The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1858-08-11
Jefferson and Calhoun.

They were men OF genius. II was re-
Gently remarked, We believe by Hid retk
that there We're more ideas in the head ,f
Mr.. Jefferson Than in all Virginia AT the
present momeut and it may be said that
Mr.. Calhoun was so Tar superior 10 his co
temporarics, that they were unable TO com
rteiend i'Is pulmical theories, or his pro-
iorni anily.l. Of the unmerical and con
c"'ienl m"J"rtics which enter into the
composition of cOiStinrI"n.I governments
II II he asked where are the proofs OF their
genius? We reply that the system Of GOV
ernment which was organized aud inucu
rated 10y Jefferson, nud which continued
TO be the policy OF his par,izans down to
1888. is Sufficient proof for hc overthrew
tue project Of consolidating the govern
ment, which bad been introduced hy John
Adams and the Federalists, and placed
tue general, OF fedora! government on the
republican track, with strict con>truc
ton OF the Constitution Of The United
States for its main. spring Of action. This
was really organizing n perfectly original
system OF government, and is therefore 10
he numbered among the works o( genius.
And about equal praise Is due to Mr..
Calhoun. He perceived. on his accession
10 the Senate III 1893, that the govern.
ment had s;rayed from the straight path,
that It mad wandered from the track " hch
had been established by Mr.. Jefferson,
aud that our Fedora, Union was fast ten
ding to a constellation Of the State apd
Federal Governments that a great bank
had been chartered, which was coirnpiinp
the morals of the people; that vast sys.
tenn OF /. internal Improvements was pro-
Jected, requiring immense treasures tor its
prosecution; and that, to acquire this sum
tariff Of protection, not of revenue, had
been created, by which the people of one
portion Of tile Union had been taxed for
the benefit ofanotlcr lie declared war
against these measures and defeated them
all, in series Of intellectual combats that
have had no parallel in the history of
parliamentary discussion. The first foe
that fell was the protective tariff; by the
compromise bill of 1888 then the United
States Bank went down never to rise
again, and the system OF internal improve.
ments was abandoned to its fate. :.
In destroying these heresies, he restored
the Constitution 10 its pristine purity, and
impaired TO the Government its recupera.
live power. 10 genius, therefore they
stand pre- eminent among tire law givers
OF modern times. Nor did they display
lack of ability in re organizing the Gov.
ernment We have recently noticed the
nc.ions Ot Jefferson on his accession 30 tie.
IbesIdeucy IN. ! sol. We shall not, there
fore, repeat them here. Bur let US AS
certain Ilie force OF NJ. Cuhcun's abllIy.
He restored Free Trade. lie returned Io
the pockets Of the people the money
which bad been illegally exacted in the
shape OF tariffs. He resisted the aggres.
sions Of the AbOlitioDis,s. whose object
was, and is, TO desolate. depopulate and
destroy the Southern States. lie was
the ablest contributor in the work Of es
tablishing the lndependeut Treasury, by
which the General Government WAS for.
ever divorced IRON the banking system.
breaking the chain OF matrimony with
those heavy blows which resounded
through every valley and echoed from
every mountain from Maine to Mexico,
from Arkansas to the Atlantic
h the purchase Of louisiana was due
TO Mr.. Jefferson, the annexation to Texas
was reward Of Mr.. Calhoun Tor lis earnest
interest in the prosperity and prospects, of
that great State. T.ssacqnis'tiou OF Lou
isianna augmented the territory Of the old
thirteen States lp twice their original ex,
tent. aud the accession OF Texas 10 the
Union a,dsd y vast regios is capable, and
by compact with the Federal Government
is destined to be divided into foUr mag.
niicent States. In = word, the difference
between Jefferson and Calhoun consisted
ia tl,is, that the first originated our repub
lican system. and the other restored tilat
system 10 health after il had been reduced
to its last gssp.'-- Mobile Mercury.