Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-05-24
Remarkable Conversation with
Mr.. Calhoun.
he PREDICTS SECESSION NEARLY FIr1Y YEAR
AGO.

Mr. CalnOun.
BE PREDICTS SECESSION NEARLY FIFTY YEARS
AGO.
4 private letter from the venera BILE
Commodore Stewart, is published in the
Eastern papers, in which he gives a very
interesting account Of a conversation
which he held with the late John G.
Calhoun, at Washington, in December
1872. Com. Stewart had cultivated very
friendly relations with the South Caro-
lima Representative, and frequently dis.
cussed political matters with him. On
one occasion the conversation turned
upon points Of unusual importance, and
is thus described in the letter:
One evening. struck On the divided
views of our sectional interests, Of the
war-stated to him that the opposite
feelings on this subject had puzzled me
exceedingly, and asked him how it>was
that the Planting States were go strongly
and SO decidedly in favor Of the war,
while the Commercial States we're so
much opposed to it. With this latter
section Of our country 1t seemed to me
thatthe punishment Of England, through
the medium Of war, ought to meet their
highest appreciation, and call for their
greatest efforts, as they were the great
est sufferers through her instrumentality
and power over our commercial affairs,
since 1902 which were SO ~arrogantly
urged by plunder and impressment on
the highway of nations, while the
Southern portion of the Union had felt
but little in comparison. I observed,
with great simplicity, You in the South
and Southwest are decidedly the aris-
tocratic portion of this Union; you are
so in holding persons in perpetuity in
slavery; you are so in every domestic
quality; so in every habit of your lives,
living and actions; SO in habits, customs,
intercourse and manners; you neither
work with your hands, head, nor ma
chinery, but live and have your living.
not in accordance with the will of your
Creator, but by the swea, of Slavery
and yet you assume all the attributes,
professions, and advantage Of Democ.
racy."
Mr.. Calhoun replied: 81 see you
speak through the head of young
statesman, and from the heart of pa,
triot, but you lose sight of the politi
clan and the sectional policy Of the
people. I admit your conclusions in
respect to us Southrons That we are
essentially aristocratic, cannot deny
but we can and do yield much to De-
mocracy. This is our sectional policy;
we are from necessity thrown upon and
solemnly welded to that party, however
it may occasionally clash with our feel
ings for the conservation of our interests
1t is through our afiliation ,oith thai
party in the Middle and Wcsteru States
that zoe hold pouer; but ,ohen zee cease
thus to control this nation through dis
jointed Democracy, or dny material OBJ
stacle in that party aohich shall tend to
throao as ont Of that rule and control, zoe
shall then resort to the dissolution Of The
Union.
"The compromises in the Constitution,
,, under the circumstances, were sufficient
for our fathers; but under the altered
condition OF our country from that Pc
ried, leave to the South no resource but
dissolution; for no amendments to the
Constitution could be reached through
convention of the people under their
three fourths rule" l laughed incred-
ulously, and said, "Well, Mr.. Calhoun
ere such can take place, you and 1 will
have been so long non est, that we can
now laugh at its possibility, and leave
it with complacency to our children's
children, who will then have the watch
on deck"
Alas! how entirely were the views Of
that young headed statesman circum
scribed by the patriotic feelings of his
heart. What he then thought an i'm.
possibility for human hands to effect
for ages on ages to come, he now see;
verified to the letter as predicted by thai
far-seeing statesman, John G, Calhoun