TOOMBS
TOOMBS
^.^
^^rty-^
marrieil. thinlly, Catharine Haling of Virginia.
a devoted Metliodist of Welsh ancestry, and by
tliis marriage five children were reared: Sarali
(Mrs. Pope). Jatnes, killed by accident while
hunting; Augustus, Robert Augustus, and Gabriel.
Major Robert Toombs
died in 1815, having
made Thomas W.
Cobb of Greensboro,
Ga., guardian of his
son, Robert Augus-
tus. He was pre-
pared for college by
Welcome Fanning,
who kept an "old
field school," and by
the Rev. Alexander
W^ebster, adjunct pro-
fessor in the Uni-
versity of Georgia.
He matriculated at
the University of
Georgia in 1824, but not being willing to submit
to the strict discipline that governed the stu-
dents, he asked for a discharge, and it was
granted. He then entered Union college. New
York, from which he was graduated in 1828;
studied law at the University of "Virginia for
one term. 1829-30, and althougli non-age, was
admitted to tlio bar, March 18, 1830, by permis-
sion of the state legislature. He was married
in November, 1830, to Julia A. DuBose, and in
1880 they celebrated their golden wedding,
children, grandchildren, and great grandchild-
ren being present. Mr. Toombs' progress at the
bar was slow, and it was several years before his
ability as an attorney and counsellor was recog-
nized, while his popularity as an orator was im-
mediate. He commanded a company in the
Creek war in 1836; was a representative in the
Georgia legislature, 1837-40 and 1841-44, serving
as chairman of the committee on the judiciary,
banking and state of the republic committees.
He droppe<l from his name the "Augustus "as
" sui)erfiuous lumber " in 1840 and was thereafter
known as Robert Toombs. He was the Whig
candidate for speaker of the house in 1842; a del-
egate to the Democratic national convention in
1844; a representative from the eighth district of
Georgia in the 29th-32d congresses, 1845-53, and
U.S. senator, 185:^61. He was an uncompromis-
ing advocate of the rights of states in the Fed-
eral union and of upholding their constitutional
rights, not only in the state, but in the territory
iM-longing to the Unitfd States up to the time
such territory was admitted as states, when the
people of these new states became the governing
jKiwer under the constitution; supporting his
views with great oratorical power. On Jan. 7,
1861, he made his last speech in the United
States senate, and announced his withdrawal from
that boily, from which he was formally exi)elled
in March, 1861. He was a member of the state
sovereignty convention that assembled in Mill-
edgeville, Jan. 16. 1861, and on the 17th, with 207
other delegates, he voted for secession, 89 del-
egates voting against the ordinance, making
Georgia the fifth state to secede. The ordi-
nance was signed, January 31, by all the members
of the convention in the open air on the capitol
grounds, only six delegates signing it under pro-
test. Senator Toombs was unanimously selected
as the first deputy at large from Georgia to the
provisional congress at Montgomery, the address
to the people being written by him. Forty-two
delegates from six seceded states met at Mont-
gomerj', Feb. 4, 1861, and Robert Toombs ap-
peared to be the choice of the convention for
Provisional President, but four states announced
their agreement upon Jefferson Davis, who was
not present, and when Mr. Davis's name was
placed in nomination, Mr. Toombs promptly
seconded the motion, and also presented the
name of Mr. Stephens for Vice-President. By
this action he destroyed his chances for the can-
didacy before the people at the special election
following the establislunent of a permanent gov-
ernment under the Confederate States constitu-
tion, into which instrument were incorporated
various clianges suggesteil l\v liirn: that congress
should grant no extra compensation to any con-
tractor after the .service was rendered; that the
principal officer in each executive department
should be granted a seat upon the floor of eitlier
house for the purpose of debate, but with no
vote, and that the payment of bounties and gov-
ernment aid for internal improvements should
be prohibited. He was made chairman of the
finance committee of the Provisional congress
and the secretary of state in President Davis's
cabinet. He emphatically opposed the pro-
posed attack on the U.S. forts in Charleston har-
bor, as a movement fatal to the Confederacy,
and in his intercourse with the governments of
Europe, proved his statesmanship by placing the
Confederate States in a favorable position before
the eyes of commercial Europe, and by gaining the
assistance of the maritime powers in the build-
ing of a much needed navj', which practically
destroyed for the time all commerce under the
United States flag. Tiring of the routine of the
state department, but retaining his seat in the
Confederate congress, he resigned his portfolio,
anil on July 21, 1861. joined the Confederate army
as brigadier-general: commanded the 1st brig-
ade. 1st division. Army of Northern Virginia, and
reported to the victorious commanders, Johns-
ton and Beauregard, at Manassas. In January,