TOOMBS, ROBERT (H10-85). An American statesman, born at Washington, Ga. He studied at the State University at Athens and graduated (1828) at Union College, Schenectady, N. Y. lie studied law at the University of Virginia, and began practice in Wilkes County. Ga. After service against the Creeks in 1836 and several years in the Georgia Legislature as a States' Rights Whig, he was elected to Congress in 1844 and held his seat for four terms, until 1853, when he was elected to thn United States Senate. and in 1859 reflected. He opposed the Mexican war and the annexation of territory by force, aided in the adoption of the Compromise of 1850, opposed the Nashville Convention, and helped secure the famous 'Georgia Platform.' As an impassioned political speaker he had few equals. The move ment of secession had his full approval; and it was chiefly his influence, in opposition to the more conservative views of his life-long friend, Alexander H. Stephens, that led his State to pass its ordinance of secession, to which there was a strong opposition, especially among the `old line Whigs.' On the election of Davis, Toombs was offered the office of Secretary of State. and with reluctance accepted it for a short time, on his resignation receiving a commission as brigadier-general. He served in the second battle of Bull Run and at Antietam, and later was made brigadier-gene-ral of the Georgia militia. After the war he lived for some time abroad: then from 1867 he carried on a success ful law practice at his old home, being especially serviceable to Georgia by winning his contention that railroads should pay taxes like other prop erty. He was noted for his brilliant wit, his
legal sagacity, and his benevolence, He was a hitter opponent of the 'Reconstruction' measures, and never took the oath of allegiance. Ile is mainly remembered as one of the most typical and vigorous of the so-called Southern 'fire eaters.' Consult Trent. Southern Statesmen of the Old R!•gime (New York, 1897).
TOON (Hind. tan, tun, from Skt. tunna,. t 0011 ) ; or 'POONA (Cedrela Toona). A tree of the natural order Cedrelacefe, one of the larg est timber trees of India, occurring also in Australia, where it attains a height of 150 to 180 feet and a diameter of 5 to 7 feet. Hooker mentions one which he measured in India which was 30 feet in girth at 5 feet above the ground. The flowers are used in India for dyeing. The tree, sometimes called bastard cedar, occurs at 4000 feet on the Himalaya Mountains, and is found in the farthest south of the East Indies. The bark contains considerable tannin and is used to produce a kind of purplish leather. The wood is soft, durable, eacr:ily worked, and ex tensively used in house-building and for fund tm-e. Veneers cut from the roots or from the trunks where large branches occur are said to be very beautiful. The timber is exported from India in considerable quantities, being known in the English market. as Maulmain cedar.