St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-07-12
satisfaction, General Toombs turned to Small

satisfaction, General Toombs turned TO Small
ley and said:
81 have staSed my honor for your safety.
Before daylight will have my closed car
riage ready, into which you must be placed.
AS the khan Will think that am within, it
will not be molested, and soon you will be
placed at safe distance
Thus Smalley found his exit from the little
village of Washington, and soon after gave
his wonderful letter to the public This YER
sion of the affair is told by one Of General
Toombs' closest friends
General Toombs true character is not TO
be judged by his wild talks to some CORE
spondents. He is at home and in business
one of the most conservative of men. His
assaults upon carpet-baggers are not intend
ed for honest men who are seeking the LEI
innate aims of life. To Northern men, III
whom he recognizes honesty of purpose, he
is as genial and hospitable as they could
wish. Perhaps there never was man in
Georgia who was more vilified than H. j.
Kimball, and not entirely without reason.
When the Kimball house was erected General
Toombs made it his headquarters when in
Atlanta. Being asked about his choice of it
he is said to have answered:
''By Cd, | have a right to stop in it The
money with which it was built was stolen
from the treasury of Georgia, and that gives
every Georgian an interest in it,
When this celebrated house was destroyed
by fire Kimball was called back from Chicago
to organize for its re-erection. He had be-
fore him hard task in raising subscriptions.
Among those upon whom it was necessary
that he should call was General Toombs. No
sooner had he entered Toombs door than
the doughty old Southerner exclaimed:
''Kimball, your retun to Georgia is worth
more than 100000. I'm GLAD to see you
back to stay with u.s.
This compliment fairly took KimbalI off
his feet, and in relating the incident could
only say:
81 could look in silence at the grand old
figure before me.n
Toombs was a potential factor in the call
ing of the constitutional convention of 1877.
He insisted that the Constitution of 1868 was
a nullity; its ratification only rested on the
bayonet, and it i'll became freemen to live
under the badge of slavery. A new conven-
ton should be called, even if it did no more
than meet and ratify the old document.
This would make it the handwork of Geor-
gians.
In the convention he was one of the most
prominent actors. When the treasurer OF
the state expressed doubt his authority tC
pay the members of the convention for the
number of days over the forty prescribed in
the call for the convention, General Toombs
solved the problem by saving:
81 will advance the money out of my OWL
pocket, and trust the people of Georgia fol-
its repayment
As consequence, he advanced nearly
$50, 900, which was refunded by the mex
Legislature.
His pride of state is wonderful, One day
he sauntered into the Supreme Courtroom
rather under the influence of liquor. An
attorney was addressing the Court in terms
which seemed to indicate that Georgia would
not pay. her debts. Interrupting him al
once, General Toombs said:
''May it please the court, Georgia will pay
her debts. If she does not, then will pay
them for her."
General Toombs is now seventy-four years
of age. He stoops considerably, and has an
infirIm walk, which denotes his weakness
He has lost much flesh within the past few
years. His eyes are weak, cataract grow
ing over one of them, which causes consid.
cradle suffering In his home at Washing.
ton he is always surrounded by some of his
grandchildren, in whose company he take:
great delight. They feel that he has but
few days more to live, and do everything in
their power to render his declining year:
comfortable.