated ~scOundrelS in all history.
No tyrant ever imposed upon a brave
peOple more ir~On-hearted cruelty and
a more ruthless, unrelenting deSpOtiSm.
He bOasted that in his work of hell
that he had executed thirty-five thou
sand of the poor, helpless people of
the Netherlands. 1t was horrible to
compare the Confederate President to
this cruel monster, and modern Molach
this cruel monster. and modern MOloch
enough to arouS the indignation or
Eill N fire his heart and nerve him
for the contest. Captain Writ was the
commanded at And~ersonville. He was
put on trial for the atrocities at the
prison.; was condemned to be exc
cuted. He was assured on the night
before his execution by a cabinet Of
ficer that if he would implicate Mr..
Davis his sentence would be commut-
ted. His reply was: II had no con-
n~ection with Mr.. Davis as to what was
lone at Andersonville. / would not
become a traitor against him or any
body else even to save my life. Mr..
Hill then says to Blaine: Sir. what
Writ, within two hours of his ex-
ecution, would not say for his life.
the gentleman from Maine says to the
country to keep himself and his party
In power. Christianity is a falsehood,
humanity is a lie, civilization
is a cheat, or the man
who would not make a false
charge for his life was never gull
ty Of willful murder" This was a ter
~ ~
rible rebuke to Blaine ana ne must
have WINGED from the thrust Of the
keen blade as it pierced
his vitals. Hills victory was
and never was a man more utterly
routed and crushed in q deoate lhan
Blaine was. Hills speech Is Wen worth
reading. 1t is one Of the lew great
speeches in history. 1t is significant
that Mr.. Blaine's ~bfographer <Whose
book / have before me) makes no
mention of Hills speech in reply 70
Blaine. when he speaks OF the amend
ment offered by him 10 Mr.. RandaIiS
amnesty bill. It is a silent confession
that Blaine was WOrsted IN the oe-
hate Prior to his making this speech
against Mr.. Davis he was justly claSsed
amone conservative Republicans, Tor
he had defeated the force Dill Wnlch
was aimed to keep the southern whites
in subsection. This incident nau maze
him popular with our people, and they
were unprepared for his fiery assault
upon their beloved chieftain. Eight
wears after Blaine made MS speech ne
published his book. Twenty years in
Congress-" the production Of a power
full intellect, in which he speaks of Mr..
Davis. as follows: For several years
he had been growing in favor with
a. powerful element in the Democracy
Of the free States and but for the ex-
asperating Quarrel of 1850 he might
have been selected as the Presidential
candidate of his party. No man gave
IN more than Mr.. Davis in joining the
revolt against the Union. In his fare
we'll address to the senate there IS a
zone of moderation and dignity not un-
mixed with regretful and tender emo
tons. There was also a spirit Of de-
fiance and confidence. He evidently
had fun faith that he was going forth
to victory and power To sum up the
noints Mr.. Hill make in his speech on