Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-08-17

ETelL lulelleCI .OeSlOeS: VIC lStteA W a. Jul ~
because it was "secret" letter, and impli-
Gated Mr.. Munro and Mr.. Rhea was used as
Mason" to appeal to his brother Mason,
General jackson, to suppress it, and he says
he did burn it about six years after it was
written, that it might not be used and Cen
eral jackson is made to say be never showed
it to any man except Col. McNary, of Nash
vile. Then, after all this solemnity, aud after
! Mr.. Munro and Mr.. Rhea are both dead, and
about thirty years after the date of the let
ter, General jackson himself is set forth as
revealing the substance and contents of this
very letter from memory, so that if there
ever was any harm it it, it is BOW made to do
double wrong, aad to inflict far greater
injury upon the character of Mr.. Munro than
in any aspect it ever could do to MIR. Calhoun
But it is not my purpose to examine that
part of Mr. Benton's book, or any part OF it,
except where in some prominent events, he
uses me as witness or evidence upon which
to make grave charges against Mr. Calhoun
and South Carolina. will not examine his
account of the meeting and organization Of
the twenty-sixth Congress, however unjust
that account may be, but merely few promi
ncnt points he makes elsewhere, and particu-
larly where l am the only living witness now
who can set things forth in their proper light.1
Mr. Calhoun and Mr. Polk are both dead,
and Mr. Benton has used my name to make
grave charges against both these distinguished
men. I know the public can never feel much
interest in anything said or done by so hum
BILE citizen as myself; but as everything
connected with the integrity and reputation
of these two illustsious statesmen will be
deeply interesting in history, and particularly
as Mr.. Calhoun's life is bound up in the CHAR
acter and history Of South Carolina, trust,
under these circumstances the public will
consider it no intrusion upon my part to
place my evidence before them. do so cn-
tircly from q sense OF duty.
Mr. Benton's great labor and enlarged rcpu-
tation will make his book more studied by
the young men Of intellect in the United
States than any other political book Of the
day. In fact, it is the only book that
pretends to be political history OF the last
forty years of our Government.
In vol. 3D. aud at page ESQ, I find an ac
count Of visit made to Mr.. Polk, August,
1914. He says: He Chat is y made known
the condition on which the vote of South
Carolina for him Mr.. Polk) might be depen-
dent. That condition was to discontinue Mr.,
Blair as the organ OF the Administration, if
! he should be elected. Mr.. Polk was certain
of the vote of the State if he agreed to the
REQUIRED condition, and he did so. Mr.. Blair
was agreed to be given up, &c. That was
propitiation to Mr.. Calhoun, to whom Mr..
Blair was obnoxious on account Of his mex
orable opposition to qualification and its au-
thor"
/ will not follow him in his comments, and
the account he gives Of Mr. Ritchie, and the
means used to purchase out Messrs. Blair and
Rives. He mentions no other understanding
or condition, and seems to think OF no other
object in view, in going to see MIR. Polk at
that period, than miserable and petty in
trieue to turn out Mr.. Blair, and then makes
extensive developments which followed, all
turning upon that affair." There never was a
more exaggerated or egregious mistake. The
book will be looked upon, in after time, as
history. I feel tia duty to state fully the
far more important objects was charged with
in that visit, than the one he has developed
with so much solemn emphasis.
The great Democratic Convention was to
meet in Nashville, August, 1914, when dele
gates from all the States West and South
were appointed I had been authenticity
informed that this convention was got up in
Washington, in consultation with Mr.. Cal
houn and Mr.. NIcDutfie, and under their eX-
press sanction. MIR. McDuifie was 70 60 TO
it as a representative from South Carolina
| There had been some excitement and division
made in that State by what was called the
"Blufton Meeting" and those connected |ith
| it were understood to be in favor of urging
the State to separate and independent move
ment against the tariff ut that time. Not
| long before the day fos the meeting of the
! Nashville Democratic Convention, received
a letter from Mr.. Calhoun, who was then
Secretary of State unler President Tyler,
stating that, owing to Mr.. McDuffies extreme
delicate health, he would not so on to Nash
Vile, as was intended, and urging me, IN the
most decided manner, 10 SO on IN his place.
| | was then member of our State Senate.
and had withdrawn from Federal politics.
and most respectfully declined; but Mr.. CAL
houn Immediately wrote again, still urging
me to CO. a few days after, | met Col.
Elmorc, at Democratic meeting, in Angus
ta Georgia. think 9Th Of August-who
told me he had received letters from Mr..
Calhoun 20 the same effect OF mine, and after
conversing fully with hira, agreed to go to
Nashville, but very reluctantly, and upon the
condition that he would have the fact an
nounced in the Mercury, that they were glad
to know taat had consented to so to Nash
vile in the place of Mr.. McDufie. I think
some such announcement will be found in
the Mercury's editorial, between the 18th and
18th of August, 1911. Those acquainted
with the local politics of South Carolina, at
that particular period, will at once perceive
my object in having this inserted in that pa
per, and by Col Elmorc. 1t will be recol-
| iccted that Mr.. Polk had written lis ceGbra-
ted "Kane Letter" to Pennsylvania, which
looked like adhcring to a tariff. for protection
pea, Sc, unless construed strictly by his former
votes and speeches in Congress. This letter
had created great uncasness in tho public
mind throughout the South. Ny object in
having an interview with Mr.. Polk, before
spoke at any convention, was to have tho
rough understanding as to the true meaning
Of that letter, and to know, in detail, what
would be the policy of his administration as
to tariff and the repeal of tue odious and
unjust tariff Of 1912.
With this view, we vert over the tariff Of
1883 and 1872 and compared them together,
provision by provision, and if his library be
preserved, pencil marks, in my hand writing,
will be found in the margin of both these tariffs,
and the alterations and changes agreed upon
in consultation. Suffice it to say, that speci-
#yidc "Gentou's Thirty Years in United States
Senate" l vol, page l69. sIide, also, "Work of
Calhoun )" vol. 6, page 349.
Bonton's 6 Thirty Years IN United States Sen