ng to her commanding position, her
prominence in the movement, and her wealth of great men, should furnish
the President. Toombs towered even above the members of that convention.
Bold, imperious, and brainy, he had guided the revolution without haste
or heat, and his conservative course in the Georgia convention had
silenced those critics who had called him "the genius of the
revolution," but denied to him the constructive power to build upon the
ruins he had made. He had, in the choice of delegates to the Provisional
Congress, boldly advocated the election of Mr. Stephens from his own
district, although the latter was a Union man and, at that time, was not
on good terms with Toombs. Toombs declared that Alexander Stephens was a
patriot notwithstanding his views against secession. He had secured the
recommitment of a dangerous resolution upon slavery which, he declared,
would injure the South by the announcement of an ultra policy. He had
written a very conservative letter to Senator Crittenden. He had been a
prominent Secessionist, and had contemplated the movement as unavoidable
when men were talking with bated breath. But in the opening of the
revolution, he had proven a safe counselor. Mr. Toombs was approached,
and announced that he would accept the presidency if it were offered
with unanimity. He was surprised to learn that the delegates from four
States had agreed on Jefferson Davis. When this report was confirmed,
Mr. Toombs, ignorant of the real cause of this sudden change of
sentiment, forbade further canvass of his own claims, and cordially
seconded the nomination of Mr. Davis. Mr. Toombs was a man of rare
magnanimity. He was absolutely without envy or resentment, and turning
to Mr. Stephens, pressed him to accept second place on the ticket. The
announcement of a Georgian for vice president effectually disposed of
his own chance for the presidency. The fact was that Mr. Toombs was the
first choice of Georgia, as he was thought to be of Florida, Carolina,
and Louisiana. Jefferson Davis had not been presented by Mississippi. He
had been selected by that State as the commander-in-chief of the
military forces and himself preferred a military station. He was not in
Montgomery when his nomination was confirmed. A messenger had to be
dispatched to inform him of his election as President of the Confederate
States of America.

The sudden selection of Mr. Davis by four States probably carries a bit
of secret history.