Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-10-05
MIR. cALHoUN,s LETTER TO MIR. KING

We publish this morning the celebrated let
ter which Mr.. Calhoun, when Secretary of State,
addressed to the late Mr.. King, then minister
to France.
Wehave received many communications from
the south and west, and some from the north,
asking for copies of this letter and we have
thought it best to republish the letter itself,
and to ask our readers to give it candid and
attentive perusal.
When Mr.. Calhoun's letter to Mr.. King was
first published, the temper of the public mind at
the north was such that it could not command
that impartial consideration to which it was SO
emnently entitled. But now the condition of
things has been altered; and under democratic
auspices a sound national feeling pervades the
country, which will give to the words of the
great Carolina statesman fairer consideration
than they have hitherto commanded.
In our first issue we mentioned the hostility
which England bore to this country; and We
specified the means she has employed to make
that hostility effective. We also mentioned in
our article on "foreign relations that slavery
was one of the principal sources of our great
commercial power.
The reader will find that our views in this
regard are fully sustained by Mr.. Calhoun and
that the whole subject is presented in that
close condensed logic which was so eminently
characteristic of one of the ablest and purest
Al. 49, ~ &c
We know full well that bitter and violent pre-
iudices exist towards Mr.. Calhoun in many
quarters of the country. But the knowledge of
those things cannot deter us from doing Justice
to one whose name we never hear mentioned
without feeling ofreverence 1t was our privi-
lege to know Mr.. Calhoun in orr early youth !;
and from that time to his death His kindness
and frankness and affabiity to young men is
known to the whole country. To us he was
always kind, and frank and affable and while
we differed with some of his views we were al
ways impressed with the upright purity of the
statesman and the noble and generous senti-
ments of the man.
When we heard the bells tolling that an
nounced that John C. Calhoun was no longer
among the living, we felt as if some heavy ca
lamity had befallen the country; and the ma
ton which had never done him Justice heard in
those tolling bells voice that spoke of injus-
tice and ingratitude.
We publish to-day his letter to Mr.. King. 1t
was written when the great question before us,
and before the world, was the annexation of
Texas. 1t gives, in the terse and graphic Ian
guage peculiar to its author, clear exposition
of the motives that actuated England in her
crusade against slavery, and of the power we
derive from the institution of slavery. 1t was
written eight years ago; but yet its deep phi
losophy is as applicable now as it was applica-
BILE then. We again commend it to our read
ers, as well because of its powerful sentences as
for the reverence we feel for the noble patriot
who penned it.
Calhoun went first; Clay and Webster fol-
lowed him to that bourne from whence no ira
weller returns These are names which no true
son of the republic will mention without respect.
Peace be to their ashes. They were faithful in
their generation; and succeeding generations
will DO them justice, or be faithless to them
selves. The names of the great are legacy !;
and their example an inheritance richer than
jewels and gold.