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SEWER PIPE,
LIME.
PLASTER PARIS,
PORTLAND CEMENT,
LOUISVILLE CEMENT.
MARBLE DOST.
BEN HILL.
J Career Idyllic in its Features
ot Romantic Publicity.
The Leading Incidents in the Lite of
Our Great Orator.
Tie Eloqnent and Dauntless Cliain
pion of Minorities.
A Life Brilliant and a Death Pathetic
Beyond Description.
A Great Georgia.., a Ureater Ameri
can and a Genlm,
t
Benjamin Harvey Hill’s life was ag brilliant
and picturesque as his death was pathetic and
distressing.
He was a country raised boy, invigorated
physically and directed morally by farm life.
He graduated at Athens University with honors.
He was barn September 14, 1823, and died
December C, 1882, 59 years old. He became a
successful lawyer. He was State representa
tive in 1851 and 1852, State Senator in 1859 and
180#, elegate to the Constitutional Convention
of 1801. He was a member of the Provisional
Confederate Congress, Confederate Senator
from 1861 to 1805, 11. S. Representative 1875 to
1878, and U. 8. Senator from 1878 to 1882, dying
io office,
MB. HILL’S rKHSONKI.LK.
Mr. Hill in some respects was as wondrously
endowed a public man as the State has ever
known. Tall and of commanding presence, with
a marvellously mobile face, he has never had a
superior in oratory and pure mental power in
the commonwealth. It falls to the lot of few
men to have such magical potency of speech,
such irresistible mastery of assembled masses
of men. A mind clear as a sunbeam in its iu
tellectual perceptions, operating with a grand
simplicity and invincible strength, and a ca
pacity of expression so fluent, so luminous and
so intense as to be perfect, form a brace of qual
ities that made the man a demi-god in brain
and eloquence.
MB. MILL Al AN ELECTOR.
Mr. Hill was chosen as a Hell and Everett
elector in 1860. Georgia has never been so af
fluent in great minds and superlative speakers
as in that time. There was a superb galaxy of
mental giants and genuine orators. Toombs,
Johnson, Cobb, the Btephena brothers, Jack
son, Bartow, Miller, the two Wrights, Hill and
Colquitt were all men of splendid power on the
stump, all magnetic, all threw themselves into
that dramatic agitation with the whole server
of their souls. Any one of those men was fitted
to lead in any assemblage anywhere, while sev
eral enjoyed a national reputation of the very
largest measure. Mr. Douglass himself came
to Georgia and spoke in Atlanta during the cn i
vass to an immense audience. Ben Hill and
Warren Akin bore the brunt of the battle on
the Hell and Everett side, and did it well. Mr.
Hill, near the close of the canvass, published a
letter urging the fusion of parties fur the sake
ot the country, but he was unmercifully lam
pooned for the suggestion by the Breckenridge
and bane, press and speakers. And Colonel
Wm. McKinley, the chairman of the Brncken
ridge executive committee, published a card
officially denying for the committee any idea of
such a fusion. It was charged tnat the move
ment was a confess on of weakness and a trick
to defeat Brecknnridge, but in the light of re
sults, it wss * wise and a patriotic proposition.
MH. BILL AS AN ADVIBKK.
In 1860 the committee upon the State of Re
public of the Legislature addressed a communi
cation to the following gentlemen, asking them
to meet together in a practical and conciliatory
counsel, and suggest n line of policy for the
Legislature; Joseph E. Brown, Alex. IL Ste
phens, R. Toombs, Jos. 11. Lumpkin, 11. F.
Lyon, Charles J. Jenkins, J. W. A. Sanford,
H. L. Benning, G. Andrews, Linton Stephens,
M. J. Crawford, H. 11. Hill, F. S. Bartow,
Janies Jackson, T. R. R. Cobb, H. V. Johnson,
E. H. Baxter, J. H Howard. These gentlemen’
assembled and recommended the calling of a
convention with the following preamble:
"Whereas, the present crisis tn our national
nflaira, in the judgment of this General Assem
bly, demands resistance: and, whereas, it is the
privilege and right of the sovereign people to
determine upon the mode, measure and lime of
such resistance.”
tub choice cask.
Another matter that excited much discuasit n
was the pardon by the Legislature of a gentle
man by the name of Wm. A. Choice, convicted
of murder. He was very highly connected, and
powerful influences were brought to bear for '
the purpose of saving him from the penalties j
of the law. At the session of 1859 an act had '
passed for hts pardon, and Governor Brown had I
vetoed it upon the merits of the case. Hen Hill
took a strong interest in the case, and it was
brought before the Legislature again. Mr.
