The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-08-28
Row .ss,N rssE rHlAD TERM.
THE Ex-cosrFDERATs STATESMAN Q,
SOUTHERN PoLITics-GRANT THE
'soUTH's SAVIOUR
~ VIII Never Accept the Fourteenth and
Fifteenth Amendments"
fRenorted for the New York Herald

ATLANTA, GA, August 20. 1874. Taking TIE
Richmond and Atlanta Airline route afeW
luys since ut the former point, within thirty
NO hours. including numerous balts. for
meals, &C., I bad trayersed the ak hundred
niles lying between the two capitals of the
New South. AS Paris is France, so Is Rich
nond an epitome OF Virginia, and with even
more truth may Atlanta be characterized as
he bustling centre Of thought and action for
Georgia and the Central South. .ss,l,.
AT Richmond, the historic capital of the
South, and yet the focus of immense iDtiu-
epces In Southern politics, and at Atlanta
now, perhaps, the best expression OF the
rehabilitation for which the whole Soutn
seeks, are to be found the unerrpg induces OF
the predominant sympathes and expecta'
tiops of the section south of the Potomac
and the Ohio. At the two Southern capitals
one hears an abundance OF that briliiant
gossip and bold, defiant talk which mas
always given such fascination to polltlcai
in the South. Your Richmond
has already given you the
DRIFT of the political tide in the Old DO.
minion, and to determine the tendencies OF
the entire Southern mind it remains to be
seen how far the Empire State of the South
Is in unison With the prevalent thought OF
the Old Dominion.
ROBERT TOoMBs.
In Atlanta the properly accredited seeker
after sources Of genuine public sentiment IS
Deculiarly blessed in the facility with which
he ascertains the force and direction of the
current of public opinion from its very
fountain-heads. A few days ago, alter a
brief talk with one of the first public men
of the south, whose views on current polit-
ical topics shall give the readers Of the
Herald in a day or TWO. [ unexpectedly en-.
conntered at the KimbaIl House General
Robert Toombs, always 2 typical south
ern politician, once the MIraheau OF Tue
Federal Senate, and even now, after tle ter
rible failure of the revolution Whicn lie al'l
so much to inaugurate, no tn>iSu!ilcant
DO wer in Georgia politics. many years nave
elapsed since l had last seen the historic
General, when, IS Confederate Premier,
walking with characteristic 'nScnc!d!ce
along the streets Of Richmond, ID the early
DAYS of the war, he used 10 boast that ne
" carried the Confederate Department OF
State in his coat pocket Despite The
changes wrought by time and trials there
was no difficulty in recognizing the Toom0s
of the olden time aeglig5 in apparel, In
candesceDt and uniicmpt as ever, and, in the
apt phrase Of the prize ring, mutilated,
put still in the ring"
historic FIGURE.
As leisurely approached The veteran pol.
itician and had time to think how wonder
fully. under the supervision OF some artist
gifted with the power Of illustrating history
and individual character by attitude, mlen,
and expression, be would serve in fresco as
an epi,ome of the turbulent era OF Amer.
can politics. in which he bad blazed like q
meteor and had dealt right and left bis stall.
wart blows as though entrusted with the
Tilt hammer OF Vulcan. In brief, the " old
man eloquent" though no longer Heorgla's
senator. menacng abolition senators with
the prophecy that be would Jet ''call the
roll of his slaves on Bunker HILL" and
though now without the inIi5nia OF power,
and public care. still wears the air
of one who believes that his sceptre has
been wrongfuly wrenched from hin for a
time only by some "unlineal hand and who
sees before MIN the day OF certain reotola'
tion.
POWER OF THE INDEPENDENT PRESS.
Without unnecessary Formally or crcum-
locution expressed my desire TO Obtain an
expression OF his views for the Herald upon
the salient political question now before the
country. At first declining to talk at any
length upon the ground that he had been so
en- unfairly treated by adventurous Bohe-
mians, who had sought his presence, Gene
raj Toombs assented to the suggestion OF the
Herald representative that southern public
men must look to the independent press OF
the great northern cities-papcrs not rin IN
the interest of factions and cli4ueS-as a
medium of communication between the
thought Of the South and that OF the rest OF
the country. In replying to this suggestion
General Toombs gave AL amusing sketch Oh
the present shabby. genteel condition OF many
southern newspapers, some of which he de-
clared "too poor 20 speak the TRUTH"
Reporter: We'll, General, tue country
always likes to hear from you, whether in
the shape of letter with the old, familiar
signature, or in the shape of one of those
brilliant tusilades of political gossip with
which you SO often favor your friends.
ISyETERATE HOSTILITY TO FREEDOM AND SUI.
FRAGE.
General Toombs: In due time I shall be
heard from at length upon the great ques-
tons which are now before the country, and
when / talk it will be with no uncertain
sound. never was milk-and.cider politl.
clan in my life, and everybody, friend and
foe, ALWAYS knew exactly where Toombs
stood. Columns of type would hardly ex-
press nv views upon present public ques-
tions, and yet in fifteen minutes could give
YOU the substance of my present political
creed. Ineyer shall acqniesce in the four
teenth and fifteenth amendments, and
never shall tolerate the damnable doctrine
that there can be good government where
negroes participate in the shaping Of public
policy.
NEGROES AND THIEVES ALLIED.
Reporter: But, General, unless you are
INDUCING in an expression of that vehement
and yet heretofore impotent resentment oil
the wrongs of reconstruction so often heard
from southern public men, would like to
know something about the quo mode with
which you propose to act.
General Toombs: This Government is
now run almost entirely by thieves and ne.
groes. The negro is not numerically pow
erful, but he holds a balance Of power,
which makes the thieves who run the Radi'
cal machine North and South defer to bis
beastly propensities. This alliance Of ne
groes and thieves must be broken up from
base to capital, and before long I shall begin
it right here. / have made one revolution
and can make another. Yes, sir, right here
10 Georgia Shall begin this work of driving
the negroes and thieves from the natiena
political sanctuary.
Reporter: Permit me to ask respectfully
General arc these what Mr. Cheata uSpd "a
call glittering generalites in which 20,
are indulging, or do you mean them a
prophecies based upon your knowledge o
some really revolutionary enterprise for th
relief of the South from the evils imposed b,
reconstruction
THE DAY OF ExPEDIESTs PASSED.