Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-08-08
A LETTER FROM Ma. CALHOUN
foRr HUI Jrt.Y p. 1913.

u,.ing your remarks on a volume recently published b,
an. Hare ~ of New York, entitled Speeches of Mr. al
houa delivered In the Congress OF the United States from
ISL the present lime" Your remarks are headed "Pol
cal hi.,o-suPprc~sed Speeches OF Mr. Calhoun. "SuP
pressed" strong word The highest authorities define
10 be- put down, destroyed concealed; and your remarks
leave doubt that you intended the strongest
and offensive sensethat is they have been intention
ally omitted in the compilation In order give partial and
f Of opinions and, for that purpose false title
as given the volume. To the truth this pledge
indirectly your word by heading your remarks Political
History" The charge ~ grave one, and mnde IN an i'm
posing and II the imposition would deserve the
public rcprobaon. The question, then, is Is it true Let
facts answer.
The title H. indeed. folse-falso every way. II
much included in the volume. and omts much that "
reports letters and other writings. You have netcod the
former and called public attention but the latter,
though equally obvious, and very material in determining
whether the falsiy OF the title fraudulent
attempt a, imposition. The might, with PLAUSIBLE
y be construed be attempt at mposuon but II Is I'M
possible ingenuity to consrue the other IL Is I'M
posshlc 10 assign fraudulent object Butt the oneis
an error the otherl In fact the very grossnes ot
both leave doubt that they merely errors IL
notpossbe toopen the volume without detecting them The
ute covers all the speeches OF Mr. Calhoun from ISL, when
he entered Congress- till the present tmc while the volume
contains but speech PRIOR to 1888. Again II om TO
any thing but speeches, when OF the four first OF has
productions Of which the compilation is composed only
Is speech To make Its grossncss pspabe, all these
nre headed "Speeches Has fraud been known do
Its work clumsy manner IL is idle waste words
ON thing plain. The whole title is gross bunder of
which have much greater reason TO complain than
one else. IL looks much more like attempt to inure
than impose the public. i, however, can suspect no.
tnti the kiud. flow it happened know not nor is 1t
material far relates the object Of this
non; but deem it due 10 myself all tina; know
about It.
II 20 happens have yet the volume. | saw
the ute and the advertisement not long since Tor the first
was, may he imagined indignant the blunder.
wrote Immediately friend, who took the
publication and correspondent with the publishers and point
ed the bunders in the title and objections the adj
vescmen, and suggested the corrections that should be
made, which requested him to have done forthwith 1t
late. received his a DAYS since. lie
informed me that he had perceived the bundes before he
got my letter. and had prepared correction, but owing
delay IN the transmission received time.
1t be proper to add, that the title suggested >as well
can recolecD was, "A selection from the speeches
reports and other writings of Mr.. Calhoun subsequent
his election Vice President of the United States, ncud
ing his Leading speech on the late delivered in ISL"
lwns drawn up 10 make it full and the
whole and no more. So much for the title
come now to the selection or compilations; and here
take all the responsibility IL was done by and there
be any fraud or conceanent, chargeable In order
that readers may judge shall the which
governed me in making the selection.
II Is proper premise that have been urged from
quarters, the last six years. have my
speeches collected and published have during the
period received numerous applications for copies of my
speeches IN pamphlet fom with which could not comply
because had not spare copies. Since my has been
presented TO the People in with the Presidency
applications for copies have increased, and been
frequently urged collect and publish my speeches.
reports, and other writings political subjects. finally
consented 10 the publication, because believed be due
TO the People, IN the poslton Afford them
means Of acerainng the opinions and sentiments enter
tain on all political subjects, particularly those which
have aglacd the country of late, and which the Psi-
denta election will probably in great That
believed could best bo done by publishing what had said
and those questions form which would make
the York accessible the People Iwoud give nv opn-
ionsand sentiments in the fullest and authentic form,
and in manner much my feelings than
by popular speeches made for the OCCASION personal
To effect the object, only necessary that
lection should be made, but that II shoHd be made from
the later and not the earliest of speeches and other dis
cussions political subjects To publish all have said
written in the long period Of thiriy-wo years. in which
have been without intermsson in public life would make
the work bulky and expensive be accessible the great
body the community and 10 publish those of early date
instead OF those OF late, would not give the information
intended. accordingly fixed the termination OF Mr..