Hill pushed it with great ability and vigor, and
the pardon was again granted by the Legists
ture and again vetoed by Governor Brown.
The bill provided for placing Choice in the luna- I
tic asylum, and was passed over the Governor’s
veto bv a constitutional majority. The case at
traded general attention in the State, and a
right warm feeling was stirred up between
Governor Brown and the friends of Choice. Mr J
Hill was the moving spirit in this matter and
his eloquence and ability as well as his persis
tence were illustrated.
MR. HILL AOAINST SECESSION.
Mr. Hill opposed secession strenuously.
The discussion over this issue in the conven- ;
tion, was elaborate, able and eloquent. Judge
Nisbet, Gov. Johnson, T. R. R. Cobb, Mr. Ste
pbens, Mr. Toombs, Alexander Means, Angus- [
tus Reese, Ben Hill and Francis S. Bartow, all
spoke. It was a discussion of giants. Tee se- '
cession chanipioA were Nisbet, Cobb, Toombs.
Reese and Bartow, and pitted against them in
favor of further attempt at a friendly settle- ; i
went of troubles, were Johnson, Btephens,
Means and Hill. The kev-note of the secession- ;
ists. as condensed by Mr. T. R. R. Cobb in a
apeech of remarkable power, was. “We can i
make better terms out of the Union than in it!” ■
And Mr Stephens gave it as his opinion,
that this single, focal idea of Mr. • t
JVE’COTTUEXjXj &> J-A-TyIES, 65 Whitehall, Corner Hunter st.
Offer bargains every day in hosiery, gloves, corsets, laces, embroideries, white goods, handkerchiefs, dress trim -
mings, collars, cuffs, ruchings, towels, table linens, parasols, notions, etc. The most complete stock of shirts
and gents furnishings in the city.
THE EYfeiSTING CAPITOL.- ATLANTA. GLA. SATURDAY MAY 1, 1886.
Cobb, looking to a more certain re-formation ot
the Union on a higher vantage ground outside
■■f the Union, did more in carrying the State
out than all the arguments and eloquence of all
others combined. The souud, unanswerable
position of the anti-secessionists was enunci
ated by Mr. Stephens in the sentence, that, “the
point of resistance shou.d be the point of ag
gression.” Secession as a remedy for antici
pated aggressions was not wise or politic, and
these gentlemen opposing secession believed
that Georgia, rtantling firm with the border
States in an effort to obtain a redress of grtev
nces, would succeed. It was a grand debate
over the grandest of themes, this discussion of
superior minds, trained to contioversy, upon a
subject involving the happiness and welfare of
Hie nation, with its destiny. Mr. Hill was one
of th- most eloquent anti-secession champions.
ELECTED CONEEIIKKATE STATES SENATOR.
Mr. Hill was elected Confederate States Sen- |
ator by the General Asselnb v on the first bal
lot over Robert Toombs, H. V. Johnson, Wrn
Law, .laini-s Jackson and Alfred Iverson. In
1862 Hon. Benjamin H. Hill became prominent
as the congressional prop of the Confederate
administration. And from this time on no man
in the Confederate Congress was more poten
tial with that administration. Georgia, tn Mr.
Hill, resumed her influence in the direction of
the revolution. Closely linked to Mr. Davis in
sympathy, a constant and devoted peisonal
friend and official adviser, entrusted with fre
quent and important missions of delicacy, a
brilliant and earnest defender and exponent of
the < onfederate policy, through the remaining
two lurid years ot the struggle Mr. Hill and Mr.
Davis stood in a warm co-operation with each
other. Georgia could not evade her inevitable
destiny of leadership i.n -this war. Mr. Hill
came to Georgia and m de to the Legislature a
magnificent speech tn favor of conscription, and
in it he handled Governor Brown with the gloves
off.
It has been curious how interwoven have
been the political careers of Governor Brown
•nd Mr. Hill, sometimes antagonistically, and
then in a remarkable harmony. When Gover
nor Brown first ran for Governor it was Mr.
Hill whose glittering oratory, his homely but
magnetic common sense vanquished. It was
Mr. Hill’s burning utterances that vitalized the
next campaign of Governor Brown, I hough he
was not the figure-head as before. In recon
struction days Brown and Hill locked shields in
a famous encounter of brains. And since the
war, in warm accord, they focalized the celebrity
due to two masterful Senators of the United
States, splendid complements to each other’s
rare and most different endowments. In that
dav of consc iption, Hill,representing the Davis
policy, came at Brown with hard blows. Brown
struck back as he always strikes, with vigor.
And he rather obtained the advantage of Mr.
Hill, who made the mistake of giving bis argu
ment a personal direction. The flaw in Mr.
