Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-06-07
RICHMOND WHIG.
WEDNESDAY, MORNING. JUNE !, 1855.
A LETTER FROM ROBERT
TOOMBS.
HIS OPINION OF JEFF. DAVIS.

We copy below the material portions Of
letter from Robert Toombs, Of Georgia, ds-
ted March "a, 1865, and addressed to friend,
whom he styles "My Dear Dudley" The
epistle was found among some papers re-.
Gently captured: 90 81; ....U. .... ,. a. "a
have the most painful apprehensions for
the future, and they arise solely from my en-
tire conviction OF the total incapacity OF Mr..
Davis, and consequently the utter failure OF
all his petty schemes. We have given him
all the men who would volunteer, allowed him
all the men he could catch-frst from lS to
35, then up to As, then all from II to 60-and
the army is smaller to-day and less efficient
than on the day the first conscript bill was
passed.
Now, Congress has given him all the ne
groes, and tie result will still be the same,
superadded TO the most fatal consequences
which has ever darkened our prospects. The
negro, first, is unfit for soldier secondly, if
l am wrong in that, he is unfit for ol1' SOL
dier. If he is capable of making soldier,
he ought 10 be, and will be, Yankee SOL
dier. If two-thirds of the white freemen (as
Mr.. Davis says) have ingloriousiy abandoned
their flag, and ran away from standard in
which all the hopes of true man are GEN.
tired, superadded to every indignity inflicted
by the Yankees upon wives, children, friends,
homes and property, do We expect that
negro slaves will stand by it What for ? In
the name OF Heaven, what for Is their lib
erty involved in our success Yes but
against them. Are their homes and proper
ty, wives and children and country, aud all
that men hold dear, to be ruined by Yankee
success? think not.
Have they keener sense of honor or more
courageous hearts than their mastersi If
so, they ought to change places. In my opin-
ion, the worst calamity that could befal us
would be to gain an independence by the va
lor of our slaves instead of our own. If We
are conquered by the fortunes Of war, we
may save our honor and leave the cause to
our descendants, who may be wiser and
braver than we are, and may avail themselves
of the accidents OF human affairs, and yet
win what We are ignominiously throwing
away. The day that the army of Virginia
allows negro regiment to enter the lines as
soldiers, they VIII be degraded, ruinei and
disgrayeI.
Lee had just as soon hav, a negro as
/ white man III his army. SO had West Point
geuer. l.y; their sys. EN- is 10 make laves of
fletmen il ia led, and tue men ran away
their Iemedy Is tO make ireemen tf slaves
that wi,l not get Ear enough along To fail. 1t
is a piece Oi m0eciie stupidity, as we'll as
treacbery TO the cause, well worthy Or Davis
and Lee, the base Traitors from Kentucky.
Missouri, &C, VINO have DO Constituents to
| ear, to suffer, vi ~ Lc disgrd ed by them.
We have plenty 0f n.eI III The Southern
Confe ieracy ~ "hP two .uc ! revolutions, if
Mr.. Davis did not keep them out OF the bull.
let department. nI las more men on the
pgy roi NOT IL aGilvr field Sc.yise than he has
muske ;.
= The Government is becoming
standing menace aud terror To every inter-
est, destroying ard caticg up uselessly the
product Of thc .abcr OF The peuil +, maintain
ing It'd ers and posts ia every vinsge. y >
Saws even here We have Johu Weems COM
mandaut OF the post, With SIX or seven
Quartermssters, and several hundred SOL
dierS, and other employees. The country
does not make surplus enough to maintain
them all, and there is nothing left TO send
TO the army. We have but one hope in the
revolution, that is in the overthrow of Da-
Wis. Let US say to him: Davis, begoRe! and
mske him obey the mandate.
We must fight the fight to the bitter
end, and can win if we get ri. of jeff, if not,
not. K. TooNBs.