n a
Union county, but in 1837 it returned to the lower house two Democrats,
and Robert A. Toombs, the only Whig. Nothing but his recognized ability
induced the people to make an exception in his favor. Besides his
reputation as an orator and advocate, Toombs had just returned from the
Creek war, where he had commanded a company and served under General
Winfield Scott in putting down the insurrection of Neahmatha, the Indian
chief. He now brought to public life the new prestige of a soldier.
After this, "Captain Toombs" was never defeated in his county. He was
returned at the annual elections in 1839, 1840, 1842, and 1843--and
succeeded in preserving at home an average Whig majority of 100 votes.
He did not care for the State Senate, preferring the more populous body,
then composed of 200 members. Parties in the State were very evenly
balanced, but Mr. Toombs preserved, in the varying scale of politics, a
prominent place in the house. He was made chairman of the Judiciary
Committee by his political opponents. He served as a member of the
Committee on Internal Improvements, as chairman of the all-important
Committee on Banking, chairman of the Committee on State of the
Republic, and in 1842 received the vote of the Whig minority in the
house for Speaker. In 1840 the Whigs gained control of the government.
The Harrison tidal wave swept their best men to the front in State and
national councils. Charles J. Jenkins of Richmond was elected speaker of
the house, and Mr. Toombs, as chairman of the Banking Committee, framed
the bill which repealed the law authorizing the issue of bank bills to
the amount of twice their capital stock. He went right to the marrow of
honest banking and sound finance by providing for a fund to redeem the
outstanding bills, and condemned the course of the State banks in
flooding the State with irredeemable promises to pay.

It was at this session of the General Assembly that Mr. Toombs displayed
the skill and sagacity of a statesman in fearlessly exposing a seductive
scheme for popular relief. He was called upon to confront public clamor
and to fight in the face of fearful odds, but he did not falter.

Just before the General Assembly of 1840 adjourned, Governor McDonald
sent an urgent message to both houses calling upon them to frame some
means for the speedy relief of the people. The situation in Georgia was
very distressing. The rains and floods of that year had swept the crops
from the fields, a