Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1837-12-21
From The Edgciield (S C.. Adoertiser.
MR.. CALHCUN'S LETTER.
EoRT I[t,r Nnv = 1897
'oRr Hill, Nov. ,, 1887.

FORT KILL, Nov !, 1897.
IENTLEMEN Ii is with yeiy great re.
inct"nte deci;ne Your kind In, iiatinn 10
pnriake oi public dinner. From no quar-
Ter ""u ON no occasion could an expression ii
appreciation be more acceptable; hut so shor,
10 ,"e interval between this and the next re-
guar session oi Congress, and 50 indispensa.
"'e - " 'hat should devote II exclusively
I" my domestic CONCERNS, preparatory tom,
i"nS absence from hume, that l am compei-
lei 10 decline the honor iutei dcs!.
In saying that on no occasion could an cx
preston ot our confidence he more welcome
irtend no unneaning common place. Du.
rihS The long period Ut my public service,
never nave seen more important crisis
tn"n The present aud in meme have ever
heen compelled, in the discharge Of nv duty
I" assume greater responsibility | saw
clearly on my arrival at Washington. al the
commencement Of The late extra session. thai
our affairs had reached the pont, when ac
cnral"S 10 the course we miuh, take we
sn"u'u reap The iuil harvest ui our long and
h'uuo"s struggle against the entertainments
ana abuses OF the General Goyernmer, Il,
lose The fruits OF all our labur. clearly saw
mat our bold and vigorous attacks had made.
adeep AMI successful impression. State in
teFiosiiinn had overthrow the urotrciixe
arm, and with 1t The American sy stem and
pun s"p 10 Congressional usurpatiun anil
'he J"ii'' ATTACKS OF our party aud that If cur
"lu opponents, the National Republicans. had
eitec'ually brought dawn the uow or of The
Executive, and arrested It's encroa, hmcut.
FOR the presenf. Ii was for that purpose we
had uni'ed. True 10 our principle OF oppo
siti"h 10 The enCroachmcnl al power, from
! Whatever quarter II might come, we did not
hesitate, alter oyerihruwng the protective
Z M L. 4
l" J'in the authors Of that system. in order 10
arrest The entertainments Of the Executive
| although We differed as widely as the poles on
almost every other question, and regarded
The unsurpaiion of the Executive, bat as a
necessary consequence III the prinCipies and
policy OF our new allies In Joining them " e
were MOI insensihle tn the emharrassnents oi
our position. With such allies success vDs
dIfacuit, ant! victory itself, without change
1 "l pr Incip'eS and policy on their part, dan.
! geious and, accordingly, while we united
"i'h them against the Executive, we refus-
ed all par'icipa ion in the Pre- denlial cou!eat.
& -But with all It's e,nharrassmenis, il was The
( only practicable course left US short of ahan
d"ning nur principles or the country. by re
/ hrinS altogether from the field Of contest 10
/ 'his embarrassing position, we waited the
! ueNei' pement OF events, nth The fixed de
termination, that let what might come. we
wouid IndeXihly pursue the course, " i,ich P
! regard TO or principles, aid the success q!
: sur cause demanded.
snch was the position we occupied from
! 1888, when cur contest with the General
/ Government Terminated 10 The commence
( hent oil tie late Ezra session, when i, he>
came manifest great change had been ef
iectrd, which could not but have unweriuI
influence over our future course. IL soon
oeraine apparent after the meeting of Con.
gress, that the j"ini resistance Of ourselves
""d "nr late allies in conjunction with The
course al events IN reference 10 the currency
had brought down The lofty rrelensiuns al
| 'He Executive Department. The union be
tween me Government and The money pow
en- "hi'h had 50 greatly strengthened those
In authority at lirst, had not only ceased. hu,
they we're forced TO take ground against the
re- union oi the Two, and 10 max var agains,
those very banks, which had been the instru.
mems oi 'heIr power and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
! FORCED 10 lake thi. position, and divrsted ia
great measure Of patronage and influence
IRON the exhausted state uf The Treasury
they were compelled 10 fall back as The onI,
means oi saving themselves, oa the princi
pies OF 1877, by which we had elected iron
once the National Republican party, and Il
when our portion OF The old party of '27 hav,
lnilexIbiy adhered, but flnrn bicb. this 9th
greatly departed in practice AS soon as
saw this slate of things, | clearly perceived
Lhai very important question was presenie,
Tor our determination, which e werc com
Peiiea 10 decide forthwith; shall we cuniinu,
our J"ini attatk X, nth the Nationals, on ihos,
IN power, IN The new position which the,
have been compelled To occupy? II wa
clear, with our joint forces We could ut;erI,
overthrow aud demolish them but II wn
not less cienr, that the victory would enure
not 10 us, hut exclusively To The benefit O
our allies aud their Cause. They were tn
most numerous and powerful and the poin
oi ssSahit on The position, which the party Il
he assaulted had taken in relation Ia m
banks, would have greatly strengthened IN
settled principles ard policy OF the Nationa
party, and " weakened IN The same degree ours
, hey are, and ever have been, the Cleci6e
advocates OF a National Bank, and are nov
IN iaVor OF one, with capital so ample. a
10 oe suhlcIent 10 control the Stale Jns,i,u
Mons, and TO regulate The CURRENCY aud ex
I changes OF the country. To Join them. viii,
lheIr aVo"ed olJect in the attack, 10 over
throw those in power, or the ground the
occupied against bank, ",-'''' or r"urSt
, | not only - IroVeu me Government an
c"antry in their hands without erpo,ition b.,
would have committed Us, beyond the moss;
o,'ty OteXtricsIion, for bank, and absorb
I T oar party IN The ranks of the Nationa
nePuni'cans. The first fruits Of The victor,
~"u,u nave been an overshadowinr NatIona
DdhH, WIN an immense capital not less Ina
rom MY 10 mn hundred millions. wbir1
Wouid have cebtralized the currency and ex
changes, and with them, the commerce am
capital VI the country, in whatever sect;o
me head Of the insti utpn might be placed
ne new wouic be the indissulubIe union q