The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-01-17

The following article from the New York
Journal OF Commerce, is in bold and refresh
ing contract with the tone Of the Northern
presses generally. I, is gratifying to notice
such an able and influential paper elevated Sc
far above party trammels and sectional preju
dices.y rs
g sA,s5 JOHN C. CALHOUN.
The position of this distinguished statesman
illustrates the waywardness Of popular ap.
3: plause., a few months ago he commanded the
= admiration of discreet Northern men Of all
parties, for services which should not soon he
q. forgotten. Now, for differing from them in
optnion on question which deeply concern,
the stability, and prosperity of the South, and
. but slightly the stability and prosperity o the
:, North, those who lately regarded him a. the
y, mainstay Of honorable peace in the Senate, and
. whose lips ceased not to praise, renounce their
former regard, and speak of him az a "ana,lc,
d. on a level with those in the Abolition ranks.
=, .Wheae the difficulties connected with Oregon
were Fastening to a termination, Mr.. Calhoun
! was out of the Senat,', and there seemed 10 he
none who could avert the threatened dangers.
1 In common with a large portion OF The press,
we warmly urged his election and return to
that body. as step necessary for the common
good. His State elected him. and he respond
ed to the call. 1t was late in December, 1874,
. when he arrived n Washington; bu, on the
very eight of his arrival. those friends of his
who had nearly yielded to the surge like pres.
sure from the Administration ranks in favor "l
war. when they heard the firm voice of the r
.unyielding Senator, stood by him 10 resist, and
theydd successfully resist until the question wa
peacefully settled. 1t was not in resistance
alone that great service was rendered. The
British Minister stood firm. as the representa-
=. tive ec a nation which had never been driven,
), and could no, be driven, from ground believed
i, by her to be just. Matters thus stood on the
:. verge Of war, each country assuming an eI.
IRENE position. We have reason to know mot
:. from Mr. Calhoun, Tor he maintains silence on
;, this subject, hut hope the history of thos"
,erenis.- which at the time partially revealed.
will finally reach the public ear) that 1" bis in
N;cessant efforts out of the Senate Chamber, Is
due much, if not mast. of the credit "f bring
ing matters to a fair understanding between the
two nations; and when this had been nearly
, accomplished, who does not remember that
noble speech of his, which prepared the coun-
+; tryto support settlement on the basis OF com
4. promise. 1t was circulated in every hamlet OF
the country, and every body felrthat he whose
!, voice had resisted oppression at another period
;, of the cnun,ry's difficulties could speak in
:, favor OF peace without having his motives ques
i, TONED questioned even by the boldest. The
!. compromise was finally made, and the country
saved from the horrors Of war on our own
ground-a war not with Mexico, which could
never penetrate into our country, but with the
i, most powerful nation in existence. The coun
:. try recognised Mr. Calhoun as the one who had
ayerted this calamity from it, and laid the fnun-
i. dation of the peace which is now so fiuitul Of
beneit to the Two nations. Who is there that
dares 10 prefer the misery into which we might
have been plunged, to the state which now
!, happily exists, in which generous rivalry,
, unknown 10 any other age, is going on between
two great nations, in all the arts of life; and
yet, on the first occasion when, standing in
defensive position, he differs from others opin.
ion, the author OF that peace, and consequently
of its blessings, is forgotten. and reproaches
eyer his name. Nnlhing in history excites us
80 much to condemn the unhinking populace Of
ancient times, as their persecution Of those
great men whose names are light even now
d, to, the path Of the world; and those hereafter
who, look back on this age, placing as they ne,
a cessariIy must the name of Calhoun in the
, same rank with the master minds OF Greece
aud Rome, must also place the people Of this
day on fooling with that unknown mass
which attempted to degrade the illusrions men
whose names. and services. and talents. more
8 than all other causes combined, render the aye
which produced them, conspicuous throughout
,tbe world, and TOR all ages.
The voice Of Mr.. Calhoun in the public
councils cannot be unheeded with safety. 1t is
great weakness of our time that we cannot
say "No" on question of war; bu, he had the
moral courage, in the Senate, in our affair with
Mexico, to stand alone on that side OF the ques.
lion The, independence he then exhibited,
results from principle which is Of the greatest
value, when so many consult the momentary
public feeling, and press forward in any direc'
tion. which is popular. There are before us yet
struggles TO be encountered, which will test the
full strength of the Constitution. We shall
presently have severe pressure from the West;
and when such questions arise as have lately
prevailed in this State, in which the security of
property and the integrity Of contracts come to
be. transferred to wider field, men who look
deeply into the future, will see that our safety
consists in reliance on the Constitution as it
came from its trainers. The conservative
apewer Of the South will then be invaluable.
G. Let-us. therefore, cling to the Constitution.
and 10 the Union TO the South as well as the
West. Let us not attempt to break down the
spirit of the South, or desire their assent TO
what would he an acknowledgment Of inferi
oritF The South will never sink down to that
condition.
His languag" then was:
81 would prefer single victory over the enemy