The Atlanta evening capitol. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-1???, May 01, 1886, Page 6, Image 6

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6 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.