Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1850-04-04
THURSDAY MORNING. APRIL 4, 1850.

not allo.eiher unrXpected, but, on the con-
nary, might almost have been reasonably
looked for at any our, during the last siX
weeks we, ihe intelligence has, in
mrasure, come suddenly uron is al last
/ iiy iIie death of Mr. Calhoun a grea,
ght has been exting ushed, a luminary has
been forever quenched I; the gift Of vas. in
tellectual power has been recalled by the
One who gave it, and the form which has
so long been conspicuous in the councils
Of the nation, is now cold in the silence of
the grave. Mr. Calhoun was man Of
very many pecuiari,ies /; he entertained
views which, could they have been carried
into operation, would have been dangerous
in the extreme for the country. Yet he
was unquestonablv honest in the enter
iainment and advocacy of those sentiments.
He was devoted to the South, and par,icu-
larly TO his own State he guarded what
he conceived to be her interests with a sin
gularly jealous eye, and he was ever
ready to defend her honor, and to protec,
her rights, as he understood them TO exist
lie possessed strong and great intellect,
and ho has left on record the ever-endIr-
ing memorials Of his greatness and power.
AS = statesman and orator, he stood by The
side of Clay and Webster, and although
his political opinions differed vastly from
theirs, yet he was a light Of the same
brilIiancy, planet of the same magnitude,
in the American skies.
Mr.. Calhoun first took his scat in Con-
gress in 1910. lie had previously held a
seat IN the State Legislature, aud had as
sumcd bold and distinctive political atti-
,ude. Immediately upon entering Congress
! he was placed upon tho most important
/ Committee of the House at tina, time-,he
committee on foreign relations. Ills carli-
est effort in debate drew the attention Of
/ the whole country to him, and excited gen
eraI admiration of his talents.
Ia STA Mr.. Calhoun began TO take n
prominent par, in the domestic affairs of
the Union /; supported the tariff of 1916;
aud moved the creation of permanent fund
for the promotion of internal improvements
by setting apart the bonus payable to the
Government by the United States Bank
Under presden, Monroe's administration
/ he became Secretary OF War. lie entered
| upon the unusually onerous duties OF that
office in December, 1917 Men Of all par
ties will acknowledge that he administered
| The affairs of that department vigorously
and economically. Toward the clos, of
/. Mr.. MJnroes second term Mr.. Calhouns
4 name " as mentioned in connection with
! the highest Office, but was placed upon,
| the ticket OF his party iDr the office of Vice
II President, to v hlch Office lie VAS cl c,eI +,
/ the choice of the House Of Representatives
! falling upon Mr.. Adams as President. IN
\ 1923 he again came in as Vice President
/ with Gen. Jackson.
\ 1t was during this time that Mr..
\ Calhoun started his scheme OF nulliti-
cation. Soon aiicrward followed cs-
trangcmcnt between him and the Pres
| ident and thereafter the South Caro-
/ lima "ordinancc Of qualifications" with
the history of which all readers are
familiar. Pending this Mr.. Calhoun
! was elected to Tie Senate, where he
found in Mr.. Webster an opponent of
equal skill and power with himself
/ After a display of intellectual gadia-
torship-ne,er surpassed in brllliance
Oh any occasion III any place-the i'm
pending difficulty was aver'ed by Mr..
Clay's compromise bill.
Il Since that time MIR. Calhoun has
been constantly verging to the extreme
views enunciated in his last sp ,ech in
the Senate, and he had thus insulated
himself from other leading politicians.
On the death of Mr. Upshur he became
Secretary of State, which Office he held
until the close of Mr.. Tyler's admin
istration. lie resumed his duties in
the Senate toward the close of l845,
his public acts since which time are
fresh in the memory of all.
1t is understood that MIR. Calhoun
had completed an elaborate work upon
the principles or philosophy Of govern
ment, the speedy publication of which
he contemplated. We suppose that i
will now be given tothe world.
His private life has been one o
singular purity; correcti in his dealings
cminently moral in all the intercourse
of life, he has left an enviable reputa
ton, in this respect, as the richest leg
acy for his bereaved wife and afflicted
children. Few men 60 down to th'
tomb whose private lives have been 81
moral, and whose past careers, in tho
, mere common events Of life, have bee,
as exemplary as his.