New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-16
A SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.

! A SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.
Robert TOombs known throughout the South IA the
old man eloquent born In wilkes County. Georgia,
on July 2. 1910 His father died while no was young
| leaving him good estate. His education carefully
looked after by his mother obtained at the Uni
versty Of Georgia, ana Union College schenectady,
N.Y.. lie WAS graduated vt Union College in 1923 and
In 1879 he tosk course OF law lectures Mt the Uni
yersy OF Virginia In all his studies he regarded
by his Instructors OF the abest Of the day "a nm
intellectual prodigy. lie admitted to the bar in
1880 by special act OF the Legislature and at opened
an Office in tho town OF Washington, in his native
county. when was theucetorward his homo. lie rose
with remarkable rapldty In hls profession and Judge
! William II. Crawford often expressed the opinion that
| high tame awaited the brilliant young lawyer When
the with tue Creek Indians broke ont in Alabama IN
1896 young TOombs left his awboOks aad large prac-
ticc ami raised volunteer company. which he led a.
captain The field, serving under General Scott until
! tao conflict over. From 1897 to 1910 and from
1912 to 1913 he was member OF the Georgia Lcgislat
ure, taking conspicuous part IN that body from tie
outset lie brought uI in tho Jccrsonlan school Of
politics, auI belonged to the elias known southern
Wings As VIII, he supported Harrison in / 10 aud
clay in Is and such he elected to Congress In
1874. lie mdc his Gebut In Congress ON the Oregon
question and at took prominent pace debater
and lie remained in the House until $685. when
he took a seat the Senate. Ia the llolse his most con
spcuous part in connection with the conn rOEise
measures OF 1850 on the slavery question. No one
according to the late Alexander H. stephens, not even
Mr.. Douglas Mr.. Clay, contributed more To tie
passage ot those measures than lac did" During the eX
cnrnt Ia the House the choice Of Speaker pre-
&C. ling the discussion compromise me isurcs Gen
efal Toomb- although pro'c,-ol Whi; was vehement
I'm Ills deuunciaon OF the Free soil members and on
hc ,nidi do not hesitate To aVow before tins
House aud the country and IN the pre-. cnce OF LIVING
Cod that II by your legislation you seek to drive H. from
the Territories and to abolish -laNery IN this district
an fol and n y ply seal courage be iua to
the maintenance 81 my convictions OF right and duty.
will devote all "a ana all Lave 10 it, copsnmnHton
General r,omhs was member ut the Senate at the
time ~ Irork-'o btdta. assault upon sumner lie APP
proved tho assault and admitted that c clt no lhcIlhh
ton 10 rcldcr amy assistance 10 the Mas,acnu>ctt> 9cna
tor Uuru. al OF the stormy period preceding the War
Tool. wa. full Of bustcr and bravad0. dcnoanclrg the
Erpubc m OF Constitution and couryard
claiming thai the south had u't rsuse for war Among
the voices raised for d-luon wore louder or more
lutrnt than chat Of Senator Ioonhs. lie remained IN
tho senate until sCl when lie resigned Gc rsA having
passed the ordinance OF secession Ia the state Seccs
sion Convention that year hc took conspicuous part,
AMI was chosen adoicgAto to the Confederate Con
sre-s no Montgomery.
Ia the Confederate Congress. In all other bodies Of
which he was % member General Toomb, stood among
the ahlcst ana most c0 Iuent But FOR isunderstAad
Ing without time FOR explanation. be- would probably
have boon chosen President % the Cpucdcracy Jcacr
son DAVIS Immediately after hi' election. tcnlcrut 10
General tho post of secretary Of stats General
Toomus r positively dcclLct TO accept but on the
earnest cutrety @; his friends ne agreed To hold io
abort time lie resigned the ~ccretlryshp IA Juy ana
took commits -lon 40 brgadier general IN the Coui,dcr
Ate army lie distinguished himself AT tho second
Afanas.a, aud sh4r sburs battles For various reasons
General Toomus soon rc,l-ne! his command aud re
turned To Georgia. where hs was miGc brgallcr-
general Of the state militia upon the invasion Of the state
srt.. s.,f.I ..t. s.u IN mice I'm M.tsft.
