Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1843-07-01
THE PRESIDENCY.


tionallst. The letter was private one
written without any expectation, as tht
Constltutionalist says, that it would bt
made public. The character of the write
is said TO stand very high; he is private
gentleman, who is prompted in what he
says, solely by the COW ction that the per
manent ascendancy Of Democratic princi
Piles, and the most vital interests of the
South especially, call for the election o
such man as Mr.. Calhoun, who is no
only friend TO the whole Union, but by
"brth, blood, sympathy and principle" Q
son and friend of the South and Of her in,
teress.
Its just such man that the people Of
the South demand and will have for the
Presidency--as good a democrat as any
on the questions of bank, distribution and
assumption, and, at the same time, much
more decided and correct in his views on
the questions Of Slavery and Free Trade
than any other !nan whose name has been
mentioned in conneXion with democratic
nomination. The protective policy must
be abandoned, and some additional securi-
ty thrown around the Slave interest Of the
South; and these ends cannot be SO well
accomplished in any other way as by the
election of Mr. Calhoun.
60 my mind il is clear, til Il your roa-
soning will necessarily lead you to the
support Of the great southron j. &. CAL
noUN; consummaton admit, most de-
voutly wished by myself, and hope not
unacceptable to yoI. BE not startled at
this annunciation by me, Of my decided,
and if know myself, honest preference.
There has been a time, and no man re.
members it more wildly than yourself,
when the public character of this indivIdu
al was held by me as Justly obnoxious TO
the severest censure and condemnation
his private character never impugned
that stands far above suspicion of spot
or b!emish. # is within your knowledge,
that | openly and publicly, in private con-
versaton and through the press, denoun-
ced Mr.. Calhoun as an inconsistent and
wavering politician-as nan SO tho
roughly imbued with an inordinate ambi-
ton, that he would stop at no resting place,
until he had supreme power and rule in
this country--or, failing in that, that he
would, with the spirit Of the iamed Gaia
line, plunge his country in blood and car
nagein revenge for his disappointment
in all this, no personal enmity to Mr.. Cal
houn was blenGed-for had never seen
him in my life; and the obscuriiy of my
life had never placed me in situations
where personal issues between him and
myself could have had the slightest infl-
cnce III my structures upon bis public con.
duct and character. The doctrine of Null
LITIGATION, as expounded by the South Caro-
lima politicians, at the head Of whom Mr..
Calhoun, was pronul gated--;o this doc
trine Of state rights political faith could
not subscribe, and waged war against it.
On this subject my opinions are unchan-
ged-yel, as the results Of tho doctrine,
only lead me to nearly the same goal with
the nulitiers, upon my own remedial plan,
for the enforcement in the last resort, 0!
state rights, do not feel that it would BE-
fair and honorable, to pronounce at this
stage Of our history an irrevocab,e polit-
cal curse upon the nuilifiers, unless we will
admit. that for our notions of state rights,
we have no Interior remedies beyond The
common privilege of a resort 10 the ballot
box, which, Imagine, you nor will for "a
moment concede. In this stale of feeling,
in which | now we'll know, and am MOI
ashamed to admit. prejudices conceived
against Mr.. Calhoun in his bitter warfare
with Crawford, had large share-I watch.
ed his course in and out Of Congress, with
a determination to ascertain finally, whe-
Their | had rightly apprehended his charac-
ter. Anterior 10 the noble and self slcri.
Gcing position he assumed en- the subject
of the "lndependent Treasury had mis-.
piy;ngs, as 10 the correctness of the
grounds | had occupied against him, and
on reviewing The data upon which my de
ductions were drawn, i! became convinced
That on one prominent point at least | had
lone him injustice, viz: on the Tariff
Question. Carrying out the spirit OF
us: and unimpassioned enquiry, into all
The positions had occupied against him,
felt strong doub: in my mind arise, whe-
her momentary disposition to find fault
with him had not led me into other erro
1eOus views of his public career; and pend.
ng these reflections came on the famed
Extra Session, when The democracy stood
and waiting Mr.. CaIhoun's de.
,ision on the "lndependeEt Treasury"
t he had been the man that my rejudlces
induced me 10 portray him, all would have
'een lost; all his then associations and
I L = I