The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1884-06-12
THE CONFEDERATE CABINET
All Men Of Marked Character ana
Great Ability.

Washington Correspondent, Y. Times
The Confederate Cabinet was a
fair expression of the executive
ability available in the south; not
so brilliant or able as its soldier
ship,as illustrated by Lee, Jackson
and Gordon, but equal to such
achievements as were possible in
the face Of countless difficulties and
obstacles. A Cabinet presentin Q
such names as ToOmbs, Hunter,
Breckenridge, Benjamin and Sed-
don is no beggar of appreciation
from the student of American polit-
ical history made during the decade
preceding secession. Not only was
it the best material the south had,
but it would have been rare mate
rial anywhere. Toombs, Hunter,
Breckenridge and Benjamin were ali
colossal figures in the federal SEN
ate. Toombs-a Mark Antony or
Mirabeau-was always at his best
in agitation. He, with the aid of
Gov. Joe Brown, lashed Georgia af
ter stubborn resistance into seces-
sion, with Herschel V. Johnson, AL
eXander H. Stephens end Benjamin
H. Hill-a rare trumvirate of gen
ius and eloquence-in opposition.
TOombs is hardly viewed by GeOr-
gians as the biggest Georgian of
that day. That distiction was
claimed for Howell Cobb, who was
Buchanan's secretary of the treasu-
ry, by thousands of Georgians. To
Toombs and to Georgia Mr.. Davis
gave the post of honor in his Cabi
net, Cobb being already president |
of the provisional congress. Sub
sequently Virginia was honored |
similarly when Hunter became
Toombs' successor. Benjamin, type |
Of the genius of his race, an Ameri |
can Disraeli, throughout the war
justified the executive confidence |
by fidelity, capacity for labor, and |
inexhaustible fertility of resources. |
Seddon was a man of the Calhoun |
type of mind An acute dialecti-
clan, he was an expert in polemics.
OF ample fortune, he had ABUNDANT
leisure for study, and passed an hon
orable life, serving briefly in congress
to which body he was elected over
the famous John Minor Bolts. His
public usefulness was impaired by
chronic disease. Than Breckin-
ridge, the south has had no more
picturesque public character. As
soldier and CT Jilian his life was me-
teoric in the brilliancy of it's tri-
umphs, and yet gave a uniform dis
play of steady and growing light to
be dimmed at last amid the shad-
ows of the falling confederacy. He
was leader of his party in the house
of representatives at 80; offered the
Spanish mission by President
Pierce at SO; president when
he was only SO, and elected senator
while he was still vice-president and
under 40, Breckenridge lost heavi-
ly by his participation in the war,
to enter which he left nearly
whole term as United States sena-
tor, when he drove out of kentucky
behind his feet ArabIans, distanc-
ing his federal pursuers in the race
for the confederate lines. Had the
convention of April,
1860, remained in session long
enough for a harmonious selection =
Of o nominee upon whom both
wings of the democracy could have }
united, Breckinridge was an obyi- :
ous probability, by reason both of :
and geographical con- :
Nominated, he would
.lmost certainly have been elected =
PRESIDENT. 81 am an extinct volca- Z
TO-" he would say, when since the :
var, his friends would urge his par =
icipation in public affairs. With :"
,ardonable pathos his old time :" .
riends recall the Young Hickory .
# Kentucky" as they dwell upon .
he consecutive triumphs of his =
arly life and the rich, unfulfilled ~
'romise of it's meridian. 1t is no y y
mean part Of the epitaph of the con- =
ederacy that it's military power was T
rushed just as John Breckenridge, e
nth charactistic dash and daring, u
ad grasped it for final and supreme q
fort.