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

written, that it might not be used; and Gen
ersl Jackson is made to say he never showed
it to any man except Col McNary, of Nash
Vile. Then, after all this solemnity, and 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, il is now made to do
double wrong, and to iafict far greater
injury upon the character Of Mr.. Munro than
in any aspect it ever could do to Mr. Calhoun
But it is not my purpose to examine that
part of Mr.. Benton's book, OF 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 I Will not examine his
account Of the meeting and organization Of
the twenty-sixth Congress, however unjust
that account may be, butlnerely a few promi
ncnt points he makes elsewhere, and particu-
larIy where am the only living witness now
who can set things forth in their proper light.f
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 illustrious statesmen will be
deeply interesting in history, and particularly
as Mr.. Calhoun's life is bound up in the char
actcr and history of South Carolina, trust,
under these circumstances the public will
consider it no intrusion upon my part to
place my evidence beloie them. do SO CHI
tirely from sense OF duty.
Mr.. Benton's great labor and enlarged repu-
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 a political history OF the last
forty years Of our Government.
Tn vol. ID, and at page ESQ, I find an ae--
count of q visit I made to Mr. Polk, August,
1914. He says: He (that is y made known
the condition on which the vote OF South
Carolina for him (NIr. 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 il he agreed to the
required condition, and he did so. Mr.. Blair
was agreed to be given Up, &c. That was
propitistion to Mr.. Calhoun, to whom MIR.
Blair was obnoxious on account OF his mex
orable opposition to notification 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 Mr.. Polk at
that period, than miserable and petty in
tricue to turn out Mr.. Blair, and then makes
extensive developments which followed, all
turning upon that affair. There never was
more exaggerated or egregious mistake. The
book will be looked upon, in after time, as
history. feel it a duty to state fully the
far more important objects I 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, lS44, when dele
Gates from ell 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.. McDufie, and under their ex-
press sanction. Mr.. McDuffie was to go to
it as representative from South Carolina.
There had been some excitement and division
made in that State by wnat was called the
"Blufton Meeting" and those connected with
it were understood to be in favor of urging
the State to separate and independent move
ment against the tariff st that time. Not
| long before the day for the meeting of the
| Nashville Democratic Convention, received
! letter from Mr. Calhoun, who was then
Secretary Of State under President Tyler,
stating that, owing to Mr. McDuffie's extreme
delicate health, he would not so on to Nash
vile, as was intended, and urging me, in the
most decided manner, to 60 on IN his place.
| was then member of our State Senate,
and had withdrawn froIa Federal politics,
and most respectfully declined; but MIR. Cal
hun Immediately wrote again, still urging
me to 60. A few days after, | met Col
Elmorc, at Democratic meeting, in Angus
ia, Georgia. think 4Lh of AuguSt-who
told me he had received letters from Mr.
Calhoun to the same effect Of mine, and after
convcrsing fully with him, / agreed to 60 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 50 to Nash
Vile in the place of Mr.. McDuffie. think
some such announcement will be found in
| the Mercurys editorial between the 4th 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. Emore. 1t will be rccol-
icctcd that Mr. Polk had written his celcbra-
ted "Kane Letter" to Pennsylvania, which
looked like adhcring to a tariff for protection
per Sc, unless construed strictly by his former
votes and speeches in Congress. This letter
had created great uncasiness in the 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 a tariff and the repca: of the odlous and
unjust tariff Of 1912.
With this view, we wcat over the tariff Of
1888 and 1912, and compared them together,
provision by provision, AID il 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
#ride "Denton's Thirty Years in United States
Senate" vol, page lG9. Vide, also, "Work Of
Calhoun; vol. g. page 349.
Bcnton's 6. Thirty Years in United States Sen
ate :" roll, chap. cYi, page $50.