The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-04-01


residence Of Colonel Singleton, in Sumter District
South Carolina, on the 18th March Notwithstand-
ing the conspicuous place Mr.. McDufhe occupied
for moro than thirty years. in the politics of South
Carolina, the Charleston papers received since his
death, have failed to give US those particulars Of his
Lie which We had expected, in their notice Of the
, dscease Of SO distinguished public man. Hence
wSare compelled to be less definite than is desirable
6the following sketch of his political life and times
George McDufie, according to the most reliable
occounts, was born in Georgia At the time OF his
bath he was about sixty years old; consequently
he must have been born about the year l79O. The
Imily Of McDuHie is doubtless of Scotch origin;
but we are not aware that it is conspicuous in the
annals Of South Carolina. IL is certain that
the branch Of it to which the subject Of this
netice belonged was quite obscure and humble
While quite boy, according to an article in the
Greenyille S. c. Mosintatneer,) George McDuHie
was employed as q clerk in store in Augusta,
Georgia, owned by MIR. James Calhoun, q brother
ofJohn c. Calhoun. Mr.. James Calhoun being in
embarrassed circumstances at that time, abandon
ed the mercantile business, and moved back to Alb
beville, South Carolina, his native district. He in
formed his brother, Mr.. William Calhoun, that he
hadin hs store poor boy he felt unable to provide
for and disked to return him to home of poverty;
and more especially the boy appeared to be very
ambitious to obtain an education, and manifested
extraordinary capacity. Mr. VIM. Calhoun said to
his brother 81 will take of the boy; and noby
did he redeem his promise. He adopted him into
his family, and through long life, treated him with
he nberality and affection Of child. He placed
young McDuf6e in the classical school at Whining
on, in Abbeyille, then under the control Of DR..
Wsddell, who educated so many distinguished men,
and, when prepared to enter college, he graduated
him in the South Carolina College-McDufde, We
believe, obtaining the first honor
Circumstances occurred for the favorable de-
velopement Of his genius, after he had completed
his studies preparatory to entering into the prac
tice Of the law, which attracted vhe attention of
the late John G. Calhoun, under whose patronage
he entered into public life. He first became
conspicuous as politician by his writings for
the press, aiding Mr.. Calhoun in imbuing the
public mind of the South with his political doc
trnes, and views of public policy. In 1916, MIR.
Calhoun, being q member of Congress, advocated
protective tariff, particularly for cotton manufac-
lures, and co-operated with Mr. Clay and others, in
the enactment of the protective tariff of 1876 which
was the first tariff that imposed square yard duty
on cotton cloths the idea of that effective duty
which established the cotton manufacture in the
Francis ]. Lowell, of Massachusetts,, from whom
the great manufacturing city of Lowell received its
name. Mr. McDufhe, at that time, warmly advoca-
ted the protection and establishment of domestic
manufactures, although he afterwards changed his
views and course, when his patron, Mr.. Calhoun,
altered his course in this respect. The late Mathew
Carey. of Philadelphia, one of the champions of
the protective system, before Mr. Clay entered the
Gal1 ;rTor raa hath ara1
for circulation at the South, sundry tracts contain
ing writings by McDuffe, Calhoun, and other
Southern statesmen, advocating the protection Of
American manufactures, by adequate duties on
foreign goods. These protection tracts Mr. Carey
said he caused to be circulated through the South
ern States Mt a time when the protective system
was most violently assailed there, and after Mr..
Calhoun and Mi. McDuffe had changed their ground
as to the tariff doctrines and policy. Mr.. Carey
complaiped 10 US that the Northern manufacturers
had never reimbursed him for his expenses IN this
and other efforts and services in their behalf entire
ly dsinterested as they were on ms part. lie EN-.
ployed young man, he said, and paid him out Of
his own pocket, to travel through the Southern
States and circulate the tariff doctrines of Calhoun
McDufie, and other Southern men, written while
they conceded with Mr.. Carey in his tariff notions.
Mr. Carey remarked to US, that he well knew that
the writings Of Southern men,on political economy,
would be read at the South, and have influence,
while the writings of Northern men stood chance
of being entirely disregardcd where they conflict
ed with sectional prejudice. The course that Mr..
Carey adopted of circulating among the people Of /
the south the early tariff notions Of Calhoun, Me-
Duhs, Lowndes, and other Southern statesmen-it 4
was Mr.. Careys belief, If he had been adequately /
assisted by the cooperation Of the wealthy manu-
facturers Of the North TO carry the plan fully
into efect-woud have had the same influence on |
public opinion Mt the south, his own writings and
those Of Niles and other tariff men had produced in
Pennsylvania and other middle states
In lol7, MIR. Calhoun was appointed by President
etary of
into that department, which then began to turn
attention TO the subject Of internal Improvement,
and as occupation for the engineers attached 10
the army, in time Of peace-a system Of surveys Of
rivers barbors, canals, and roads was entered upon
by the corps Of engineers-the system meeting with
the warmest support Of Mr. Calhoun az secretary 0f
War, and his adherents in South Carolina, Of whom
Mr.. McDufhe a prominent leader IL - not
surprising, therefore, that Mr.. McDufie, when he
entered Congress, in 1921 representative Of the
Edgcfeld congressional district of south Carolina,
by the people Of which district he had been elected
in Is2D-should appear a. an advocate OF what Is
now considered too liberal construction OF the con-
stituton on the subject Of internal Improvements. /
With regard TO the protective tariff system, south 4
Carolina had become decidedly opposed TO Il a. 4
ofpublic policy, and We are not aware that
any Of her representatives, IN Congress have ven,
,ured to advocate i since Mr. Calhoun sustained
the protective tariff Of 1916
About the time that Mr.. McDufhe entered Con-
gress, serious quarrel broke out between the poll
ticisns Of south Carolina and those Of Georgia. A
majority Of the Georgians wanted that W illiam HI.
Crawford then Secretary Of the Treasury, who came
near being nominated for President, instead Of .
Monroe. in the Congressional caucus q lslb-shoud
succeed Mr. Monroe in the Presidential chair. To \
this the Carolina politicians we're bitterly opposed
and although Mr.. Calhoun was considerably \
younger than Mr.. Crawford, they determined . b
push the claims Of the former (no caring then for
General Jackson, who was also a Garollnian.) AMI /
that, we believe, 'was the way the quarrel begun,
which caused sundry duels, and bitter political 4
feud, which lasted many years, between the people
Of the two States.
Among the prominent supporters Of Mr.. Craw
ford in Georgia, powerful aristocratic family
nj Augusta. BY the name Of Cumming One OF .
that family Colonel Cumming, fnaa Of prou
spirit and lofty bearing, became involved IN VIC.
lent dispute on the political topics Of the LAY wit
Mr.. McDufhe, whose residence wa n fdgehei .
-. -. -. h.