Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-08-08
(From the National Intehgeneer Of Saturday tas.)
A LETTER FROM MR.. CALHOUN.
To The Edit0rS.
FoRT Hill, July


LETTER FROM Mr.. CALHOUN.
To the Editors
FoRr Hill, July %, 1S43.
Messrs. Gales & Seaton: have just received from
friend the National lntegencer OF the I'm ana lo!h
instant containing your remarks volume recently
published by the Harpers of New York, entitled,
"Speeches of Mr.. Calhoun, delivered in The Congress
Of the United States from 1911 to the present time.
Your remarks headed, "Political fistory-ooP-
pressed Speeches of Mr. Calhoun. Suppressed 10
strong word The highest authorities define it to be,
put down, destroyed, concealed; and your remarks
leave doubt that you intended to use 1t IN the strong
est and most offensive sensehat is, that they have
been Intentionally omitted in the compilation in order
TO give partial and false view OF my oPlnlons and,
for that purpose false title was given to the volume
To the truth Of this you pledge indirectly your word
by heading your remarks, "Politlcal History Inc
charge is grave one, and made in IMPOSING manner,
and If true the imposition would deserve the public re-
probation. The question, then, IS, Is It true: Let iacts
The title is, indeed, false-fase every way. 1t co
vers much not included in the volume, ana oinlts
much that s-reports, letters, and other writings
You have noticed the former, and called public at
,enton to it, but the latter, though equally OBJ
vous, and very material in determining whether The
fasity of the title is mere error or fraudulent al
tempt at imposition The one might, with some plau
sibilty be construed 10 be attempt at imposition
but it is impossible for any ingenuity so TO consrue
the other. 1t is impossible TO assign TO it fraudu-
lent object But, if the one is an error, why not the
oher' In fact the very grossness of both can leave
doubt that they merely errors. 1t is not pos
sible TO open the volume without detecting them
The title all the speeches Of Mr.. Calhoun from
1911, when he entered Congress, till the present time,
while the volume contains but one speech prior to 1888
Again it omits to mention any thing but speeches,
when OF the four first of his productions, of which the
compilation is composed, only is speech. To
make its grossness palpable, all these head.
ed "Speeches' Has fraud ever been known to do
lis work in so clumsy manner 1t is idle to waste
words a thing plain. The whole title gross
bunder, of which have much greater TO COM
plain than any one else. II looks much more like an
attempt to njure me than to impose on the public
l. however, can suspect nothing of the kind. How it
happened | know not; nor is II material, so far as
it relates TO the object of this communication; but
deem il due 10 myself TO state all that know about il
1t so happens, | have yet the volume.
saw the title and the advertisement not long since Tor
The first time. was, as may be imagined, indignant
at the bunder. | wrote Immediately TO 4 friend, who
took an interest in the publication and correspondent
with the publishers and pointed out the blunders IN
the title aud the objections to the advertisement and
suggested the corrections that should be made which
requested him 10 have done forthwith. 1t was too
late | received his few days since. He
informed me, that he had perceived the blunders be
fore he got my letter, and had prepared n correction
but, owing delay in the transmission, it was
no; received in time. 1t may be proper add, that
the title suggested, as well as can recollect) was
"A selection from the speeches, reports and other wri
iings of Mr. Calhoun subsequent TO his election as
Vice President of the u States, including his leading
speech the late war, delivered in 1871" 1t was
drawn up to make il full and accurate-to cover the
whole, and more. So much for the title
come now 10 the selection compilation; and here
take oil the responsibility. Ii done by me, and
if there be any fraud conoeamen chargeable.
In order that your readers may Judge, shall state the
reasons which governed me in making the selection.
II proper to premise, that have been urged, from
various quarters, in The last six seven years, TO
In IL
during The same period, received numerous applica
tons for copies of my speeches, IN pamphlet FORM
with which could not comply, because had not spare
copies. Since my has been presented to the peo-
pie in with the Presidency, applications for
copies ha increased and have been more FIRE quenty
urged collect and publish my speeches. reports and
other writings political subjects / finally con
scented the publication, because | believed 1t to be
due to the people, in the position occupy, 10 afford
them the means of ascertalnng the opinions and
tImenls | entertain on all political subjects, particular
y on those which have agta,ed the country of late,
and on which the Presidential Election will probably,
IN great measure, turn. That believed could best
be done by publishing what had said and written on
those questions, form which would make the
work accessible the people 1t would give my OPT
MONS and sentime nts in the fullest and authen-
tic form, and in manner much more consonant 10 my
feelings, than by popular speeches made for the
sion, or personal canvass.
To effect the object, it not only necessary that
the later and not the earlier of nv speeches and other
disc ussionu political subjects puoIrsn
said written in the long period of thirty two years
in which have been without intermssion in public
life, would make the work too bulky and expensive TO
be accessible to the great body OF the community and
to publish those Of early date instead of those Of
late, would not give the information intended. l nc
cordingly fixed on the termination of MIR. Monroes ad
ministralion when | became Vice President as the
period from which TO make the selection. That may
be fairly regarded the point of time potca
history which marks the end of an old and the COM
mencement of new order of things, in the midst of
which we still From that to the present time is
period of eighteen years, being than half Of that
in which have been in the service of the Union
During the whole took prominent and responsible
part on all important questions Such my leading
motive for selecting the period did, from which TO
make the compilation.
There were others of subordinate character which
had their influence. 1t the portion of my public
life in regard which information Gas beeved) was
most desired. ] infer so, among other reasons from
The fact that the applications have received for copies
OF my speeches were almost exclusively confined it,
There was another still stronger II is the period in
which my speeches and other publications contain my
mature and settled opinions on the principles and pc
hey OF the Government; adopted after long experience
and much reflection, which have modified, changed,
you prefer, many particulars my earlier and less
maturd Impressions. About the commencement of
the period, my mind settled down in the views Of the
primo pes and policy of the Government enter
tain, ard 10 which have since adhered regardless
OF personal consequences and uninAuenced by party
considerations; thus giving the strongest proof possible
OF my deep conviction both of their truth and vital
Importance. BY them desire 10 be judged and by
them to stand or fall.
Guided by these motives, compiled the volume, in
the hrst instance, exclusively from that perod-but
Afterwards yielded to the persuasion of friends, against
my Judgment, to include the speech already referred
to- delivered in ISL They urged upon the ground,
mat, as II was my first effort in Congress and sub
Ject OF lasting interest," it desirable it should be
inserted, although departure from the principle on
which the volume compiled.
But even within this period, selection became
cessary to effect the object in view. To publish al my
productions political subjects during the period,
would make the volume still too bulky and expensive TO
be acceptable TO the general Of readers. Here,
again. the leading which governed me in select
ing the period, governed also in making the selection
for the compilation 1t is, accordingly full the sub.
Ject of Banks, Sub Treasury, Currency, Tariff, Dis.
tr,but'on, State Rights and the principles and policy
troI, thao l,,, sc H. O.