The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-07-17
ROBERT TOOMBS
"REMINISCENCES OF THE GREAT
FIRE-EATER OF THE
SOUTH.
Incidents in the Stirring Life of
n Wonderful Mana
Portrait in Ink.
[Co re.pondence of the courier,Jourpal.

| AUGUSTA, GA, June 20.-The ar
peaTance or Robert Toombs, the great
ire-e;iter Of tie south, as delegate
in the District Methodist Conference
It Harmony Grove, marks a new era
in his life. 1t is an era in strange
| contrast with the stormy career of
one of the most brilliant men Amer
lea has ever produced, and is the clos
ing scene in biography which must
Sonn become complete volume.
| The manner of his conversion was
characteristic of the man. Bishop
George Z. Pierce had been a college
mate of Toombs. Together these two
young students, the one from Wilkes
county, the other from Greene; the
one the petted, self-willed son of sub
'tantial gentleman, the other the
| thoughtful child of laborious Meth
| odiSJ minister, pursued their studies,
winning scholastic victories, yet by
different methods. With ToombS, the
| answers came instinctively, with
Pierce it required the burning of the
midnight Oil. ToombS was ever under
the rod of correction, which, tradition
tells us, required his removal to
| PrIuceton; and q, there his rebel
IiouS spirit would brook no dictation.
| Pierce turned his back upon the friy-
| olities of youth. and engaged in the
| revival services in the little church of
which his father, Lovic Pierce, was
| pastor. Yet ToombS and Pierce were
| he closest of friends, and in the long
career which subsequently opened to
both of them, in which one drifted
| into politics, and became the mael-
strom of one of the most exciting
episodes of history, and the other
| found preferment i'll the church, be-
coming an honored bishop, there
never ceased for moment that at
Tachment born of college association.
Meeting Bishop Pierce one day about
year ago, religion was mentioned.
George" exclaimed Toombs, impet-
| uouSly, 81 want you to baptize me.
When l am dead do not want these
young men who drift so naturally
| into infdelity to claim me as an un-
believer"
This determination caused a sensa-
ton throughout the state. 1t sent
establishment through that class which
laughs at holy things, while it brought
joy to every christian heart. Once
more there was a tender feeling for
roombs, such as had not been felt
since the days when he was the pride
of Georgia manhood. 1t was tender.
ness more full of sympathy than ever
went out to him before. When the
appointed Sunday came, it found the
I'D statesman surrounded by his
elghbors of fifty years, among whom
was his brother, whose joy at the
event about to take place found vent
in tears. Toombs himself was affected,
and for once found hesitancy in speech
when Bishop Pierce, taking him by
the hand, greeted him as brother in
Christ.
TOOMBs' GREAT GRIEF,
leading up to this profession of faith,
was a great bereavement. Fully fifty
years before, the handsome young
chevaller won the heart and hand of
Miss Sara DuBose, a lady distin-
gGished for her accomplishments and
family name. Ever after she was in
deed his better half. She went with
him on his political missions; she was
with MIN on his tours of observation,
and she was his confidential friend in
the fullest meaning of the word in all
his transactions. When he entered
congress she went with him, and the
home life whichithe pair enjoyed in
the quaint little village of Washing
ton was maintained in the greater
Washington, which was the scene of
his political triumphs. The two grew
old together, more like couple of
confiding children than like people of
the world. They always kept faith
with each other. Mrs. Toombs had
been for years member of the Meth
odist church. 1t was Mr.. Toombs'
habit, when speaking jocularly, to
claim that he was brother-in-law to
the church. With increasing age
came failing health. The fond wife
was kindly, tenderly nursed by her
distinguished husband. When they
went to their GAINESVILLE mountain
home, in the early spring of year
ago, Mrs. Toombs was living her last
DAYS. Her death was the great blow
which sobered ToomDs. His thoughts
turned from the grave to God, and he
made his peace. BY the grave OF this
noble christian woman a remarkable
fact is suggested. She had been for
fifty years the wife of man of Won
derful magnetism, of gigantic phys
ique, OF engaging manners. Over
half of this time was spent in the
national capital, where her husband
was surrounded by all the alIurements
of fiattery, all the wiles of the set, all
the opportunities of his manners and
station. Yet, through it all, TOombs
was a faithful husband. Not even a
whisper has ever been made which
could compromise his name. What a
comment this is on the fidelity of the
husband and the influence of the wife.
THE ToOMBs OF FORMER YEARS.
Looking from the bent figure which
stood the other day on Greene street,
though yet bearing traces OF former
years, one instinctively turns to the
prints which give the shadow OF the
Toombs of 1855. He was then in the
zenith of this physical beauty and
| intellectual strength. He had already
won the attention of the republic;
| his fiery eloquence had made him as
hated in the home of abolitionism as
he was worshiped by his followers in
the south. When he spoke a nation
listened. With the impetuosity of
Niagara he precipitated the events
which led to the great struggle in
which cannon took the place of the
ballot. From the confederate senate
and the cabinet of Jefferson DAVIS he
sought post in the field, esteemiDg
that the place of every man was in the
| front. The qualities, however, which
made him formidable in debate made
him weak in the field. He was not
born to obey. Gen. Toombs was not
destined to become one of the military
heroes of the age. The stories of his
disobedience of orders and his refusal
to consider himself under arrest are
numerous, some of them incredible
were they not vouched for.
AS if by the irony of fate, the strug-
gle which Toombs had done so much
to bring about was destined to come
an end at his home. 1t was within q
few miles from Toombs' residence that
Jefferson Davis held his last cabinet
council, when Col. Pritchett's Michi'
gan regiment followed up the fleeing
chieftain, overlook him in Erwin
, county. Toombs was informed of tht
presence of the federal soldiers just il
time to seek flight on that most unro
: mantle creature-the mule. For
, few DAYS he found refuge with Col 4
A. Tate, in the lower part of Elber
! county. In Col. TateB residence ther
7 was life-sized engraving of Toombs
) and so great was the resemblance tina
: one seeing the picture could not mis-
3 take the man. The colored people nc
3 ticed the similarity between the mys
8 ferrous stranger and the picture. Tn