The New York herald., 1868-08-11
Rober, Toomb., Of Georgia.


and strike one more honest blow for constitutional
liberty.
Robert T00mbs, of Georgia.
At the same ratification meeting the Hon. Robert
ToomDs spoke as fOllows:-
Mr.. Toombs, after thanking the audience for their
kindly greetings and cOngratuatng the country
upon the presence on the occasion OF 40 great and
multitude Of her best citizens, pro.
ceeded to say-But few nations have wholly escaped
the ravages and ruin of war usually inflicted by the
insolent and triumphant invaders; fewer still the
sterRer and bitter curse OF civil war; The histories
of the greatest and the most enduring nations OF the
earth filed with defeats as well as victories, su
ferings as well as happiness, shame an reproach as
crnchs as nf nPnor advery Ha the erS furnace Of
individual and national sufferings, seems to be
the price or the penalty Of national G great great;
the nations whose power and genius have
governed, whose existence has blessed, and whose
wisdom still guides and directs the world: through
this testraton have passed the lustrious men whose
names have been canOnized by mankind, the
masters of fortune and the fates the ayorites OF all
the gods, the few immortal names which were not
born to die The heroic struggles or the great ana
the good the brave and true men OF the world In all
ters and spite OF the greatest dangers in behalf of
home and country and the rights OF mankind, are
the nobest legacies left by the past to the present
generation OF men; they are trophies OF which poor
humanity may well be proud, trophies worthy to be
laid the feet of Jehovah. That Is bright page IN
Roman history which narrates that when thousands
OF her most gallant and distinguished youth
were slain, her veteran legOns broken and
scattered, and the victorious enemy was marching
upon her capital marking their pathway by IRE and
sword, with nothing to retard his progress but
old warrior and patriot, whose chief resources
lay in his unconquerable will the roman Senate met
and first ordered propitatory sacrifices to the gods
and then voted the thanks of Rome to the defeated
leader OF her armies for not desparlng o the repub-
lc. From that hour the star OF Hannibal ''culmina-
ted from the equator" The people imbbed the
spirit OF the conscrpt fathers; courage and hope
drove out fear and despair, and Rome was saved.
Men and women or Georgia. too deserve the
thanks Of your country for the evidence you give this
day tnat you have not despaired OF the republic,
though despoed, pundered and manacled, your
spirits are unbrOken, and that you have heart
and hope to make new sacrifices, yea. all
sacrifices to regain your lost liberties and to
redeem your country from bondage. 1t has
rarely happened in the annals Of time that any peo
pie ever called upon to grappe with 30 great
crisis as that when s now impending over the peo
pie OF the Confederate States. After gallant but
Unsuccessful conflict in the nobest and hOlest cause
for which patriot blood was ever shed-the cause OF
inaenabe rights OF man, the liberty Of free people
and the sovereignty Of the Statesat the end OF four
years these people found themselves surrendered to
victorious foes. whose armies embraced all cOlors,
and tongues and races OF men under the sun, fight
ing under the nag OF the United States. The terms
won their gratitude nor excited their admiration.
The manner In which these terms have been OBJ
brave ana the generous whose conduct, cour
are and blood achieved the conquest. Those
whose blades gllttered in the foremost ranks
Of the federal army on the battle field, with yet
higher and nobler courage scorn the base uses to
which the victory has been applied, and now demand
that the rights OF the vanqushed shall be respected
that these wrongs shall be redressed and that Justice
shall be done. This means peace, honorable peace
peace built upon the deep foundations OF eternal JUS
tice. This demand came none too soon for the pub,
lie safety. The avengng Nemesis which follows inn
the train OF conquest is already confronting the VIC
tors in the shape OF the radical party. Born in sec
tional hatred; which 1t has asslduousy culti-
vated; nurtured by the evil passions which that
hatred engenders, reared to its present dangerous
proportions by the lawiessness OF civil war and the
general disorders of the times, this monster has be-
come the great danger to the whole COM
monwealth. It's thirst for power and plunder
has not even been fatigued, much less appeased by
ITS tyrannes its robberes aud It's ruin OF the South;
therefore, crafty these unholy passions has
and to erect military despotism upon the ruins OF
libertyk To oppose these dangers the
Of the UMted States recently met in the
city OF New York, and with them also assembled the
OF millions OF citizens who hitherto
claimed no special alliance with that party poll
tical organization. Bad men have conspired to
overthrow free constitutions; good men have united
to preserve them and under the flag Of the demo
cracy invite your cooperation. The democracy
Of tho nation for high crimes and misdemeanors.
You are assembled as part OF that grand inquest
to hear the charges, specncations "a, and a. proofs
adopted by the Convention has the great merit Of
and certainty upon all issues which are
likely to enter into the political canvass 1t gives
out no uncertain sound. The old shibboeths OF lib
erty are dsan proclaimed as living principles; what.
O'ci CiSO hiuy w ioSe .'.S ouPASs"oy. W. shS
over the military power" "Magna Charta," trial by
Jury, the constitution, have survived the conflict Of
ami still live, at least in the heart OF the demo-
cratic party. These are principles which concern
the collective body OF the people, will not attempt
On this occasion to review all the questions OF prtn-
pie and policy submitted BY the Convention TO the
Judgment Of the people, but shall confne myself
mainly to the examination and defence OF the one
most % eS @ Sn sn
with the questions arising out OF the public debt ex-
cept so far AZ the mode OF payment may AFFECT the
leave cave a ali disputed questions With those who CON
tracted the debt. The one great question which,
with you up the rest was shs sSe vsdy 2.
sional plan Of reconstruction. The recognition 0i
these measures by the democratic party was I'M
possible Every democrat In both houses OF Con-
gress had voted against them and declared them
and void; the democrats IN Oil the
IN Local $ sh anS Win IL
yet, although the country had right
TO expect It, the unanimous declaration OF the Ma.
Unconstitutional, revolutionary ana
void sent thrill Of JOY through millions oi neas
noble representatives Of the fearless and ndomltable
democracy. The usurpers until then had hoped that
these gigantic wrongs, being once accompanies, .,n
in the pretended dangers of their eradication. This
grand declaration Of the democracy dspels all such<
sHI Uned States, ana nd ali these miserable mockeries
called reconstructed states, erected BY fraud and
tue oy w ne IN
without o struggle. This plan leaves no room for
difference OF opinion or action among patriots while
its immediate evils fall with crushing weight upon
you, its ultimate enecs will be equally disastrous to
constitutional liberty and free government IN every
ppoiicy. no purpose or object to commend It to
your apbf6val; nothing TO mitigate your sternest
hostility to all Of ~ provisions In the ten States
eubect to their operation these edicts defeat all the
riaktful purposes osecure which governments were
inetituted among men, abolish all securities 70 life.
liberty ana prSpeIi,S M cv sr tar ~ Tns s
Stituton and laws OF the United ststss the laws Of
nations, the constitutions and laws Of the States,
an fall before them and they erect In lieu thereof
species Of military desDotism hitherto rare In the
annals Of human crime-a military despotlsm freed
from the forms Of military administration and With.
ever-0rRAnized anarchy upheld and administered
BY bayonets. These are neither the ordinary nor
appropriate instruuentalities for the construction
or raomatruQtiQn of gQQd GoYernment That