Hill’s logic was that he voted against the con
scription in Congress, which he was so ably
advocating, and Governor Brown used it un
sparingly. No man ever had a keener percep
tion of the weak places in the armor of his foe
men than Governor Brown, nor drove the
hammer upon the flaws more mercilessly.
HILL AND DAVIS ”IBIT GEORGIA.
Early in October, 186., President Davis, ac
companied by Hon. Benjamin H. Hill, visited
Georgia. During all ot these trying days Mr.
Hill was in clese counsel with Mr. Davis, af
fording him a hearty co-operation and sympa
thy. It was a co-incidence at once interesting
and suggestive, that the main props and oppo
nents of the administration’s policy were Geor
6ians. Before the removal of Gen. Johnston,
Ir. Hill had made a visit to him as a quasi
ropreaentative of Mr. Davis. On this nsit in
October, 1864, Mr. Hill was with him, and they
spoke together. At Macon, Mr. Davis made a
• speech. Mr. Davis gave a gloomy view of mat
ters in thia noted speech. He stated that two
thirds of the Southern armies were absent from
duty. He also called the retreat from Dalton a
“deep disgrace.” He declared the man who
chatged that be had abandoned Georgia “a mis
erable man” and “a scrottndel.” In that un
conquerable spirit which belonged to this most
heroic man,—the very type and incarnation of
dauntless courage—he urged the people not to
despond.
Mr. Davis end Mr. Ilitl went to Hood’s head
quarters, and the result of the conference of the
President with the General of this army was
that in a few days Hood started on his expedi
tion into Tennessee.
Mil. HILL DURING RECONSTRUCTION.
Hou. B. 11. Hili made a speech in Atlanta in
July, 1867, in which he denounced the recon
struction measures with unsurpassable and
flaming eloquence; and he followed it up later
with a series of “notes on the situation” on the
same line, that for magnificent invective equal
anything in ancient or modern annals. There is
no doubt that Mr. Hill was the undisputed leader
in this savage anti-reconstruction campaign.
In his Notes on the Situation he attacked
Gov. Brown, and that indomitable tighter came
back with an unsheathed sword. The conflict
was a famous one. They were two ripe contro
versialists, mental Titans, and the theme was
big enough for any minds. They had met in
the gubernatorial race ten years back, when
Brown was untried and yet had won the Execu
tive guerdon.
They were at it again in the fiercest era of
the century, representing implacably hostile
forces and theories vengvfully inimical. Hill
had the public pulse on bis side. Brown was
breasting an overwhelming popular sentiment
Brown fought, crowded down with public odium.
The agitation gained intensity and bitterness as
it progress*d. It became more venomous every
day.
Some idea of the burning fever of the time
may be gleaned from some of Mr. Hill’s white
heated invectives: "Hellish dynasty,” “On, on
w ith your work of ruin, ye hell-born rioters in
saered things!” “Perjured assassins of liberty,
blasphemous conclave of a Congress,” and a
host of such expressions testified alike to the
violence of the epoch and the invective capacity
of the orator.
A MOMENTOUS ADDRESS.
Hon. Benjamin H. Hill issued an address on
[the Sth ot December, 1870, to the people of
Georgia, in which he took ground that the ab
horrent amendments were in fact, and would be
held in law, fixed parts of the national law. It
may have been criminal—was crin inal—to aid
in committing the usurpation; it is crime itself
to break the law. His conclusion was, that we
had a new national constitution, with new and
enlarged powers of government, establishing
new aud different relations between the general
and State governments. And he urged the
duty upon the Southern people to obey the new
constitution, to protect necro suffrage, and to
cease quarreling over the divisions on the prin
ciples and events which led to the existing con
dition.
This address fell upon the State like a clap
of thunder on a clear day. And for years Mr.
Hill walked through the valley of shadows. He
was lampooned, abused and howled at. He was
called Radical; accused of selling out to the Re
publicans: of changing politics with a view of
election to the Senate bv a Republican Legisla
ture; and a thousand other hard criminations.
For years he fought against public odium. It
looked as if he was politically shelved. His best
friends turned upon him. His ordeal was a
harsh one, and his recovery was a striking in
stance us political vitality.' He made a public
speech in February, 1872, that contained some
peculiarly pathetic sentences. Said he:
“1 freely state that my political life is an
enigma.”
He added after in a burst of defiance:
“I had rather be the humblest of those who
would save you, and perish amid your curses,
SCIPLES soisrs.
than be the chiefest. architect of your ruin, and
live forever the unworthy recipient of your de
luded huzzas.”
