Quotes by Robert Toombs

About Robert Toombs:

Robert Augustus Toombs was an American and Confederate political leader, Whig Party senator from Georgia, a founding father of the Confederacy, its first Secretary of State, and a Confederate general in the American Civil War of 1861-1865. He feuded bitterly with Confederate President Jefferson Davis. According to Jacob S. Clawson, he was "a bullish politician whose blend of acerbic wit, fiery demeanor, and political tact aroused the full spectrum of emotions from his constituents and colleagues....[he] could not balance his volatile personality with his otherwise keen political skill."
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

When we acquired California and New- Mexico this party, scorning all compromises and all concessions, demanded that slavery should be forever excluded from them, and all other acquisitions of the Republic, either by purchase or conquest, forever.

Robert Toombs

This position of this Northern party brought about the troubles of 1850, and the political excitement of 1854.

Robert Toombs

They demanded a monopoly of the coasting trade, in order to get higher freights than they could get in open competition with the carriers of the world.

Robert Toombs

They all agree, they are all unanimous in Congress, in the States, on the rostrum, in the sanctuary - everywhere they declare that slavery shall not go into the Territories.

Robert Toombs

There were thousands of abolitionists who were free traders.

Robert Toombs

The principles and policy of these Presidents were marked by the most enlarged and comprehensive statesmanship, promoting the highest interests of the Republic.

Robert Toombs

The mongers brought them together upon a mutual surrender of their principles.

Robert Toombs

In 1790 we had less than eight hundred thousand slaves. Under our mild and humane administration of the system they have increased above four millions.

Robert Toombs

Certainly there was no just cause of complaint from the Northern States - no advantage was ever sought or obtained by them for their section of the Republic.

Robert Toombs

The door of conciliation and compromise is finally closed by our adversaries, and it remains only to us to meet the conflict with the dignity and firmness of men worthy of freedom.

Robert Toombs

The instant the Government was organized, at the very first Congress, the Northern States evinced a general desire and purpose to use it for their own benefit, and to pervert its powers for sectional advantage, and they have steadily pursued that pol...

Robert Toombs

Peace and commerce with foreign nations could be more effectually and cheaply cultivated by a common agent; therefore they gave the Federal Government the sole management of our relations with foreign governments.

Robert Toombs

Neither these statesmen nor their constituents sought in any way to use the Government for the interest of themselves or their section, or for the injury of a single member of the Confederacy.

Robert Toombs

Besides, we had a large debt, contracted at home and abroad in our War of Independence; therefore the great power of taxation was conferred upon this Government.

Robert Toombs

We can today open wide the history of their administrations and point with pride to every act, and challenge the world to point out a single act stained with injustice to the North, or with partiality to their own section.

Robert Toombs

Those who tell you that the territorial question is an abstraction, that you can never colonize another territory without the African slavetrade, are both deaf and blind to the history of the last sixty years.

Robert Toombs

The North understand it better - they have told us for twenty years that their object was to pen up slavery within its present limits - surround it with a border of free States, and like the scorpion surrounded with fire, they will make it sting itse...

Robert Toombs

The basis, the corner-stone of this Government, was the perfect equality of the free, sovereign, and independent States which made it.

Robert Toombs

Give us equality of enjoyment, equal right to expansion - it is as necessary to our prosperity as yours.

Robert Toombs

They enlarged the domains of commerce by treaties with all nations, upon the great principle of equal justice to all nations, and special favors to none.

Robert Toombs

Author Bio

  • NameRobert Toombs
  • DescriptionAmerican and Confederate political leader
  • BornJuly 2, 1810
  • DiedDecember 15, 1885
  • CountryUnited States Of America
  • ProfessionPolitician