I just received today a photocopy of part of the Summer 2002 edition of the Georgia Historical Society Newsmagazine, "Footnotes". Vol. 28, No. 2. On the cover is a portrait of Senator Benjamin Harvey Hill. Inside on Page 5 is the following article: "HISTORIC PORTRAITS RESTORED The Georgia Historical Society has recently restored two significant portraits in its collection - Robert Toombs (1820-1885); GA Legislator, Congressman, Senator, Confederate general) and Benjamin Harvey Hill (1823-1882); GA legislator, Confederate & U.S. Congress, U.S. Senate), two of the most important political leaders in Georgia's history. The project was funded by an appropriation from the Georgia General Assembly in FY 2001 with the assistance of Sen. George Hooks of Americus. Toombs' portrait by John Maier was believed to have been painted in 1860 on the eve of the secession crisis when he was at the height of his power. Benjamin West Habersham's portrait captures Hill's "House of Our Fathers" Amnesty speech on January 11, 1876, in the U. S. House of Representatives. Alexander H. Stephens and John B. Gordon are among the figures in the background. Ted Nightwine of Nightwine and Associates in Sarasota, FL, performed the restoration, completed in May 2001, and both portraits are now available for public research. Plans call for these portraits to be on display in the Governors Suite at the Capitol later this year." There are photos of the "before", "during", and "after" stages of the portraits. It is a portrait I have not seen before of Sen. Hill and I hope to get to the Atlanta Capitol Bldg. again later this year to take my own photograph of the portrait. Jackie GA ______________________________________________________________ Get Your Free E-mail at http://www.prontomail.com