The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1861-06-08
from the New York Tribune.
CONVERSATION VITA. ].
- C. CALHOUN. 's=
LETTER FROM COMMODORE STEWART.
BoDEETowN, May a, 1856.

. .
LETTER FROM COMMODORE STEWART.
BoDENTowN, May 4, 1861.
ky Dear Sir: Agreeably to your re-
quest l now furnish you with the reminis-
cences of conversation which passed be-
tween Mr.. John 9. Calhoun and myself in
the latter part of December, 1919, after the
declaration of war by the Congress of the
United States against Great Britain, on the
! 9th of June previous.
On the assembling of Congress in the
early part of December, l found that an i'm
portsnt portion of. the leading Democratic
Members of Congress had taken up their
quarters at Mrs. Bushby's boarding house,
among whom was Mr.. Calhoun, new mem
| Der from South Carolina-and believe this
was his first appearance in the House of
| Representatives. In consequence Of this,
| took Lieutenant Ridgely, my confidential Of
| 6cer, and the First Lieutenant of the frigate
Constitution, of which vessel then held
the command, ard was preparing for sea at
the Washington Navy Yard, left our lodg-
| ings at Strother's, and obtained board at
Mrs. Bushby's with them. Ridgely was
witty and able talker, who could aid me in
demonstrating the necessity for. and the
high policy of, formidable naval force
| wheIewith to carry on war with England,
which l considered could only be done with
effect through her being VIGOROUSLY struck
at on an element over which she deemed
herself sole mistress. This appeared to me
to constitute her most tender point.
By this movement found myself judi
ciously located to enable me to urge upon
! Congress any patriotic measures which
seemed best calculated to meet and discom-
fit the self-suficiency and arrogance of our
oppressive enemy. 4Ha ...
MIR. Calhoun's age, l thought, approx
mated my own, which was 81 and, being
a man of the highest order of talent, and
representing a State in our Union which
scarce ever permitted themselves to be rep
resented by inferior ability in the national
councils, could not have commenced my
object with one more fitted for the purpose
1 1 had in view. He was also high minded
and honorable man, kind and friendly as
we'll as open and confding to those he deem
ed worthy. We soon formed an intimacy.
and frequently had long conversations with
him, on the war, the subjects relating there
to, and matters growing out of its existence
the Navy being the most prominent-the
gunboats, the merchants bonds then on the
tapis, Congress, and other matters of polit-
struck on the divided views Of sectional in
te,ests, of the war-stated to him that
the opposite feelings on this subject had
puzzled me amazingly, and asked him how
twas that the planting states were so strong
ly and so decidedly in favor of the war,
: while the commercial States were 50 much
opposed to it. With this latter section of
, our country it seemed to me that the pun
ishment of England, through the medium
} of war, ought to meet their highest appro-
f baton, and call for their greatest efforts, as
they were the greatest sufferers through her
fundamentally and power over our COM
, mercial affairs, since 1893, which were SO
arrogantly urged by plumber and impress
/ ment on the highway of nations, while the
southern portion of the Union had felt but
little in comparison. observed with great
simplicity, " You in the South and South
west are decidedly the aristocratic portion
of this Union, you are SO in holding per-
sons in perpetuity in slavery; you are so in
domestic quality so in every habit of your
lives, living and actions so in habits, Gus
toms, intercourse and manners; you neither
work with your hands, head, nor any ma
chinery, nut live and have your living, not
in accordance with the will of your Creator,
but by the sweat of slavery, and yet you
assume all the attributes, professions and
advantages of Democracy"
Mr.. Calhoun replied 'I see you speak
through the head of young statesman, and
, from the heart of patriot, but you lose
sight of the politician and the sectional pol
icy of the people. admit your conclusions
in respect to US southrons. That We are
essentially aristocratic, / cannot deny, but
we can and do yield much to Democracy
This is our sectional policy we are from
, necessity thrown upon and solemenly we'd
ded TO that party, however it may occasion
aily clash with our feelings for the conserv-
alton of our interests. It is through our
affiliations with that party in the Middle and
Western States that We hold power but
when we cease thus to control this nation
through a disjointed Democracy, or any
material obstacle in that party which shall
tend to throw US out of that rule and con-
troll, we shall then resort to the dissolution
of the Union. The compromises in the Con-
stitution, under the circumstances, were
sufficient for our fathers, but under the al
tered condition of our country from that
period, leave to the South no resource but
!. dissolution for no amendments to the Con-
stiiution could be reached through a con-
yention of the people under their three
fourths rule" laughed incredulously, and
. said, 81 Well, Mr.. Calhoun, ere such can take
, place, you and will have been SO long non
!, est, that we can now laugh at its possibility,
and leave it with complaeency to our child
ren's children who viii then have the watch
on deck
II Alas, my dear sir, how entirely were the
views of that 'tyoung headed statesman -