Monr0cs Administration, when became Vice President,
the period from which make the selection That muy
be fairly regarded the point OF time political h>o-
~ which marks the end of an old and the
oi order OF things in the midst OF which sui
From that the time is period OF eighteen years,
being more than half OF that in which have been in the
service OF the Union During the whole took prominent
and responsible part all important questions Such
leading motive for selecting the period did from which
10 make the compilation
There Others OF a subordinate character which had
their influence. Ii was the portion of my public life in
gard 10 which information as believed desired
infer among other from the act that the upp
cations have received for copies OF my speeches al
most exclusively confined There another stl
stronger Ii i the period IN which my speeches and other
publications. contain my mature and settled opinions the
principles and policy the Governments; adopted after long
experience and much reflection, which have modified,
changed prefer, IN many particulars, earlier and
less mailred impressions About the commencement OF
the period my mind settled down in the Of the prn-
ciples aud policy OF the Government now entertain and
10 when nave ever since adhered regardless OF
consequences and uninuenced by party considerations
thus giving the strongest proof possible Of my deep
ton both Of their ruth and vital importance. b. them de-
SIRE 10 be judged, and by them to stand or fall.
Guided by these motives, compiled the volume in the
h instance exclusively from that period; but afterwards
yielded to the persuasion Of friends against judgment,
10 include tie speech already referred delivered n ISL
They urged upon the ground that my first effort
IN Congress and subject of lasting interest, de-
slbc should be inserted, although departure from the
principle which the volume compiled.
But within this period selection became necessary
to effect the object view. To publish all IN, productions
political subjects during the period would make
Iuno still too bulky and expensive 10 be acceptable 10 the
neral mass Of readers. Here, again. the leading
which governed in selecting the period, governed also
in making the selection for the compilation. 1t uccord
ngy full the subject OF banks, slbreasury currency
r distribution, State rights, and the principles aud poll,
cy which should control ia the administration Govern
Those which discussed subjects Of isostcd
Character were for the most part omitted But after the
compilation first made within these restrictions tho
work thought 90 be still too bulky and many struck
from 10 which would have been desirable retain.
Such the facts in reference TO the compilation. They
show concusycy that the charge suppression against H.
Is entirely unoundod that Of fraudulent imposition
gain the udo. The very charge absurd How could the
speeches be destroyed concealed Thoyure be found
not only in the files Of the lnteigence but IN those OF
ny other journals and publications Of the day where they
are just safe and 10 inspection Us placed among
tue public records. TOaempt keep them from the pub
lie would only them to be greedy sought
after. The very speeches you have published il they
were new and unknown TO the public, the very ones
which have been repubshod divers times and have again
and been repeatedly referred TO in Congress po
cal hangucs and by newspapers nd that TO- the very pun
pose Tor which you repubsh them Theyuro the very
llst which any one vino base enough fraud
would think of cOnccang. Bot why speak Of them as
being suppressed when they referred 20 iu the b0Euph
cal sketch which you adde, aud which, 30 would seem
from index as intended 20 be- included 90 the work D.!
Again, why speak ofhem suppressed when 40 the speech
which made during the TO rouse and animate lC
county the defence oi les rights aud honor aud
the burden and privatons Of the with fotudc
aud which unanimously nppaudcd, IN the
pedcamen except onel Are they, too suppressed de
siFnedly concealed
Why indeed, should attempt to conceal them, or any
my curly speeches contained IN the volume, hOs
which contain opinions different from those now entertain
WHAT'S there about them that should rcpudiao thcm' D.