The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-24
GENERAL ROBERT TOOMBS.
The Search for a Man Who Knows He Was
Offered the Presidency of the Confederacy.


Offered the Presidency of the Confederacy.
White Sulphur Letter in New York Herald.
One year ago General Robert Toombs, of
Georgia, a guest at the White Sulphur.
He held daily levees on the porcheS of the Grand
Central Hotel, was the historical and political
oracle of the hour, and was lonized to degree
almost amounting to hero worship. The com
pany then was not near as large as it is now, but
crowds sat around listening to every word that
dropped from Toombss lips as sweet morsels of
national political gossip. To day the White
Sulphur is packed to its full capacity, and large
majority of the visitors are Southerners-nearly
every section in this State having its corps Of
representatives, male and female 1t is safe to
say that were General Toombs to put in an
appearance now his reception would be cool
even to the freezing point. This is due not
only to his recent unfortunate published criti-
cism of General Lee and Mr.. Davis, but also to
his arrogance in asserting that the presidency of
the Confederacy was offered to him at the time
Of Daviss election and that he declined it.
Without knowing the facts, there are Southern
ers here and in fact everywhere. who at once
pronounced this piece of unmitigated and
brazen impudence on Toombss part
AS If, however, to put a quietus to this lnso
lent claim of TOombs, Mr. Duncan F. Kenner,
of Louisiana, who served during the entire epoch
of the Confederacy CONGRESSMAN from that
State. happens OPPORTUNITY to be at the Springs.
Mr. Kenner is one of the few men now living
who took an active part in tho startling events
is seventy two years of age but is still vigorous
and hearty and never misses season at the
White Sulphur. After the usual Introductory
formalities Mr.. Kenner was asked:
Were yousnot member of the Confederate
Congress when it met in Montgomery, Ala, in
1862"
II was, he replied, "a member Of the Confed-
crate Congress from the opening at Montgomery
to the close at Richmond"
Then | presume you were present when the
md raci1 anf aula faII
"Of course L was and took part in the eletion
of the President and Vice president of the pro-
visional government by the provisional Con-
gress."
Have you read the recent interview with Gen
Toombs, of Georgia, in which he claims that the
presidency of the Confederacy then ten
dered to him and that e declined the honorl'
II have" said Mr.. Kenner. very impressively;
Il read it and was very much surprised at it,"
"Do you recOllect of any such tenderof this
responsible position being made General
Toombs?"
II do not" very emphatically 81 heard moth
ing of 1T at the time, nor can understand by
whose authority such tender was made. 1t GER
tainly was not made by any general expression
of opinion on the part of the members of Con,
gress?'
1T is hardly probable, then, that such prop,
osition could have been made to General Toombs
without you knowing itE'
"It is highly improbable. There was no gem
eral caucus of the members of Congress held
previous to the election of President and Vice
president"
How then, were the names proposedW
1.-THE plan adopted was that each State held
meeting Of its own members. These meetings
were held and the following day, when all the
members met, the vote was taken in generally
assembly,
What was the result Of the voter
'The vote was taken by States. Mr.. Davis
received the unanimous vote OF all the members
present and elected President"
"Was Mr. Davis present as the timer
HE was not in Montgomery at the time of
the election, nor had he been there since our
arrival mean sir ce the arrival of the mem
bers of Congress-
Then there was no effort on the part Of Mr.
Davis to secure the election as President of the
Confederacy?'
None that ever heard Of He was elected AS
President on account of his supposed qualifica-
tons a civilian and military man"
DO you think it possible that any person
ever asked General Toombs to be candidate
for the presidencyW
II think it possible that some of his friends
may have done SO. but l am positively certain
that as far as Louisiana was concerned no one
was authorized to make Mr.. Toombs q tender of
the presidency"