Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1885-12-16
ESTABLISHED 1910.
Tur DEATH OF GEN. rooms.

ho l. DA%ioi
THE DEATH OF GEN. TOOaBs.
Gen. Robert Toombs, the greatest man
of his time in Georgia, and one OF the first
among the Southern leaders Immediately
before and during the civil war, is dead.
He passed away peacefully at his home in
Washington. Ga, yesterday, in his 10Th
year. His career was one of the most ex-
traordinary on record, and was singularly
successful from the outset. The fates
were all for him. besides which he
was remarkably gifted as lawyer and
public speaker. He fearlessly encountered
some of the abest OF thE public men OF
Georgia in and out Of the Legislature
between 1884 and 1845, when he
was sent to Congress, where he
served for four successive terms
and took distinguished place from the
outset. But the most brilliant years of his
life were those spent in the United States
Senate, which he entered in 1853. Here
he took a commanding position as States
right Whig of firm and Tesolute will, an
eager, ready and ardent defender of
the South and of slavery, though
not, as is generally believed at the North,
an extremist or fre-eater. Truthful, hon
est and honorable, he dealt fairly by his OF
ponenls as he did by his constituents, and
never permitted them, for want OF pisin,-
prompt speaking, to misunderstood his
views. Participating in all the debates
and political events leading up to
the Civil War, he was recognized
by the North as well as the South as
great leader, impetuous and fiery by
turns, but always logical from the stand
point of his lifelong convictions. He
was not an original secessionist.- On. the
contrary, when that alternative was pre-
cipitated he fought for compro'
mise as long as was pos
siDle, and sustained the CriitendeD
resolutions, which he always declared were
defeated by Seward. When all chance
in the direction Of peace had been de-
feated he eounseled secession, and
led his constituents OUT of the
Union by the power Of an irresistible
elo6uence. Declining the offer OF Cabinet
positio..s III the old government he, from
a sense of duty, accepted for short time
the position of Secretary Of State In Mr..
Dsyis's Cabinet, but, disliking that gen
tlemsn, probably somewhat piqued
that he himself had not been elected
President OF the Confederacy, he resigned
and entered the army, where he remained
until the close of the war. With this
event his public career practically closed,
although he served his State IN the
Constitutional Convention. He refused
to be reeonciled 10 the government &C.
cording 10 the terms OF the amnesty act,
and would not take the oath there
N prescribed He wa4 thus barred
from any farther oiIic.2i participa-
ton in public affairs, and eontented
himself with the position OF a boxer
on. interested in the fate of the repuGl'e
from a philosophic standpoint, and wfs
only stirred 10 activity where the people ct
Georgia. were concerned. He was siTays
during his life in the practice OF his pro-
fessiop. which was very lucrative. When
little more than thirty yesrs OF age
{,e WAS one of the leaders
of a bar that was then very strong, b6i"g
especially successful as pleader. Frank
and fearless in the GvoTal OF his views
and opinions he was beloved by the people
and even his opponents in Congress con
fessed to an admiration for q man who was
prineely in all his ways, who entertained
royalty, aud was always kindly Of heart.
But in many things he was behind the
age. The changed condition Of things
that within the pas! nine years has brought
to the South an unprecedented prosperity
we're not all Of them to his liking. He be-
longed to past generation, and with 1t lay
all his sympathies. The revolution which
he nursed in its cradle, and part Of Whit b
he was, swept past him with hurrying feet
and left him far behind. He
could aot adapt himself to the
altered ..qts OF affairs. He had no sym
pathy with it, snd though he advised
carefully aud with surprising statesman
ship when his advice was aought for, he
continued to the last an isolated man, a
citizen OF Georgia but not of the Republic,
some of whose glories he had contributed
to reap. lie did not outlive his useful
ness, but he did his time. His stubbor-
ness in opposition 10 amnesty lost to
Georgia the continued use OF his great
abilities and experience when, as the col
league Of Ben Hill and Alex. Ste
pbens, he might have made for biz
great State an eclat equal to that
of Virginia in her palmiest days. He
cannot in justice be compared to any oi
the statesmen of the second period of the
Republic but Webster. He was not as
profound as the great New Eng
lander, the first of all American states
men, but he Wal close behind him. He
was more impetuous of speech thar
the expounder of the constitution, but he
was also more captivating because more
spirited and magnetic. He haC
studied the constitution sRd knew
IL well, but he could never have
been its expounder because he condemned
il rs an instrument SO defective that h'
said he could not have given hi'
consent 10 II. out A5 huSS u
of its powers and limitations
and he was rich in this knowledge, and il
that also which CAME of knowing the law
made in pursuance of it, in the most init
mate way. 1t was no trouble 20 him Il
plead case, no matter how seemingi.
intricate. But although thus gifted m
never slighted or slurred his work. Ill
was conscientious, careful and prudent
and did his best. His clients went to hin
confidently because his reputation wa
based on the highest integrity. Ger
Toombs was perfect tyre OF
class of which there srs bpt fey
left-a class that had many noble trait;
and that within the limit Of the fus
days of slavery, was among the best pre-
ducts of the civilization Of the first hSl
of the nineteenth century. He was
gentleman, great statesman, but
greater lawyer.
APPRECIATION OF THE SOUTH.