The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-12-08
A speech by Robert Toombs.


General Robt. Toombs addressed the citizens
and members Of the Legislature at the Hail
of the House of Representatives. He made
an earnest and eloquent speech. We are
indebted to General ToOmbs for clear
definition of the issues pending in the
present Senatorial race. lie defined the
issues clearly and made them so emphatic
that no member OF the Legislature can be
mistaken. Below we give the synopsis of
General TOOmbs' speech:
| responded without reluctance to an invi-
tation To address you tonight There are very
grave issues before the people which demand
serious attention. Ny themes shall be twO-the
election of a Senator and the condition OF the
country. ''What OF the future?" shall occupy
some OF my time. In inquiring what qualifca-
lions are necessary for senator, the standard is
not difficult 10 hnd. Jefferson fixed II when he
said he should be honest he should be capable
he should be faithful As the great Roman orator
SAID, tits time that men should carry their prin-
cIples on their fOFeheads. Applause. invoke
the blessings OF the living God ON my country in
this time. lApplause.l In the trials through
which we have passed, some men have been found
wanting. and Others have stood with spirit I'M
broken, and are ready. ROW, ever, to strike for
liberty. tApplause.J The speaker then reviewed
briefly the sad condition of the South after the
war. Legislature was chosen for us, but not
by the people of Georgia. i. with thousands of
Others, for the poor service i had done my
country, was denied the privilege of a citizen.
But they said: This Will not do; this people is
not conquered So they adopted the system of
reconstruction, We accepted it too soon. For
New Jersey rejected il after Georgia had accepted
it. The loyal citizens marched between bayOnets
to the polls and elected Legislature. Ii met.
and IL was proposed that the South should accept
those amendments which degraded every man in
the South whom they didn't choose 10 pardon, or
who stood on the nObler ground, that he had
committed no crime and asked no pardon
lApplause.l
10 elect two Senators. Two men were nominated
the present Senator Brown and the illustrious
FOstor Blodgett. But the memory of their acts
was too fresh, and they were both beaten. This
wouldn't do for reconstructed Legislature, and
they passed another act to reconstruct Georgia.
Governor Brown having lost the Senate. TOOK pro-
lection on the supreme Bench. Foster Blodgett
took protection I'm the State road, where every
body knew there was good stealing. Applause.
He had plenty of help. NirtuUus simon Cameron
Southwestern Railroad inserted. When the Les
islature met again they tried all sorts of manage
ment; and didn't succeed until they got a DIS
more commonly known as Fatty Harris"-and
he ran Ii beautifully.
General Toombs gave a very humorous de-
scuption Of carpetbag rule. lie said, "devolving
resources meant somebody elses things. All this
misrule and fraud was the act OF party led by
Governor Brown, and in the midst of those
dangers he pointed at our dwellings with a torch.
Mr. Seymour ran Tor President, and nineteen
tive tieths of the white people of this State
voted for him because he stood on Il platform
which declared that these acts of reconstruction
were null aud void. 1t is true yet. II don't
think 500 honest men in Georgia voted for
them. Our people were disheartened in 1872.
They went to Baltimore Mr.. Greeley wanted to
be Presifent-a man with many private virtues,
but not particle of wisdOm-a man who was dead
a year or two before he died. tLaughter.l don't
mean to ridicule the poor fellow for he crazy.
Laughter This was the time they say Brown
came over TO the Democracy God gave the mark
Applause We made manly canvass for
Seymour aud State Rights. and carried the State
bv 1905 but when we caught Brown we lost 40
90 OF that majority" Abiding 10 the fraud of
1876. the speaker said there was one man in
Georgia to whom we owe a monument. and he is
the gallant member from the Second, who voted
mo- in that trial.
Hancock had a worse platform than Tilden.
and then came the avalanche. What shall we do
nOw2 Some curse the Northern Democrats.
Some say let's join Garfield. What? lake the
OF the enemies OF your country. the
principles OF the murde ers of your children!
Van Buren, carried only seven States in $50. but
the Democrats rallied again. If you go Offand
join the rUyaliss you Will deserve the eUithet of
Calhoun when he denounced the successful adj
composed of rugues and royalists.
Pierce was elected after Van Buren, was lost.
Stand by your colors. sand by the trHth, and
l. smart enough If you want his sort of man.
You are taxing the poor negrOs red pepper aud
gourds. and vet the people are 70 be tickled with
newspaper stories of a boom. The people were
never 20 pour Every sun that has set since recon-
struction has found them poorer than when il rose
Some men have become princes. but those who
produce are biting the dust I'm poverty. Governor
Brown Is one OF those rich men. In an hour he
got into the Senate. After he got into the Senate
he tried To get his hand In the Treasury. ZAP
plause told the people at Hot Springs that
served my people sixteen years Ia Congress and
never brought home one cent Some OF them
Kissed. But said hear the other part. l never
waS asked by single man To do so. The princ
Piles of government are the same then. Don't
think Se much of appropriation n of the grander
functions of the Government. Let us go back
to the grand old doctrine. There are many
things worth more than life. Do not take your
OppicssOr in your evil days Trust him not
Trust not him anywhere who opposed the poor
and insulted the woman. How can you look
these widows In the face how can you go where
they are scattering flowers over the mariyred
dead. and reward the man who helped TO bring
POUR degradation. II you must fall, fall like
men. IL the Constitution must go down.
NAIL 10 the mast the tattered flag
Set every threadOare sail;
Give her to the god of storms
The lightning and the galel''
Some Gelinl