Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-05-03

netitor of Massachusetts, Mr. Webster eagerly mag
made this declaration IN the Senate last
month The war fully and gloriously terminated,
he afterwards assumed, at the call Of Mr. Monroe,
the direction ofthe war Department In that sphere
his administrative abilities were consummate. His
brilliant course in the Senate since has been SO elo
quently protrayed by his great associates in that
chamber, and by speakers in the other House OF Con-
press that inferior hands warned not to touch
1pon it any more than upon his administration of
the Department Of State or his career as Vice Pres
ident. 5s.aaas szss
Calhoun's whole public life was in harmony with
his noble nature. A paramount principle OF duty
was forever present to him. 1t was ever the pillar
of light. He sought public ends by means varying
as facts varied and time interposed. In forty years
indeed in an age of ceaseless activity and change
in the complications of policy and legislation Incl
dent to the shifting wants of young and growing
country teemng with production, and still new to
many of the operations and schemes of national in
dustry, he may be found the advocate of opinions
which he afterwards saw cause to modify, alter,
abandon So, among his illustri0us compeers in the
Senate-that band of statesmen really great and,
because they are so, now by universal acclaim look
ed to pilots in the national storm that is raging
YOU night have beheld, all around, those who had
been tariff and anti-tarif in opinion and conduct;
bank and anti-bank strict constructonsts and lati
tudinarians. There is difference however-it points
to the compass and foresight of Calhoun's mind
Death has canonized him. and it may be spoken He
ended for reetrade-the principle to which the most
enlightened and prosperous nations of the earth
at length to be asserting And he ended strict
constructionist of the enactments and guarantees
we say guarantees (no less than compromises)-o
the constitution the doctrine which time and expe-
rience seem more and more to have consecrated, as
the best if not the only for giving perpetuity to
the Union of these States.
We do not design in this imperfect tribute to de-
eide upon all the opinions of this remarkable man
and great statesman, though we might be slow to
condemn some that others may have condemned ; but
we consider the removal of such public from
among as public calamity. Jefferson loved him;
Madison loved him; Monroe loved him. The two
latter confided in his counses All three honored
him Nor is it that we have been deprived of great
talents that his loss is chiefly to be deplored, his
memory to be revered. Talents, and great tai
ents are never wanting in the world. We have them
here, In France you cannot count them up; their
name is legion-thrice and again. In Germany, in
England in all great countries they exuberant.
1t is like the fame of heroes, which led an able wri
ter to remark fifty years ago that it growing
vulgar heroes multiplied in every war, and stood so
thick their ranks in history to be nearly undis
tinguishabe from their soldiers But high, reso-
lute uncompromisng virtue, is another thing It is
of the gods Mortals look to it and do it homage
| though it is so seldom that they reach it. 1t
was the virtue of Washington-his immaculate in
tegrity, honor and truth in all things the extraor
binary moral grandeur, almost more than human,
centering in him and browning all his actions-which
induced eloquent commentator, in summing up
the complicated excellence of his character; side by
side with great names of antiquity and among the
moderns, to exclaim that in weighing has merits
future Putarch must attempt the iniquity of par
| allelnt
| How durable, how expansive, how godlike, the
homage rendered to virtue 1t was Washington's
towering supremacy in this that has placed him at
the head of mankind Without it, all his other tran
scendant deeds for might have left his reputation
in an orb no better than C8sar's, Cromwelfs Ma
poleons. This it which prompted the most gift
ted genius perhaps in France-the nation i'll whose
streets and highways you may daily meet generals
famous in battle on hundred fields, and statesmen
of ability numerous to calculate, in despair per-
haps of seeing his country regeneratedn 49, THAT
THE WANT OF THE WAS A EUROPEAN WASHING
ToNnt The talents of Calhoun, commanding as
they were it might be thought could be Matched
easily strength ana steadiness of his
| virtue be matched. Not easily his exemption from
all that was underhand Not so easily his scorn of
all pandering to the public, as the price of his own
exaltation. In all this the highest earthly praise
can be justly bestowed by saying, THE SOUL OF
WASHINGTON
A few concluding words Our material prosperi-
ty has been amazing and the increase of our power
It is as certain that political morals increase in our
land There are minds that might be slow in COM
| ing to an affirmative answer. There are anxious
minds that dote yet doubt fearing that our ten
dency will be downward. The widening arena of
| the contests for the presidency, and augmenting
train of passion intrigues, disappointments exasper
atlOnS bitter eXaSpefatlOnS winch they rOment seem
enough without other foreshadowings of i'll flung
PATH to generate anxiety in the bosoms of
the rejecting. If in all any of these there be
danger let every occasion be seized of averting it
| Let the death of Calhoun be improved one of
them Let our young men initiate him in the lofti-
of his moral the best public safeguard
That principle is of the grand inculcations en-
balmed in WashingtOns immortal Farewell Address,
as interviewer with national perpetuity.
Calhouns example will be high one to our young
men Let it be their ambition to initiate it-their
vow. To such, determined to be great, and high in
their present aspirations, he when young and
devoting themselves to study and seiediscip
line he did when young it may, it will, make a
call for inward conflicts to adhere to such exam
pie. But let the motive be of strength sufficient to
secure to them victory so precious. great eoun-
try is to be in their hands It's institutions its free
DOM its resources its past and prospective renown,
open to it magnificent future. But not if subor-
dinate men, with cunning minds, bear sway. This
would lower our destiny. This would, must, in the
sequel undermine it, blast it, for all that is truly
great and glorious in nations; all that is highest,
purest. brightest most lasting And this whitening
of our high hopes would come to pass, though our
4 fields might continue to produce their crops, our
workshops their fabrics seaports ships and stea-
mers our mines gold, and our population run UNI
til we equal the Chinese.
| The Senate has resolved that at the call of his
/ afflicted family, the remains of Mr.. Calhoun are to
be removed for interment in the bosom of his native
State They will be in charge of the Sergeant-at-
/ Arms. A deputation of senators is to form the
solemn escort In that State repose the ashes OF
the Marions the Sumpters, the Laurenses, the Gads
dens, the PinckneYs, the Lowndeses, the Rutledges
These are among her iIlustrious dead,