General Robert Toombs, CSA

ABOLISHING PISTOLS.

General Toombs on the Covenient
Derringer.

Atlanta Constitution.

We met General Toombs at the Kim
ball House last night, and he tackled us
on the question of carrying concealed
weapons.

"What in the h__l are you
all making such a fuss about carrying
concealed weapons for?" said the Gen
eral.

"Well, General, it is to keep people
from killing one another," he replied.

"Yes," said he, "it will have just the
opposite effect. Everybody is expected
to lay aside his pistol, and the first thing
you know some d__n coward who regards
neither law nor honor will shoot you in
the back. It is all wrong sir! A man
ought to carry arms when he thinks his
life is in danger. It is not wrong for
him to do so, and so far as I am con
cerned, I will do it whenever I want to
defend myself.

"Mv lite is worth more than all the
sentiment you can put into such a
question as "that. I consider the right
of self-defense irrevocable, and when
I have the right of self-defense I can
use anything I can get or find that will
be available. I hear some fools talking
about abolishing pistols, putting them
under restriction like you do poisoners.
I hold that a man has the right to use
poison to defend himself. Suppose a
man had a vial of vitrol in his hand, and
was attacked by some one in such a
manner as to excite the fears of a rea
sonable man that he would kill him,
don't you think he would lie justified in
using his vitrol by throwing it into his
assailant's eyes? The truth is, the way
to protect human life is to let every
man who is the aggressor know that the
man he attacks is able to defend him
self, and it will prevent difficulties.
They say nobody but a coward will
carry weapons. That's a lie. I know
plenty of men who carry them, and
know they are not cowards. It is gen
erally the cowards who want you to lay
theni aside, so as to give tbenj an ad
vantage over vou."

"You think then, General, that a
man ought to have a right to carry a
pistol any way he wants to?"

"Certainly'l do; and it is better for
all parties. A man sends you word
that he is going to whip you. He is a
larger man than you are. Are you to
sit down and quietly wait for him to do
it? The Bible doesn't teach any such
doctrine as that. Suppose this man
comes up on vou and finds just before
he gets to you that you have a derringer
in your pocket. Nine chances to one
he will come up smiling with a proposi
tion to burv the hatchet. I haven't any
confidence in these men who send you
word ahead of a fight anyhow. My
plan has always been to take them at
their word and be ready for them. They
would generally find that out and come
up smiling."