There is no stronger and more suggestive in
stance of the instability of human passion and
the evanescence of human prejudice than the
savagery of proscription endured by this re
markable man, rounded as it was by an
elevation so august, in a time so short.
THE FRAUDULENT BONDS.
A proposition was made to the General As
sembly of 1873 to compromise $8,425,000 of
Georgia’s fraudulent bonds for $1,500,000. The
views of leading Georgians were asked on the
measure. .
Politicians, lawyers, bankers, railroaders and
business men were thus consulted and gave a
remarkable variety of opinion. Lawyers Brown, |
Norwood, Irwin and Ward were in conflict with i
lawyers Toombs, Benning, Hill and Fielder. '
Railroaders Wallace, Screven and Hazlehurst!
differed with railroader Wadley. Banker
Branch opposed Banker James.
Mr. Hill took the novel and daring position |
that none of the B .Hock bonds were valid be
cause the Bullock government, wa.- the creature I
of Federal authority anti had n > right to bind
the State, and the United States government
should pay these Bullock claims. If however,
the Bullock rule was recognized as valid, then
the claims of innocent holders of these bonds
should be recognized The State ought to have
referred the holders of the Bullock securities to
the Federal government, and helped them push
the claim.
ELECTED TO CONGRESS.
In November, 1874, Garnett McMillan was
elected to Congress, beating Mr. Hill after a
prolonged, stubborn and exciting contest, which
excited State interest.
McMillan soon died, and Mr. Hill was nomina
ted and elected Mar 5, 1875, to fill the vacancy,
and from that time has been in Congress.
The most extraordinary result, of the Novem
ber election of 1876 was the return to Congress
of the entire representatives elected in 1874,
something that has never happened before or
since. Toe members thus re-elected without
an exception, were Julian Hartridge, Wm. E.
Smith, Phil Cook, Henry R. Harris, Milton A.
Candler, Jas. H. Blount, Wm. H. Felton, Alex
H. Stephens and Benjamin H. Hill.
IN THE SENATE.
In 1873 Mr. Hilt was defeated for the U. S.
Senate, the contest laying between him, Gen
J. B. Gordon, A. 11. Stephens, Herbert Fielder
and A. T. Akerman.
The General Assemby of 1877 elected a suc
cessor to Hon. Thomas M. Norwood, United
States Senator. The contest was quite an ani
mated one, and continued for several days. The
first day’s joint ballot on Wednesday, January
24th, 1877, resulted : T. M. Norwood, 96 votes,
B. H. Hill 78, Jas. M. Smith 27, H. V. Johnson
11, D. A. Walker 4 : total 216; needed to elect,
109. Mr. Nerwood was the strongest candidate
on this vote, but lacked 13 ballots to elect him.
The struggle was between Mr. Norwood and Mr.
Hill. The under-current of strategy was active
and interesting, and gossip gave to Gov. Brown
the direction of the final result. On Thursday
the join; ballot stood : Norwood 95, Hill 77,
Smith 29, Johnson 10, Walker —.
The coquetting of both the Norwood and Hill
managers with the Smith men was ardent. Ru
mor put it that Dr. Carlton was very instrumen
tal in Borne clever work for Mr. Hill. The gos
sip ran that some of Mr. Hill’s men had been
detailed to vote for Gov. Smith, and at the
proper time initiated tbe movement that carried
Hill through. Be this as it may, on Friday, on
a single joint ballot, the vote stood, Hilf 114,
Norwood 85, Smith 5, Johnson 5, not voting 4,
and Mr. Hill was transferred from the House to
the Senate for the six years beginning March 4,
1877, and ending March 4, 1883.
Mr. Hill was a delegate to the Southern Com
mercial Convention in 1858; also to what was
called the Opposition Convention in 1858 that
nominated Colonel Warren Akin for Governor,
also to the Secession Convention.
HIS DEATH.
The circumstances of Mr. Hill’s death were
very sad. No public may has ever enlisted
warmer sympathy.
Mr. Hill was taken with cancer of the tongue
at its root.
The cancer steadily spread. Repeated and
severe operations were performed, exposing
him to frightful suffering which he bore with
manly fortitude and a patience that finally grew
into the sweetest Christian resigna
tion. The certainty of death became
positive. Mr. Hill came home to die, and there
has never been a more touching episode of
death in human annals. A great mind in the
shadow of the grave—an ambitious spirit with
an overwhelming consciousness of its powers
—reconciles itself to the end of earthly aspira
tion.
| adies, when out shopping, drop
in and see without fail our
Jlllegant assortment of shopping
in which we are offering
Pjxtra inducements to purchasers; our
l\easonß sre obvious, having had
Many years experience in the business
xVs manufacturers, we are determined to I ad,
ot recognizing c mpetition in the least.