tnrfoi, General ToOmb,s home. fIo protected by
the terms OF caritnauon bat secretary stanton ISSUED
fnr arrest Tounbs al tho mont door. ana toe
General riding out the back cate on hi' wue marr
several weeks disguise, AMI was known ~ Mayor Nor
ton When It became evident mat ne was Igh' ia |
danger OF capture Gc.cr Tuombs huu -t small vessel
ny ~ ~ i o. .onn rurtut, iut he escaped again
tn fnr mountains, and nuaiy reached Mobile where ne
was sheltered by Miss Evans. the writer oL h,nah'
- Elmo" etc. From Mobile hn wen, 10 New orleans
and was taken to Havana hy British ship Frou that
civ lac went France ana thcn Ia uGlhnd where he
was admitted to the bar and prAcsei law Tor some
tme When the privilege al tho wit ~ haHcss corpus
Wa restore In 1867 General IoombS returned home ana
resumed the practice "f law when ne Pur'uel ior |
Twelve or nfteen years with great success HIS tees IN
some years amounted tn 100000 ana he lett an estate
General Toombss only public service after The wGr.
beyond work the hastings was to take seat III THO
Constitutional Convention wic adopted now consul
tuition Ia place OF tue ono IH-sed la ESQ IN hat "
opocs and hy advocating the removal Of AL rcstrc-
lions from dwelling. lie paid the expenses OF t.e on
ambition for political preormcnt died WIN the Con
fcdrracy thousn FOR years after tp0 Var the people
nf Georgia willing To gave MN any lHhS "llhlh
their gift MUst OF General IO1mlss stec"eS l!ter ihc
War devoted to drndnclation OF one NM O." az
otrer The measures mel WIN az inc Dp
could put into language, ana he never
lost a opportunity 20 dcnOuuce them. he never We,
lieVe OF tho United states WAS I'l
one aud often sid he never would nave N"t'l nt as
nm original question In 1876 aud 1871 General Ioomhs
,nnlc grral speeches showing thut ne was sin hFu
eater" that he not blind To some ol inc Wrdh-
ne-scs ~ Democratic principles. lie never e'lo uP,
however hiS pet theory that the Federal oON"ihHohi
WAS an enemy Ia his STATE aud the country ne also NV
Door opinion Of Jefferson. aud rs late as 1874 hc sGlu
OF the latter lie IL contumarlons nnd lncoml"up''
and "A man oi dimiDutiyn Information ,----.-
Three years ago Mrs. ToOnbi died, ana 10 inc Hhhe
time all desire on the part Of the General 10 i've del
also For "A year more he had been wrc'k N'Hoiius
from the nrmities Of age and being almost T0slcl ny
unrnlvsiS. His mind also nnual'ncrl III Noll'W
Der. l-5J, he SAID II friend IN Atlanta am gong
home 10 die: shall never leave II again. Ny hnu Is
going aud never thoroughly realized u TIL lsl h'Rnt.
restless aud could not sleep hnd trou1h TUE .S
n obliged in strange mAginltiOns. lor inNl,hct.
Thought that was be married again, Rnd the uy was
act; and YOU know whenever Hnch thOnHHS chtoI Hy
mind t mi L be weakonIug." He saw plaluy Whh was
coming All OF General ToombS's children are hou' .ut
he earos two grand-OnS aud iva grauduauIherS Wy
children his Youngest daughter anu 'n'l'
who married General Dudley NJ Bu Bose Ills youuEer
brother Gabriel Topmbs Is stlll living W ,
Ga General Toombss public life stormy one OUT
al home he was always gentle. sympathetic anu huuS
ing Born" he expressed 1t. rs Roou Is o"o' az
ever cam, from revolutionary olns, MS chicI C.al
acersc public HE was 20 hr. ak Were II" rot
bend He Willingly submitted himself to no authority
and 10 his realization this fact IA largely que the
shOrtness ~ liz soldier snort 'irr ahu 10
was received INTO tho Methodist Erisc"phl ChuTcii
South and during his confinement 10 MS hoHo 'o hiV'0
was almost constantly In ms hands