The Lincoln County leader. [volume] (White Oaks, Lincoln County, N.M.) 1882-189?, 1884-12-20
The Confederate Cabinet.

Inc aus ChDlhcb MAb u
fair expression OF the executive
ability available in the south ; not
80 bril- liant or able as it's soldier
ship as represented 10y Lee, Jack
son and Gordon, but equal to such
achievements Is were possible in
the face OF countless difficulties
and obstacles. a cabinet present
ing such Manassas Toombs, Hunter,
Breckenridge, Benjamin and Scd.
don, is no beggar for appreciation
from the student of political his
tory made during the decade pre-
ceding secession. No only was
it the best material the South had,
but it would have been rare mate
rial anywhere. Toombs, Hunter,
Breckenridge and Benjamin were
all colossal figures in the federal
senate. Toombs-a Marc Antony
or Mlrabeau-was always at his
best in agitation. lie, with the
aid of Governor Joe Brown, lashed
Georgia, after stubborn resistance,
into secession, with HerSchel V.
Johnson, Alexander II. Stephens
and Benjamin II. Hill, q rare tri-
umvirate of genius and eloquencc,
in opposition. Toombs is hardly
viewed by Georgians as the big
geSt Georgian of that day. That
distinction was claimed for Howell
Cobb, who was Buchanan's secre-
tary Of the treasury, by thousands
of Georgisns. To Toombs and to
Georgia, Mr.. Davis gave the post
of honor in his cabinet, Cobb be-
ing already president of the pro
visional congress. Subsequently
Virginia was honored similarly
when Hunter became Toombs'
successor. Benjamin, type Of gen
ms OF his race, an American Dis
raeli, throughout the war justified
the executive confidence by fdeli-
ty, capacity for labor, and mex
haustible fertility of resource. Sed-
dons was a man of the Calhoun
type of mind. An acute dialectic-
ian, lie was al expert in polemics.
Of ample fortune. he had abundant
leisure tor study and passed an
honorable lite. serving briefly in
congress, to which body he was
elected ever the famous John
Minor Bolts. His public useful
ness was impaired by chronic dis
ease. Than Breckenridge, the
south has had no more picturesque
public character. He was leader
of his party in the house of repre-
sentatives at 80 offered the Span
ish mission by President Pierce at
33 ; vice president when he raj
only SO. and elected senator while
he was still vice president and I'M
der 46. Breckenridge lost heavily
by his participation in the war, to
enter which he left nearly a whole
term as United States senator,
when he drove ont of Kentucky
behind his feet Arabians, distanc-
ing his Federal pursurers in the
race for the Confederate lines. Had
the Charleston Convention of APP
Ri, 1860, remained in session long
enough tor a harmonious selection
of 4 nominee upon whom both
wings of the Democrcy could have
united, Breckenridge WAS an obyi
Gus probability, by reason both OF
personality and geographical con
siderations. Nominated, he would
al most certainly have been elected
president. II am an extinct vol
csno," he wonld say, when, since
the war, his friends would urge
his participation in public affairs.
With pardonable pathos his old
friends recall the Young Hickory
Of Kentucky" as they dwell up
on the consecutive triumphs of his
early life and the rich, untitled
pron.ise OF its meridian. 1t is no
mean part Of the cpitaph of the