Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1826-05-27
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SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 81.
PORTRAIT OF THE OPPOSITION,

JOHN c. CALHOUN.

JOIN u. CALHOUN.
Al the head and front of the Opposition, stands
JouN &. CALHOUN, late Secretary Of the War De-
p~artment, a gentleman who has experienced a d.
vor.ty Of political fortune, and who at one time
babe fair to reach the goal ofhis ambition, the Pres,
ilency Of the United States. But guided by a false
and inauspicious ambition, and impatient for honor
which would have ultimately been awarded to him,
had he patiently waited Tor the arrival of the time
when the people were ready to bestow the distinc-
tons and rewards for which he painted, he impru-
IDENTIFY thrust himself upon the gaze of the public,
and rather demanded than solicited the bestOwal
of honors which were held sacred, to be placed
upon the brows Of other aud more favored candi-
dates.
Mr.. CALHOUN is now nearly Gorty-eigst years of
age, upwards OF eighteen Of which he las devoted
to the service Of his country; and if the latter par,
Of his life had presented as much usefulness as his
early career promised, the Republic would long
have had TO rejo.cc in tho possession of a statesman,
who, WITH all his faults and all his failings, is Ger.
tainly IA great man. But unfortunately Tor him, FOR
hi. country, and for the permanently Of the Repub.
lie, he has epostatized, has fed - from hs first love-
and with a band Of political schemers, factIonists,
and desperate adventures, he has engaged in
the unholy enterprise Of attempting to pull down
The Constitution of the country--in an unrighteous
crusade against the liberties of the people.
Mr.. CALHOUN is about Eve feet eight Or ten inch
es high, rather slim, but his person is graceful and
commanding, and strikes the observer with a most
favorable impression. His face is more than ordi-
narily expressive It is strongly marked with the
lineanents ofgenius aud intellectual greatness, and
the most ioa;tentive observer would, on beholding
him, decide in favor of the versatility of his talents,
and the soundness OF his mind. As a public speak
er, whilst a member OF the House of Representa-
lives of The Tn ted States, he maintained an eDvia-
bic rank, and was justly considered one of the most
able and influential men ofthat enlightened body ;
and it is not unlikely if ne had remained in the Con-
gress of tho United States, to the exclusion of the
War Office, he would have succeeded far better
than he did in the late Presidential election.
Mr.. CALHOUN is a native q! Soujh-Carolina, and
We believe of the District of Edsicld, where he
first made a display, on a public occasion, Of those
talents which have elevated him in the world, and
which, if properly directed, would have enabled
him TO consunImate The first and proudest wishes of
his heart, and all the antcipations his towering am
b'tion could nave conceived, if they had not con-
Glcted with the true interests Of the Republic
The seminaries oflearning in South Carolina were
in IA low condition, as indeed they are now, when
Mr.. CALHOUN presented himself to receive the
Embellishments Of a finished education, aud as those
who had the government and direction of a youth,
whose early-dawning talents were so brilliant, they
determined that ne should receive all tho benefits Of
our first Universities. In the furtherance of this
design they entered him a student at Yale College,
Connecticut. where, after going through the COM
mon course Of collegiate study, he graduated, and
on leaving the walls of that literary and scientific
Institution, ii was predicted by the venerable Pres
ident DWIGHT, that he would ultimately make a
signal display of himself in The councils of the ma
ton.
After bidding adieu to the classic halls of Yale,
Mr.. CALHOUN comme1ced the study of Law, and
after the usual time Of study had elapsed, he ap-
poared at the South Caroline Bar. and soon listin-
guished himself as an able ard eloquent advocate
and counsellor; but az a mind ike his was not con-
tent with the da'l anL monotonous life of a country
lawyer, and as his ambition led him to look for
fame beyond the confines Of Edg"e'j Court-lIouse,
he directed his course tow rGs the august delibera-
tive ssemblies Of the nation.
II was somewhere about the year 1905, that he
made ms first appearance in the National Congress.
and SO favorable was the impression he made upon
that body, that one Of the ablest and most %in0uen-
tai members fthe House Of Representatives now
no more, is reported to have said, in reply to his
argument, that the gentleman from South Carolina
had that day adduced arguments and evinced tai
en's, which had not been eclipsed by the old
est and most eminent of American statesmen.
Mr.. CALHOUN, who was not insensible ofhis DOW
ers, or OF his growing influence, resolved to verify
tire pred ct,ons OF his friends. and TO secure. If posi-
BE, that fame, for which his aspiring soul tb,rsted
and which his senses told him it was not impossible
to sttain.
Corning ou' n strong advocate for the then ad.
ministr alton, and a vehement leclaimer for demo.
cracy, Il was no difficult task for him to secure tn,
patronage Of the prevailing party; and as his Ia
leDts had already been used to advantage by III,