Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-08-08
From the National htsiligsnter IF Saturday last.)
A LETTER FROM MR.. CALHOUN.
tn fbr E,ifOrs

From the National Intspissnter Of Saturday ia't)
A LETTER FROM MR.. CALHOUN.
To The Editors.
FoRr HILL, July %, 1S43.
Messrs. Gales K Seaton: | have just received 'front.'
friend, the National lntell'gencer of the l2!h and 10Th
instant, containing your remarks on a 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 are headed, "PoIitical History-SuP-
pressed Speeches of Mr.. Calhoun" "Suppressed" IS
a strong word The highest authorities define it to be,
put down, destroyed, concealed and your remarks
leave no doubt that you intended TO use il in The strong
est and most offensive sense-that is, that they have
been Intentionally omitted in the compilation in order
10 give a partial and false view of my opinions; and,
Tor that purpose a false title was given 10 the volume.
To the truth of this you pledge indirectly your word
by heading your remarks, "Political History" The
charge is grave one, and made in an IMPOSING manner,
and If true The imposition would deserve the public re-
probation. The question, then, is, Is it true' Let facts
answer.
The title i, indeed, falsc-false every way. 1t CO
vers much not included in the volume, and omits
much that is-reports, letters, and other writings
fou have noticed the former, and called public at
lention TO It, but not the latter, though equally OBJ
vious, and very material in determining whethe r the
falsity OF the title is 4 mere error or q fraudulent at
tempt at imposition. The one might, with some plau-
sibllity, be construed 10 be an attempt at imposition !;
but it is impossible for any ingenuity so 10 construe
the other. 1t is impossible TO assign 10 il a fraudu.
lent OOleCl Dut, u IL u lS q n error. WIN not the
other In fact, the very grossness of both can leave
no doubt that they are merely errors. 1t is not pos
sible 10 open the volume without detecting them
The title covers 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 one is a speech. To
make its grossness more ~palpable, all these are head.
ed "Speeches." Has fraud ever been known 10 do
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words on a thing so plain. The whole title is a gross
blunder, of which ! have much greater reason 10 COM
plain than any one else. 1t looks much more like an
attempt TO inJure me than 10 impose on the public
!, however, can suspect nothing of the kind. How it
happened, know not; nor is It material, so FAR as
il relates 10 the object of this communication but |
deem il due to myself TO state all that | know about it
1t so happens, | have never yet seen the volume. j
saw the title and the advertisement not long since Tor
The first time. | was, as may be imagined, indignant
at the blunder. | wrote Immediately 10 a friend, who
took an interest in the publication and correspondent
with the publishers, and pointed out the plumbers in
the title aud the objections to the advertisement, and
suggested the corrections that should be made, which
requested him TO have done forthwith. 1t was too
late. received his answer 4 few days since. He
informed me, that he had perceived The bluuders be
fore he got my letter, and had prepared a correction,
but, owing TO some delay IN the transmission, it was
moi received in time. 1t may be proper 10 add, that
the title | suggested, las well as can recollect,) was :
"A seieclioH I1om III epeeCHte, lePoIlS una olneT VII.
iings of Mr.. Calhoun, subsequent 10 his election as
Vice President of the U. States, including his leading
speech on the late war, delivered in 1911" 1t was
drawn up to make it full and occurate-to cover the
whole, and no more. So much for the title.
come now 10 the selection or compilation; and here
take all The responsibility. 1t was done by me, and
if there be any fraud or conceaiment, am chargeable.
In order that your readers may Judge, shall state the
reasons which governed me in making The selection.
1t IS proper to premise, that have been urged, from
-s 49, - ia t~-t - ,~-
have my speeches collected and published, and have,
during the same period, received numerous applica
tions for copies of my speeches, IN pamphlet form,
with which | could not comply, because had not spare
copies. Since my name has been presented TO the peo-
pie, in connection with the Presidency, applications for
copies have increased, and | have been more FIRE quently
urged 10 collect and publish my speeches, reports, and
other writings on political subjects / finally con
scented 10 the publication, because | believed It to be
due TO the people, in the position | occupy, to afford
them the means Of ascertaIning the opinions and sen
timents / entertain on all political subjects, particular
y on those which have ngitated the country of late,
and on which the Presidential Election will probably,
in a great measure, turn. That ! believed could best
be done by publishing wha, | had said and written on
those questions, in u form which would make the
work accessible to the people. 1t would give my OPT
MONS and sentime nts in the fullest and most nuthen.
TIC form, and in a manner much more consonant 20 my
feelings, than by popular speeches made for the coca
sion, or a personal canvass.
j CHCG LIE OUicC IL u nOI OuIY DtCtbSuT Tia u
selection should be made, but that it should be made from
The later and not the earlier of my speeches and other
discussions gu political subjects. TO puousn all nave
SAID or written IN the long period of thirty two years,
in which | have been without intermission 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 IN early date instead of those of a
late, would not give the information intended. l ac-
%cordingly fixed Oh the termination of Mr.. Monroe's nd.
ministration, when | became Wee President, as the
period from which 10 make the selection. That may
be fairly regarded as the point of time in our political
history which marks the end OF an old and The com-
mencement of a new order of things, in the midst of
which we still are. From that to the present time is a
period of eighteen years, being more than half of that
IN which | have been in the service of the Union
During the whole ! took a prominent and responsible
part on all important questions. Such was my leading
motive for selecting the period | did, from which 10
make the compilation.
There were others Of a subordinate character which
had their influence. 1t was the portion of my public
life IN regard to which information (as | believed) 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 to 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.
Icy OF the Governments; adopted after long experience
and much reflection, which have modified, or changed,
1t you prefer, in many particulars, my earlier and less
maturtd Impressions. About The commencement of
the period, my mind settled down in the views Of the
principles and policy OF the Government | now enter
tain, ard 10 which | have ever since adhered, regardless
OF personal consequences and uninhuenced by party
conslderations; thus giving The strongest proof possible
OF my deep conviction both of their truth and vital
importance. BY them 1 desire 10 be judged, and by
them TO stand or fall.
Guided by these motives, | compiled the volume, in
the first instance, exclusively from that p~eriod-but
afterwards yielded TO the persuasion of friends, against
my Judgment, to include the speech already referred
to, delivered in 1911. They urged it upon the ground,
that, as 1t was my first effort in Congress. and on a sub
lect OF lasting interest, it was desirable it should be
inserted, although a departure from the principle on
winch the volume was compiled.
But even within this period, a selection became ne
cessary to effect the object in view. To publish al my
productions on political subjects during the period,
would make the volume still too bulky and expensive to
be acceptable TO the general mass Of readers. Here,
again, the leading reason which governed mein select
ing the period, governed also in making the selection
tor the compilation. II is, accordingly, full on the sub
Ject OF Banks, Sub Treasury, Currency, Tariff, Dis.
tribution, State Rights, and the principles and policy