Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-08-23
fCoMavNI1ArID.


portion OF his public life; and OF course furnishing his
Bank Tariff Internal Improvement Speeches OF 1916,
1T.
Az tho latter represent, him to have held formerly opn.
ions precisely OF those he processes To en-
certain ON the absorbing political topics OF the times, the
omission was very generally and justly denounced as
fraud ON the public; and, unexplained was operating with
no small the injury OF Mr. Calhoun IN ms pohuca
prospects, Under these circumstances, Mr. Calhoun comes
forward in person explain and Nindicote the profer
ed explanation satisfactory Z
In regard to the title of the volume (Which Mr. c. ad
mi,s to be "asc suppose he is be regerded
Grated not being himself the author of it, and having taken
the earliest steps Tecly the when discovered
Blu, though not guilty the premises far the mere
authorship the title concerned, 1t TO be questioned
whether he be entitled verdict OF entire acquitta 10
say the least there been cupabe cdressneSS in
the matter BY Mr.. Calhoun's showing, the publ
cation OF the volume question subject OF debera
lion and conference among personal and political friends;
and surely it was due MIR. Cs rcputaion-demand
ed by that elevated moral position which his friends
Mostly award him-that the proposed publication should go
out companied by suspicious circumstances what
ever Not 10 have used such pecauon very properly
poses all concerned the grave suspicion that they were
willing TO promote political fortunes of the author of
the speeches by suppression of most important por
ton his public history and take the chances for the de-
lection of the fraud which event. the to be
tl,Inihed and soened down by plausible explnna-
the thing s head then, the eGrelessness Of
for his full share ought 10 be regarded as coming in
And it is altogether cln..
which Mr.. CALHOUN ventures-that IN assumpuon-'hat
gross bunder" and nothing more. T6fs n,ie was
smscks rather strong of absurdty for it soArcey 95e
bable that Mr. C. would have selected, for important
busness dull and stupid be capable of "gross
bunder" in preparing the simple title of a book.
Nor can well repress the enquiry-wHo committed
the blunder Who penned the title Mr. Calhoun is ex
anlso Inc W,s tho
fTiend-the chosen fdus AehGtes-on whom devoved
the task OF supervising the publication who Let the
public know and then better Judge whether fraud
intended, mere blunder committed.
Then, until further explanation be made it is no unnatu
rn soluon-hat the "bunder' designedly perpeua-
ted and with the object of politically helping Mr.. Calhoun
10y concenlng from public view his and forbddng
Inconsistencies and tergiversations.
But with respect TO the compilation selection of the
matter contained in the volume Mr. Calhoun takes all the
responsibility admitting that he intentionally excluded with
exception all his speeches delivered between ISL and
1924. Are his for this omission sufficient They
least, unsubstantal and puee as TO rem.
der it difficult for the admirer of Mr. c. to yindicate him
from the mputauon of dsngenuousness in offering them
The first apology is that TO have pushed his speech
es, &c, prior 10 1924 would have made the book pom
derous and costly for general circulation Now it so hap
pens that the speeches omitied-those on the Bank
Tariff Direct Taxation and Internal Improvement ques
pages the voume for they all models of condensa
ton as well as of augmentation.
The second eXcuSe-hat, all his speeches &C. could
not be published without making the publication inaccessi-
bic 10 the people, it desirable give his later ra
Their than his earlier productions the prefeeuce-as TO the
ground with the first. Less than hundred pages uddi
ton 10 the size Of the volume would have spread before the
country al ms opinions OF any mport-as well those be-
fore since the he speaks Of when od things
had passed away and all things become new.n
Besides, how much consistent with fairness and
manly bearing would IT have been to have given both sides
oil MS reasoning on the great questions of constitutional
principles and national pOcy2 Certainly no one had ever
brought to the side of National Bank Protective Tariff
and federal Internal improvements more ardent zeal and
greater ability how much due to the cause of
truth TO have furnished the public with sets of his Cpl
mons and arguments in order that might weigh them in
the same balances, and Judge their comparative merit!
Then, too, the country might have better decided how
far reliance is to be pacedin public man, who all great
questions has held opinions directly the opposite of each
other.
Very different has been the of the compiler of the
speeches OF the Orator and Statesman the West
Prominent among his parliamentary efforts stands his speech
opposition TO National Bank 1911; and special refer
cnco IS made 10 H. and the reader warned that on this sub
Jec Mr. Clay has changed his opinion and frankly avows
it,
Another preext for the omission of his earlier speeches
IS, that he supposed information be desired of that
portion Of his public life subsequent his retirement from
the War Department. the termination of Mr. Monroo,s
administration; that Is, from 1926 the present time
That Is to say-bocause number OF the personal and poll
teal friends Of Mr. Calhoun apply for copies of speecf
maze between 1870 ana 1913, the IT,
s. DESTROYS for information Of his political course
during that period than any other. a logic unworthy of
John T.. Calhoun! Moreover, is rather singular TO saw
the lenst that the people should information of
Mr. C's later hstOry-that portion Of with which by
feason OF its ateness they necessarily familiar
Fourthy, Says Mr. Calhoun, is the period in which
my speeches and other publications couian my MIXTURE and
settled opinions the principles and policy Of the govern
ment adopted after long experience and much reflection
which have modified, changed IT you prefer my earlier
and less maured impressions"
Dt nod ticnti Of
Of introducionin preface Who knew until Mr. Cal
houns late letter made appearance that he had changed
his opinions, and that his speeches since s25 contain his
"matured impressions " Heretofore he has sticled for
consistency, Tor life ITSELF aud his friends for him
IN 1873 IN his reply 10 Mr. Clay ne had declared that he
chad changed opinion abandoned principle and de-
serted no party" Then without any 10 the contra
~ each picking the book would consider az con-
tanning his uniform opiniOnstOsc always entertaucd-
Why not the raising OF this presumption biudced by
sending along with the book honest ayoa Of change If
sentiment There fairness here-nO frankuess II
does seem that IN sending forth the world history of his
pubc me- ne was quite willing 10 have al fqr0Urallc pre-
SYMPTOMS arise in In behalf and u exhibit nothing on N,
Jdee OF that history to Justify UajarouyaJie ones however
much historical accuracy might be outraged
Pity Is tins confession Of changed opinion was M, soon
made IL utc now T., entite the o.,
credit II hos been voluntarily rendered or feev
made. II has been reluctantly wruur from ytorted
Oy nuIu necessary oeeInf 'ns absurd claims 10 perfect
ssency not only not Acknowledged but rdcuod and con-
iemned by the people, he the too long deferred
and too shallow after-houghi that experience and reGee
ton had modified his earlier Impressions!
But no part perhaps, OF Mr. CshOun's yindicatop s 81
ELAINE and npocnr the apology that the omitted speech
Is to be found IN the files Of the National ntegcpcer
and other papers, and the Inference hcrcirO that conceal
men could not have been designed How many persops
IN the United states have complete files NJ the National
lntegencor, Nes's Register or any piper Of the Ike
Kind Perhaps, not a dozen
may note now two remarkable circumstances which
have struck me on examining tue printed volume Of Mr.
OahOuns Speeches and perusiup his lnt. l,t.r