The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-03-18

the people, and exerts little influence on
their conduct. We hope to zee the time
when the support of devoted pastors of
churches will be regarded more in thelight
of duty, and less, as charity.
UnderdOne and Overdone...TOombs
and BrOwnlOw.
Among the most conspicuous of those
who came in at the different side scenes
in the opening of this fearful tragedy of
rebellion, appeared the almost antipodal
characters-RoBERT TooMBs and Parson
BRowNLow. Singular to relate, the ele-
ments in their characters and actions most
typical of their real natures have acquired
a mastery over both of them to such de-
gree that, though their courses have been
diagonally opposite, they both seem likely
to be stranded, if not wrecked, on the
rock, or, perhaps, quicksands, of the public
opinion of their respective communities.
Never were two individuals possessed of
more dissimilar natures; and, perhaps,
never have two such different natures un-
dertaken to act such uncongenial and ill
suited parts. In fact, if the two and their
conduct during this rebellion, as well as
their Inherent dispositions, are considered
together as forming parts of one plot, we
shall discover at once a somewhat unlaugh-
able but very. extraordinary melodramatic
"Comedy of Errors" which would be
suited to the title of this article.
Both of these remarkable persons at one
time agreed in one thing, which was, that
negro slavery was right but each for very
different reasons. One, being a wealthy
planter and politician, found in self
interest and party adhesion an argument
for his now varied against assumptions.
The other, a rather loud-mouthed editor
and "hell-fire denouncing" ex-parson of
the Methodist persuasion, with his Bible
in one hand and his political creed
in the other, stood forth and proclaimed
to the world that slavery was an institu-
ton ordained of Heaven. One argued it
on the stump, at home in Georgia, and in
the United States Senate; the other told
it to the hills of Tennessee, and disputed
in fiery debate his dogma on scriptural
grounds, as self-cOnstituted champion,
with Northern Doctor of Divinity, in the
city of Philadelphia.
But when the great rebellion came per-
haps partly through the fundamentally of
both) they separated, never seemingly to
unite again, each impelled by different
motive, yet both to be destroyed by the
very power that moved them ROBERT
TOoMBs, as his whole history shows, went
into the rebellion on the same grounds
that he defended slavery, namely self-in-
terest and the political danger of state
rights. BRowNLow defended slavery mere
ly for the inherent qualification 1t afford
ed in having foe to dispute, and he for
sock the cause of the peculiar institution
because he saw still wider field for free
fight against his old comrades and friends;
and it seems he has made the choice of his
second love far more profitable than his
| first.
1t appears however, they have both
about run their course, and that ROBERT
and the Parson may yet console them
selves with the reflection that they each
have got the wrong SOW by the ear, al
though BRowNLOw has turned his ear into
very full purse. ROBERT was made a
General, but not liking to give all his ne
groes to i" the great principle" and leav-
ing some of the "sacred soil +" of state
rights about him the following will show
how and wherefore he has been raised to
the rank of a Georgia Rebel Colonel.
The Richmond Enquirer copies from the Sa-
vannah Republican an accountof the arrest of
Robert Toombs, which article starts out by
saying: "We have said nothing of the arrest
of General (now ColoneD Toombs and his
trial now going on before court martial in
| this CITY, for the reason that we regarded it
simply as case of military discipline in which
the public would feel no particular interest"
which language WOulO seem, 10 l0Olcato tnat
| the rebel government has q summary way of
dealing with obnoxious officers by reducing
them at once to the lower rank.
The Republican goes on to say that the state
ments published in the Richmond papers about
the "treasOn, disloyalty, passport and old wo-
man parts of the story, are all pure fabrica.
tions" and the real cause of the arrest and trial
was on account of quarrel with railroad en-
ployee.
The Republicans says Toombs was about leav-
| ing Savannah with his command. and the lat
ter, being in box cars, built a fire therein on
bricks laid upon the floor, to which the con-
ductor of the train objected. This excited the
ire of Toombs, and he threatened to cut the
conductor to pieces and put him in his engine
| for fuel and afterwards caused his arrest and
started with the train These facts were re-
ported to the railroad company. Upen their
complaint Toombs was arrested and ordered to
trial .y .ry s-,. ..-..
The following will show how the gallant
Parson is faring in public opinion at the
North. 10 -..s1s"C ~Hi '-,tj a Ht- tsfcf
The Meriden (Ct) Recorder, Republican
paper, is disappointed in Parson Brownlow and
bis much-puffed paper. 1t is disguised at tn ,
vulgar, profane and vindictiye fellow, who,
like coward, ran away from Knoxville on the