Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-19

How a Debt was Paid and a President
Elected

Elected.
During the earlier days of Capt. Isaiah
Rynders, who died few days since in
New York city, and when he made
sporting excursions throughout the South,
mischanee, says the Macon Telegraph
and Messenger, wrecked him in Warren
ton, Ga.
The cards had Iuu unluckiiy, for
flush sport rarely collides with the law,
and the Captain found himself facing an
indictment for dealing faro, with no
friends on the jury panel. and no counsel
to stand between him and the prosecuting
attorney. Robert TOOmbs, then young
attorney, VINO rode the circuit in which
Warren county was embraced. was at
court, and espoused the cause of the
triendless and unlucky gambler
So skillfully did he conduct the case that
Capt. Rynders escaped with no punish
ment more severe than nominal line and
reprimand from the presiding Judge.
Counsel and client parted at the court
house door. the gambler promising to re-
deem the obl'gatiOn-the young counsel
flushed with triuGph, pIttiuS away the
efusive thanks with a lOrdly air.
Years rolled by, and Toombs had be-
come prominent member OF the Wing
=
and Capt. Rynders with his Empire Club
was a power in the politics of New York
city on the Democratic side.
Afrer the Mexican war it viii be re-
| membered that a movement was made by
Bailie PeytOn and other Wing leaders of
the South to nominate Gen. Taylor tor
the Presidency. 1t was met by the
| prompt and intense opposition OF Mr..
! Clay, who ruled his party with an iron
nd ~ n o
| full and devoted as thatnOw numbered by
| Blame. New York city, then as now,
! was the political centre, from which all
! political movements radiated. 1t was OF
| the shest import lance that
| Taylor boom be lnaugurated at that
| point but the leaders Of the Wing party
| of the city, who were partisans OF Mr..
| Clay, successfully resisted any attempt
| to accomplish this. Every speaker that
was sent there was publicly received,
! wned and dined and greeted by a large
/ meeting, but so soon as he attempted to
! set forth the merits and claims of General
! Taylor, he was silenced by boots, yells,
! cat-calls, whistles, and all the appliances
! known to be effective in breaking down q
! public speaker.
| At length Mr.. Toombs was selected to
! lead the forlorn hope. When he arrived
in New York and announced his purpose,
| Mr.. Grinnen and leading Wings assured
! him that his mission would be fruitless
! one. He kept his counsel and his temper
and retired to his hotel, the AstOr House,
! from which he addressed a note to Capt.
| Rynders.
| The summons speedily brought the
! Captain. TOOmbs told of his mission and
! its difficulties, and invoked his assistance.
! "Come down. said the Captain, land see
! the boys"
| Toombs was carried down to the head
| quarters of the Empire Club, was nitro
duced with proper commentator by the
| Captain, and over a friendly glass all
| round, accompanied by cigars, the cam
| paign was laid.
you shall speak as long as you want
to- said the Captain, cor / and my boys
will know the reason why you can't"
| CautiOning Toombs to handy with the
| crowd for awhile at night, they parted.
The hall was filled to OVerfiOWmg, the
stage was occupied by all Of the Wing
! leaders, but prominent among the specta-
tors might have been seen Capt. Rynders,
| and here and there the most fearless Of
the members of the Empire Club. Each
one of these bore piece of chalk and was
instructed to mark the backs Of all who
were engaged in disturbing the speaker.
| TOOmbs was introduced regularly and
proceeded with his eXOrdium. When he
referred to Gen. Taylor, a din arose as
though bedlam had broken loose. ToOmbs
cody received the angry ovation, and re-
spOnded to those most prominent and
noisy. All at once Rynders mounted a
chair and with the voice OF a Stentor
shouted: Put out the chalk-backs. d-n
them; put them outr' and Selling bur-
ly rough he proceeded to execute the or
der. In moment the fellows who had
been trained and hired to put down Tay
Tor speakers were sprawling upon the
sidewalk, with torn clothes, battered hats
and bruised faces.
There was profound order in the hall,
and Toombs proceeded, with his fiery elo-
quence, to advocate the claims Of ''Old
Rough and Ready" He carried the audi
ence by storm, and the movement was
| successfully inaugurated in New York
that eliminated in the election of Gen.
| Taylor to the Presidency. Capt. Rynders,
the Democrat, had settled his Indebtedness
with the young Wing lawyer who had
years before befriended him, and the Incl
| dent was for years afterwards recalled,
when political "reminiscences were in
order around the social board,