The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-15
A TALK WITH ToOMBs.
How He Escaped from Georgia After the War
Views of Men of His Time.


Views of Men of His Time.
Washington Ca } better in Philadelphia Times.
General Toombs, how did you get out of this
country after the WARP
well he said when Mr. Stanton issued the
order for my arrest was living quietly in Wash
ington, protected by the terms of capitulation.
The federal officer who received the order was
indignant at the breach Of faith and let an old
comrade, then an ex-confederate know of it. He
sent a courier to me. kept my fine mare sad
died and standing in the stable The soldiers
| came and Mrs Toombs went to the front door,
while l went out of the back door and through
the plantation
II then went up into Ebert and over to Tai
lulah, where I spent the time until | could get
out of the State l went to Cuba, then to Eng
land, and finally to Paris, where remained till
| returned to America"
''Where are the Toombses from originally,
GeneralW
1.-THE family are English, but have been in
Virginia for a long time. My grandfather was
| in Braddock's army and my father major in the
| revolution. He came to Georgia with the Vir-
ginia troops and, being pleased with the land,
after the Revolution settled four miles from
Washington In the old graveyard on the
home place there are five generations Of my
| family"
''Do you remember w. Fl. Crawford
''Oh yes: he was on the bench when began
| practice He had already been stricken with
| apoplexy but he was great man still He was
my fathers friend and for that reason l was
| quite favorite with him. He was a man of
magnificent appearance, splendid manner and
very great intellect No ever more i'm
pressed the French, and we had great men at
that court l think he was perhaps the greatest
of Georgians."
who was the greatest man you ever met in
| public lifeF
MIR Webster. He was a noble, genial, warm
hearted gentleman withal"
''YoN knew Mr.. Calhoun Intimately
''Why, certainly. We messed together in Wash
7'Did Mr. Calhoun have any vicesw
mo sir, not one. He never drank nor gam
| bled. Mr.. Archer of Virginia, once at my
| house to dinner and we were speaking of Mr.
! Mr. Archer. / had remarked that Nh. Calhoun
| never drank anything but claret. why, Mr.
| Toombs said Archer, Mr.. Calhoun never
| tasted wine in his life But Mr.. Archer, have
sean him drink claret We'll, I don't dispute
that but he never tasted it in his life 1 said
! thought that was likely
What about the tariff, General?"
''Of course, he said, Il am and have always
tariff is an outrage on justice, but am not in
favor of doing away with protection all at once.
Morlison's bill is about right"
do you think, General, it is possible for this
government to remain in its present state,
neither a confederacy nations"
"Why no. sir. The principles of Mr.. Jeffer
son are the only true principles of government;
and while the United States government has left
them IL mas not adopted tne mOnarcnlcal views
of Mr., Hamilton. To remain in this position is
impossible We must be confederacy of soy
ereign States or nation. States rights have
been given up and this government cannot stand
as it is"
"But how shall we get back9"
"By revolution"
'Bloodless, / hopel"
eyes, bloodless, perhaps as was the revolution
of $685. but revolution, nevertheless
'What about these great railway monopohes!"
'"They must be controlled by commissions, like
the one in Georgia"
''What was the largest fee you ever receivedY
'Forty thousand dollars the largest single
fee The hardest legal fight 1 ever had was
with the railroads about taxation, but won the
case"
The General has long been Methodist in
conviction, but only recently has he become a
communicate of the church. His determine
ton to connect himself with the church was
expressed in his usual style. Meeting his old
friend, Bishop Pierce, one day, he said:
George, L want you to baptize me- l have no
religion, but am afraid some Of these young
fools who prate about infdelity will say when /
am dead did not believe il Jesus Christ, and ]
wish to avow my faith
He is much beloved by his neighbors and es-
pecially by the children, to whom he is especially
tender. He says life is too short for animosites,
and that he has TO foes and cherishes no resent
ments. He has made all things ready for both
worlds, and it matters little with him how soon
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