Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-16

eoEerei -Htv of The states. but ne Sall
he was very much misunderstood On tht
subject Of secession. Upon TINS so tjee'
he said a few years since: Il have never
believed the constitution of the United
States was s. cd one. and, as an oii-inS'
question. l would never nave voted 'ct
but | was not the blatant seces oals,
that l have been represented, tnaj i- mp
to the time mat I thought there Was l2
peace or security far my reQ 2 .Ae
Union. Then l determined 10 Iced 3 POI
out Of a compact that was pro-ec- ny
nothing but good faith, ana was sno IS D 20
nave no good faith back ct IT, IN lo'O
SUPPORTED the CLAW compromise Very
strongly. Nv position was maze
an issue H. Georgia, and con-
vention OF the people was called !
came home TO defend 10. united WIN
Howell Cobb and Alexander stephens
who stoOa upon about lne same ground /
did. We whipped the nre-eatcrs out ana
carried the STATE handsomely. stood by
those views of com promise 10 the mon
Substantially until after the failure OF the
Cri;teuden compromise. | supported
BreCkilrid-e in the campaign Of l>uV.
kr. tephgnS supported Douglas. ana Ben
f. Il SUPPORTED Bell. We led the three
elements In Georgia a. that time. After
Lincoln's election l saw that trouble was
brewing. but l was stu unwilling 10 COM
was not certain that Georgia could be
carried on that issue. Stephens and Hill
were both for the Union. l tele-
graphed Breckinridge, asking him to
appoint a repre- entauVe commit
tee that would offer some
compromise to meet the pressing ext
gency. lie appointed on this committee.
among others, Crittenden to represent
Bell and Everett, or i ather the men who
had supported them; JEFF. Davis and my
self for his friends: Seward for Lincoln.
and Douglas himself. The Critlenden
compromise was offered. / supported II
heartily and sincerely, although the suIea
obstinacv Of Seward lad made II almost
impOssiUl IN do anything. For support
Ing TINS compromise l was denounced in
Georgia BY Ben Hlll as having betrayed
nv section and my people. / dldn' { mind
THIS at all, as Ben was always denounclng
somebody or something. At length | saw
that tue compromise measures must iail.
With a persistent Obstinacy that l have
never vet seen surpassed, seward and his
hackers refused every overture"
As the confererc &c committees could not
or would not agree upon any general plan
OF adiu stment between the two sections.
Dir. TOOmbs telegraphed 10 Atlanta: "All
is at an end. North determined. Seward
will not bulge an inch. Am in favor Of
secession"
Mr.. Toombs said: "Wher the fight
was fairly opened l still felt doubtful
about carrying the State. The people
were determined against submission To
the unjust announcements Of the North,
but there were many who favored the ap-
pOintment Of a peace commission, others
who wanted to wait for cooperation, and
still others who feared 10 take so desper-
ate a step, and never doubted the gravity
Of the situation"
After the secession convention of Geor-
gia met, Mr.. Toombs was doubtful about
the result even after he had looked over
the roll Of members. he felt that the cur
rent should be turned. Before the voting
came he went to work canvassing the
delegates. He says: "Alex. Stephens
fhous ht he had me. he said the cOnven-
ton never would vote to secede. ] told
him I thought it would" He then said:
''Well, if you will put fair, square Teso-
luton Of secession and carry IT, | will 90
with you. l only insist that it shall not
be equivOcal Ike the Alabama ordinance"
replied, Il don't see. Alec, how we can
make secession more definite than by re-
pealing the act of secession. But to
Stately YOU that I am sincere, you
write the resolution yourself and l
viii then put 1t as you offer it,"
and be did so. l have often laughed at
him about having written the resolution
Of secession for Georgia. When 1t was
put we carried it by thirty.odd votes.
Even after this | was not satisfied that the
people OF Georgia were for secession, or
would stand by it. and l went to work to
reconcile all the elements. To show that
the movement did not mean the elevation
Of the Breckinridge wing, / agreed 10 give
TIE opposition four out OF The nine dele
gates 10 the Provisional Congress of the
Confederate States, called in Montgomery.
This we did in good faith, and this had
very much TO do with sOlidlfying the State.
Hill and Stephens and their followers
came In and the people were soon united"
On Jan. %, 1861, four DAYS after Georgia
seeded. be withdrew from the Senate,
and that body went through the fOrmality
of expellIng him on March IA following.
Mr. TOOmbs was at once elected TO the
Confederate Congress, but vas appointed
Secretary Of State OF the COnfederacy on
the organization of the first Cabinet Of the
provisional government by President Da-
Wis. In September, 1851, be left the Cab-
net and was appointed Brigadier General
commanding a division in the Confederate
army, in which capacity be served until
the autumn Of 1863, when he resigned.
he had command of q brigade Of Georgia
State troops from the spring of 1864 TO the
close Of the war.
during his career as soldier he was
distinguished for personal courage. Gen.
LOngstreet said be never saw a Drawer
brigade commander. At the battle OF
Antietam, while the attack upon the
Confederate left and centre was In pro-
gress, Gen. Burnside made repeated efforts
TO force the bridge which now bears his
name, over Antietam creek, opposite
Longstreeps right wing. defended 6y Gen.
TOOmbs with two regiments of his own
brigade and the batteries OF Gen. Jones.
This small force. under immediate COM
mand Of Gen. ToOmbs, repulsed five dir
ferent assaults made upon IL by greatly
superior numbers.
Hundreds OF Georgians remember Gen.
Toombs' gallant bearing in front Of At
lanra % 1864, when he addressed his brig
ade composed Of young boys and gray
haired patriarchs. "Georgians," he said,
in bis most grandly eloquent tones, 'nust
eNutl the invader from Georgia soil" and
uIs unframed militia repealed an assault
made on the defenses by one of the vete-
ran divisions Of Sherman's army.
tihe Confederate government went 70
pieces ~ the town where Gen. TOombs
lived. Mr.. Breckenridge and Mr.. Reagan
and others came TO his house. and Mr..
Davis stopped at a neighbours house.
From that point each man went 20 save
himself. Gen. Toombs, who was pro-
tected by the terms of capitulafion. re-
manned at his home in " Washington.
Secretary stanton iasued an order tor mis-