The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-01-16
Fcom tde Salisbury, ~. c9 Waiehman
4 CALHOUN AND HIS EPISTLES.

Mr.. CALHOUN AND HIS EPlSTLES
we have had the misfortune 10 come in for an un-
common share OF this honorable gentleman's indig-
nation With what show Of Justice will appear from
the following letters from Messrs, Shepherd Thomp-
Son and Carter. We have no apology or excuse TO
make to Mr. Calhoun for making his conversations
the subject Of newspaper remark. Il IS The wen
known practice of this gentleman wherever he goes,
to draw around him clumps Of village politicians,
and TO make speeches on his fayorite polllical mob
bies. Ii newspaper may not he permitted 10 exam
inc and publicly discuss these notions, we acknoW-
ledge ourself greatly mistaken in our views, The
only gentleman that had any right to camplain IN
this matter was Mr. Shepperd, and we trust we nave
satisfied him on thatscore. We take this oceasiohto
assure him that The information on which we acted
was not derived from hi n-that we had received
statement Of this conversation before we saw hlm
and had determined on making the publication. y
is certainly true, that neither OF these gentlemen
gave any permission 10 make IL, nor did we MINK
ourself bound TO askt. Here Is " states senator
in nublic stage coach endeavoring 10 influence the
members Of coordinate body; two OF whom, AZ
least had not been of the political clique ms oplh-
ions yet abroad part OF the current news Of me
day: we take them up as such and publish lhe' for
This W. are most grievously rated by the honorable
Senator But it is not that we have published any
thing untrue TO the Ali instalment, y IS inc btM
insiaaatioa as 10 the motive. NOW 50 happens lhat
there Is not word nor a hint as TO his motive III
making SO sudden turn over it Is the genilcmans
aey or conscience that is guilty OF this yehesS ana
not the Waterman. Mr. Calhoun says IN his last
communication that he was cautious not 70 ueny nav
ing made some declaration TO the effect stated by u.s.
So Thai II il might be proved on him he would have
creep hole To get out Well, the words as stated
by us have been most etfectually proysd, ana now
does he creep out of the difficulty why bysaying
he did not at the time contemplate the poSSlDHy OF
there being no surplus y We regret extremely TO
see such statement from the hand OIL hr. Saihoun,
II is TOO notorious that at the very time spoken 81 y
was clearly foreseen that there would be no surplus
in the Treasury, unless bank notes were received,
and with due respect we charge the fact thai u was
the very point under consideration The expression
used by Mr. Calhoun shows that such deficiency was
contemplated and thar RersrtAeLsSs he insisted " we
must take rag money" Will the honorable Senator
again refer himselfo the three members of the other
House ard ask for their remembrance in this parii-
cular1 We wish he would do il. We hazard moth
ing in saying that the Senator would ind his awk-
wardness 10 increase.
As TO the declarations made at Charlotte, we have
compulsory process 10 make witnesses TESTIFY Du
there several here and at Charlotte, who heard
the conversation and who have unreservedly spoken
of il as published by us. Ii they will come out
we have no doubt but their statements will leave Mr.
Calhoun in less enviabe attitude, than these state
ments given by Messrs. Shepherd, Thompson and
Garter,
We have heretofore cautiously forborne to say any
thing Of Mr. Cahoun's motives for his sudden deSer
ton OF his party. Personal considerations have res
trained alone but since he has seen proper TO de-
part from civiy in the treatment Of our article, we
Shall hereafter take pans 10 withhold our suSp
cons or clnlecures as to his motives in the late ex
traordinary tack Then let it be remembered, that
up to the beginning of the extra session, Mr. Rives
was considered as the great head and icddsr of the
Van Buren, party in Congress and in The country
The Subbornness of his conservative principles was
Immediately manifested on the organization of Con-
gress The election of Mr.. Allen as printer 10 the
House was measure of SEPARATION, which most per-
sons then believed would be fatal to the political pros
poets of the Virginian. What
prospect was here for an ambitious man
Il was at this crisis that Mr. Calhoun abandons his
old friends and comes to the rescue of Mr.. Van Bu-
rem. He evidently had not made up his mind upon
that subject before he got to Washington Ciiy for,
waving his positive declarations al Charlotte and at
other places if he had been fully resolved on his
course his friends along eroad would not have been
taken perfectly by surprise. We haves said before
what we thought of Mr.. Calhoun's seizing on an
obitsr dictnm thrown in 1884, in the hurry OF de-
bate another subject TO his retreat and pre-
serve his consistency. The shifts to which he is
driven in that case as well as the one consider
ed his extreme i'll temper and sensitiveness on this
score, added to miserable effort lately made byhim
rally Southern prejadices against the Senator from
Kentucky on the Abolition question, go very far to
bring up his motives before the public matters of
extreme doubt and Suspicion. Whether his after
life will live them down as aspersionS and vile in
situations" will be for his country to determine.
The broad mantle Of charity has been str tched over
his courses almost to the point of tearing How
much further will it stand such tuggng2