The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-02-22
THE LANCASTER LEDGER.
r. s. BAILEY,
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
From the New York Herald.
"reminiscences of the late J. C. Calhoun.
By HIS PRIVATE SECRETARY.
New YoRK. ian. OIL I,

New YORK, Jan. 2l, 1854.
My DEAR SIR-Since my conversation
with you this morning, the subject of it
has increasingly occupied my thoughts.
You seemed 80 struck with what | told
you were the solemn convictions of Mr..
Calhoun but few days previous to his
death, rs they appeared to my mind, that
cheerfully comply with your request to
remember and place upon paper my re.
collections Of those days. Before l pro-
ceed, however, l must state few facts to
which your own recollections must bear
witness. You know that with a few in
termissions was with Mr.. Calhoun for
constant period Of eleven uninterrupted
months. l joined him at his home in
Fort Hill early in the year ls49, and sep
arated from him when his body left Wash
ington for the South after the close Of his
earthly career in 1850. My stay at Fort
Hill is fraught with the most pleasant and
thrilling "reminiscences of the great dead
My main occupation from day to day.
for several months, was in writing the
work" A Disquisition on Government
and Discourse on the Constitution and
Government Of the United States" which
has recently been published by d. Apple.
ton d Co., Of this city, as volume one of
the works Of Calhoun, edited by my per-
sonal friend, Richard X. Cralle, one of
the ab!est men in the South, and one of
those that Mr.. Calhoun honored with his
confidence for many years. Several hours
each day ! WAS engaged with him upon
this interesting work. II WAS during this
period that received request from YOU
TO this effect: Nobody knows any;hinp
about Mr.. Calhoun, where he lives, how
he lives. what he says aud does at home.
The American people know all about the
habits Of Webster and Clay, but nothing
about Mr.. Calhoun. | W ,uld like to know
all about those things, and get his opinion
on "a variety of subjects. The public know
nothing about him except when lee is
heard from in some great State ,,apcr, or
In Senate debate" OF course showed
this letter 20 Mr.. Calhoun, and il le! to a
very singular result. Mr.. Calhoun hcsita-
ted a IN )mcnt and then said, in his pleas.
ant vein, There is but little known about
my place or home habits. Mr.. Bennett
has been very sincere and devoted friend
Of the South; | would be pleased TO obige
him in any way. You may write him
some private letters about me il you choose
10 do so." ...
"But, Mr.. Calhoun, it is quite evident
that NJ. Bennett wants to have some
thing about Fort Hill and you that he
can publish"
swell, you may write him letter to
publish, but sign some name TO it that
will not let people suppose you wrote it."
did write, and sent you the letter which
appeared in tn, Herald, headed "a Visit
to Fort Hill," and signed, "A Traveller"
But have to tell you some things still
more singular, and which were unknown
to you until now. Carrying out your
wishes, would often, while with him in
his little stady, take pen and paper, and,
after calling his attention TO q particular
subject, would write il in the form of an
editorial. He would read the article in
manuscript, and baud il back to me, with
the remark, Those are my ideas. You
have them in a very exact and concise
FORM" Those articles enclosed to you
without remark, and il you refer to files
OF the Herald, your leader on Friday.
July ~, ls40, headed "The European
News" was really Mr.. Calhoun's, as well
as nany other editorials that afterwards
appeared in the Herald as Posi-
ton Of tho Nortli and South" "Objcc;s of
the Administration" 'Acteon and his
iiouHtis, Oiiics-sseS;Hg and i;s Mission,
What is TO be dine abou. it." "Alanu-
factures Of the North" When the Her
aid reached Fort Hill, he Of course ro,ue, :
ked them. On one occasion he said Ia
me, HAS Mr.. Bennett nm idea how these
articles originatef'
mot the slightest" Sas my truthful
reply. .He probably supposes Italk with
you about matters and things in general,
and that these conversations had suggest
oil The articles" About that time you re-
celyei rom me q great many private let.
tefs giving you Me. Call,oun's views abou
men aud measures. Tread him those lett
tsrs, and before | sent the first one, he
made me go up stairs and add post
script which, as near rs I can recoleyt.
was as follows: "Tell Mr. Bennett that
my private opinions about men and mat
tiers are not 10 be used by him in any way
publicly while am alive, after am dead
ne may make them public" The words
made an impression upon my mind and
wrote you rs he desired. | WIS little
startled about year afterwards. when
seated IN the room in which he died, his
body IN the metallic case near me, to find
IN cop, Of the Herald Of the day preyi-
oas, which was handed me by his son,
large extracts from these identical letters
attached. He was dead, but a great many
ningle minded people give ,ne the credil
O being the salhor of soins Of those ire