The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1857-03-11

pulsive, irritable and eccentric; more deep
ly read than his father, yet knowing even
less Of mankind. A splendid writer, a
master of rhetoric, defiant in his opinions,
easily inaamed brave to martyrdom, yet
so frigid, formal and saturnine that few
could approach, and none could love him.
His political opinions were erratic and
variable, and were, all his life, controlled,
more or less, by personal resentments.
His first great apostacy may be traced
to this source, aud to the same feeling
may be Justly attributed the war that he
waged against domestic servitude in his
latter days--a war utterly at variance
with his recorded and deliberate opinions
when Secretary of State,
Mr.. Crawford was man of colossal
stature and massive intellect. In as
tronomy or mathematics he would have
been pre-eminent. No man in this or
any other country had more thorough
and orthodox knowledge of political econ
lomy, and especially of finances. He
spoke with great cogency, and WELD
ed a luminous pen. A Virginian by birth
and education, he carried the political
topinions of the renowned commonwealth
into Georgia, and, until he was stricken
down by paralysis on the Threshold of the
Presidency, she never wayered from the
Itrne Jefersonian faith Her subsequent
career has been one OF Inconsistency and
Terror, until lately she has taken her stand
las the empire State of Democracy; great
in her resources, great in her moral and
| physical Gevelopement, great in the ability
and reputation Of her sons.
The third on this list--she proud sen-
| sitiye Garolinian was tall, but not stately;
rather with the slightstoop of a student
than the presence of a soldier, with strong
ly-lihed intellectual features aud inan-
Iners simple and winning as child's.--
The young loved him most, for lis noble
heart and generous affections were fenced
in by no congentionalities but were freely,
land often injndiciousiy bestowed Few
public men have saf1ered more from isIS
timed con6dences, or paid; witilottseiaehe
ing, heavier for the indiseretions Of others.
| A man Of purer sentiments of sitHplerhahts
lor more irreproachable morals, never hv-
led. The atmosphere of the metropolis,
Tits syrens aud scdaetions, had for him no
| taint. Calumny itself never imputed TO
lhim,r during q lifetime of @tcmetatien.s a
single lapse efrom virtue. Yet he viewed
with no ascetc eye the infrmities of others,
and never pursued error as a crime. His
most intimate frieRd-the late Warren
r. Davis-one of the most gifted men OF
his day--was proverbial for his fraiities
and indiscretiohs. Mr.. Calhoun Was fix
4 ed, rigid and immovable in his notions OF
fright and wrong He early adopted GER
tain great principles for the regulation OF
his political Conduct but, with singular
blindness, he constantly wandered from
them. His intellectual vision, miraculous
4 ly acute in all other respects, was notori-
ously obtuse when studying himself. Tt
I the last hour of his life he was per
suaded that his political career was mi
else his Inconsistencies were transparent
He was less deeply read than Mr.. Adsins
!. he knew less of mankind than Mr.. Crsw
! ford; nothing of the management or dicip
4 line Of party. But he had more intellec
more individuality-more concentrs
tiyeness--more enthusiasm--a higher sn,
purer appreciation Of truth, than eithe
of them, or any other statesman eur ceun
try has produced
Mr.. Writ the Attorney General, was G
large stature and of heavy cast of feature
with little, at that period, TO indicst
the vivid imagination that colored and eN
aggerated his early productions. He va
either too florid or too jejune, always to-
!, elaborate. He was an excellent man;
little too sanity, perhaps in after life
in atonement for early indiscretions, a
the feudal barons founded mon astaries il
compensation for their crimes; q delight
E full comna1ion--verys susceptible Of fat
, tery--very didactic-very creduious. AM
very ambitious as his acceptance of tn
Anti-Masonic nomination for the Presi
dency, at an advanced period of his life
, demonstrates nomination truely GreS
man would have scorned to accept eve,
though certain of success; aud which end
ed-as it deserved to do-in disgracefu
abortion-a complete eclipse of Mr.. Writ
. political sun, and soon after he died {
, vexation and disappointment.
t This Cabinet, it may readily be Inferred
: was the Government They made of Nj
S Monroe mere pageant. He trsveie
i, from city to city, and from State to Stat,
r while his ministers conducted sfairs.
this respect they anglicised our Govern
n ment, for the time being. The Splendi
d diplomatic correspondence of Mr. Adam:
: elaborate, highly finished, and full Of ms
n tional spirit; luminous treasury reports
It Mr., Crawford; and the powerful impetu
It given to Notifications, internal improve
y ments and manufactures by Mr. CalhouI
d withdrew public attention entirely froI
IS President Monroe. The Cabinet VS.
IS everything. The game was for the Pret
(. idency, aud each of the triumvirate pla,
n ed a bold hand for it, Mr. Calhoua tn
g boldest and most hazardous, full of prom