IVeeping a full and complete
zYssortment of Trunks, Valises, Sample Cases, etc.,
nderselling those who would
1/ ain have the public beli ve they are
Alaking as good work and offering
Ab great bargains as we are
ow. Don’t be deceived bit be sure
(Sk come to 92 Whitehall st., as we are
Certain that we can pre ve
C inr prices to be the lowest in the city
Take Notice!
If you want first class SUMMER SHOES call on A. J.
DRLBRIDGE, the Anatomical Boot and Shoe Maker, 22
Whitehall street, under James’ Bank. He uses the
best of Imported Leather, and turns out Shoes that <oi
beauty, comfort and wear. cann>>t be surpassed.
CITYTAXNOTICE
My books are now open for receiving City Tax Ra
turns. lam in hopes that the citizens will come for
ward promptly and make their returns, as I have only
six weeks to make up my digest before the Rooks will
be Opened for Collection. You must make ycur returns
before you can pav.
D. A. COOK,
City Tax Receiver.
April], 18SS.
ESTEY ORGAN CO. ESTEY PIANO CO.
MANUFACTURERS.
INSTRUMENTS SOLD ON INSTALMENTS AT LOW PRICES and on Easy Terms. Send for Catalogues to
KKS s ss a TTTT EBB Y Y OO RRR GGG A KI » 000 OO MM MM PPP A NN N Y I
8 “ I E Y Y OORRGG AA KN N OOOOMMMMPP AA NNN Y ’
KB °S8 s T KB YY O O RRR G A A NNN O O O M MM M PPP A A NNN YY
■ _SoB I E X OORRGGG AAA KNN OO OOMMM P AAA NNN Y
BBS D SS B T EBB Y OO R R GGG A A M MB 000 OOMMMP A A N NN Y 7
Corner Broad and Alabama streets, ATLANTA, GA.
Mention this Paper.
I SEE THAT Jfeg. jjjtat I HAVE MY
My friends are de- Laundering done at
lighted with their
Laundry word from A > 111118 SlfJhEl LdHHIfF
The Atlanta Stean gl
Hjk | 78 Peachtree Street.
Laundry. I wi. Egr ®l| (I ,
patronize them here- Vj7 fi neß t th*’
after. ;ity.
To the Citizens of Atlanta and Visitors.
Our LAUNDRY WORKS are complete, with large capacity, and equipped
with the latest arid te best Laundry apparatus and machinery adapted to all
kinds of Laundry work.
We are p’ cj a ed to receive and finish work in two f’ays’ tini ,or shorter notice if requred.
Our prices are as low as is consis ent witli good work.
We use oniy the very best of white soap and nli< i u water, and with plenty of pure air and water you caiu
re y on having your garments purified as well as cleansed.
WE MAKE A SPECIALTY OF COLLARS AND CUFFS.
Upon these c nsid rations we solicit and trust to merit a share ot your patronage.
TELEPHOME NO. 785.
Telephone and mail orders receive prompt Attention.
SEEDS! SEEDS! SEEDS I
The FL'LL MOON IN APRIL! No more fr st! Has now passed, and all Tender Vegetables can be planted with,
confidence. We have in stock at our NEW QUARTERS, 61 and 63 PEACHTREE (Wai lick’s old stand) immense
supplies of Beat.s—among them Lima, Butter, Bla< k. Golden «nd Lemon Pod Wax, Ivory, Landreth’s Violet,
Southern Prolific. Fat Horse, etc., etc. Asparagus, Beets, Carrot?, Cucumbers, Squashes. Watermelons, Canta
lou es, Okra. - Onion Seed, etc. Corn, Cattail, German and Hungarian Millets, Kaffa Cora, Milo Maize, Ivory
Wheat. Come and see us, or?end for Price Lists and Catalogues.
Remember, we have moved to 61 and 63 PEACHTREE Street.
MARK W. JOHNSON & CO.,
JOSEPH H. JOHNSON.
THE LATEST IMPROVED PRICE, $2.50!
w Also Lowest Price on
|r I Freezers,
Tinware,
Garden Hoes
REQUIRES COMPLETE —ak»—
no in Hardware!
KEr. 1 ITSELF.
A GEO. E. KING & GO.
Cor. Peachtree and Wheat.
Deters
Wig
CHILDREN TEETHING
f ° B BYALLb^ GQIST S
VIALLUI SO f PERBOTTLE
Lime,
CYPRESS SHINGLES.,
LATHES,
PLASTERING HAIR
FIRE BRICK,
FIRE BRICK.