Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-10-18
= Prom the Abbevilie Banner.
A SKETCH Of TIE EARLY LIFE OF JOHN


friend and ardent adlnircrof Mr.. Calhoun, take
pleasure in answering your inquiries concerning his
early life, as far as lana able. lie was about seven
years my senior and of course was but a boy
when he had attained to the age of manhood first
know him in the year 1901, when we were, for afcw
months school-fellows in the academy then taught
by the late DIR. Waddel, in Vienna. Mr. Calhoun
soon after this time entered Yale College, and my
education having only just begun. saw nothing OF
him until commenced the study Of law in the sum
mer of 1870 At this time Mr.. c. was practising
law at 4ibbeyille Court House, the late Governor
Noble being his partner They occupied, as an
office, the house in which Governor Noble afterwards
lived till his death. After knew him as lawyer,
Mr.. c. always boarded at the Hotel then known as
g the Red House" and now occupied by the McLaren
family During part not all the time he boarded
there, the Hotel was kept by George Whtetield
The business of the Court was at that time, divided
pretty equally between three offces-Calhoun u
Mobiles, b. G. Yanceys and my brother George
Bowies There were, at this time six or eight stu
dents in these offices, VIC Capt Robert Cunningham,
of Laurcns District, and Nathaniel A. Ware, In Cal
houn & Mobiles, Wilson Bird Of George, d. L.
Whitefeld and G. c. Yancey in Mr.. 1ancey s. and
the late Chief Justice of Alabama, Abner S. Lip
scomb and myself in my brothers office.
Mr. G.. was always kind and familiar with young
men, and ever ready to advance them by his counses
and instructions. 1t constant habit to as
semble in the summer evenings in Mr.. Calhouns
piazza and listen to his conversation in which his
partner and Mr. Yancey, and sometimes the older
Students participated, In this way he delighted to
instruct his young friends, and believe we all pro
fitted greatly by such occasions. At this period OF
his life, and believe ever afterwards, Mr. Calhoun
was in the habit of taking much exercise, and al
ways on foot His customary walk was up the Pen
dleton road, and he seldom turned before he had
walked mile and half This exercise was usually
taken very carly in the morning, and he was gen
orally willing to have one of his young friends as a
companion-not to to enjoy their conversation but
to benfit them by his. remember, on one OCCASION
he invited me accompany him in his morning stroll
and refer to it now, not to claim any particular
intimacy with DISTINGUISHED n of which
might Justly he proud, but to record disciplinary
achievement Of his own which struck me at the time
as being very wonderful. lie endeayoring to
impress upon my mind the great importance OF Gull
tiyating the poccr Of attention, and to encourage
in my efforts he stated that to this end he had
early subjected his mind to such course OF rigid
discipline and had persisted without faltering, until
he had acqureda perfect control it. and that he
could coniine it as long as he pleased, to any
subject without wandering even for a moment anu
that it his uniform habit, when he set out alone,
to walk ride. to select subject for reflection, and
that he never suffered his attention to wander from
it until he was satisfied with its examination. In
this single achievement is to be found, as firmly
believe the principal of his quiet intellectual
triumph; this made him the greatest thinker OF his
age, and to this achievement are VIC to attribute MS
wonderful powers of combination and analysis.
You ask me, when, and on what occasion did he
make his first public rfort?" The first public
speech l ever beard him make was on the occasion
Of public meeting of the citizens of Abbcvile, cal
led the occasion III the wanton attack OF the Leo
parl the Chesapeake. On this occaSion-he
was then student of Law, he astonished every
body and laid the foundation of that enduring pop
ularity in his native District which he retained to
the day of his death. If he had ever before made
public speech, am not aware of the fact.
You again ask, How did the family in its early |
history spell the nancy Until the time of the gen
Grafton to which Mr.. Calhoun himself belonged, !
the spelled with in the first syllable |
instead of A-Colhcun Mr.. James Calhoun, |
the brother believe to the day of his death, wrote
his name Cohoun. In earlier times, it il proba- |
bic the name was written, Colquhoun; ss believe |
it is to this day in Great Britain.
You do not expect me, ain sure, TO attempt |
deineaton of the character private public OF our
departed riend-that has been done by others much |
better than | could do it. None of his friends ever
loved him more--many, perhaps knew him better !
than did. And will only add, that he possessed
more cquanimty than any man l have ever known
i never saw him depressed in spirit, nor excited
by anger He always cheerful-the natural |
result Of life of constant and uniform virtue.
Having thus, very hastily and impcrfcctly given
you all the information possess in reference to the
enquiries of your letter, conclude with the assu-
rance of the high esteem and respect with which
Your friend, A. BOWIE
Eodar this sip1,ar otop the