Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-07-02
Mistellamenns Anieles.

Mistellaueuas Aniles.
JOHN CALDWELL CALHOUN.
BY JAMES PARTON.
Patrick Calhoun, the father of the cele
brated Nullifer of South Carolina, was sis
years of age when his family emigrated
from the North of Ireland. The family
consisted of the parents, four sons and 9
daughter, of whom Patrick was the young
est son. Landing at Philadelphia, they
settled in one of the neighboling counties
of Pennsylvania, and afterwards removed
to the new country in Western Virginia.
In 1855, while they were clearing farm
and founding home in that western viii.
derness, the defeat of Gen. Braddock let
loose the Indians upon them, and they took
refuge in the western part of South Caro-
lima, which was then an unpeopled forest.
By this time, Patrick Calhoun was a man
of twenty.nine years of age, but still bach
elor. The party had increased in numbers
by the addition of relations and neig ghbors,
but for many years the place of their abode
was called the Calhoun settlement.
When they had been five years in their
new home, powerful band of Cherokees
broke upon the settlement, killed one half
the men, drove the rest of the people away,
and burned every building to the ground.
It YVES not until three years after that it
was safe for them to return. The survi-
wing proprietors, of whom Patrick Calhoun
was one, then rebuilt their log huts, res
tored their fences and barns, and began
anew the cultivation of their lands. Du-
ring the years of peace which followed,
Patrick Calhoun married, and learned the
art of surveying land.
Before John G. Calhoun was born, the
storm of the Revolution reached the CAL
houn settlement, during which Patrick
Calhoun displayed degree of heroism and
endurance seldom equaled. When that
storm had gone by, his youngest son, John
Caldwell Calhoun, (born in 1882 was a
year old. ...
During the first thirteen years of this
boys life his chief instructor was his father,
who, however, taught his children little ex-
cept politics. Patrick Calhoun was more
a democrat than Jefferson himself, and
poured into the boys mind the most ex-
treme democratic doctrines. He died in
1895, when his yougest son was thirteen
years old, leaving his wife considerable
farm, upon which she continued to live with
her son John. Until he was eighteen years
of age, he was mere country lad, who
ploug he'd his mothers fields and amused
himself with hunting and fishing. He used
to say that at that age he could read, write,
cipher and talk politics, and had read moth
ing but the histories of Rollin and Robert
son, Voltaire's life of Charles the Twelfth,
Capt. Cooks voyages, and parts Of one or
two other works.
At that time he had brother living in
Charleston, who was clerk in store. This
brother, coming home in May, 1900, to
spend the summer, as usual, conceived the
idea that the young man was wasting his
life and talents, and strongly advised him
to 20 to college and learn profession.
The youth required little urging. Within
month after his brothers return home,
he was established at an academy in Geor-
gia. He mentions in one of his letters,
that in two years and three months from
the day he looked into Latin grammar, he
entered the junior class of Yale College at
New Haven. At college, where democrat
ic opinions were held in something approach
ing execration, he boldly professed and de-
Tended his principles. He was almost the
only democrat in class of seventy stu
dents. One day, in the presence of the
class, the President asked him:
"What is the legitimate source of pow
er?'
'sThe people" answered Calhoun.
The President endeavored to show the
fallacy of this opinion, but Calhoun could
not be convinced. He replied to the learn
ed President, and the whole hour was spent
in discussing the question. The President,
it seems, conceived a high idea of the young
mans ability, and predicted his future emf
nence.
He graduated from college exactly four
years from the time when he began his
studies in Georgia. After spending year
and half at law school in Connecticut,
he returned to his native place, aged twen-
ty-four years, and while he was still study
ing law, the circumstances occurred which
made him public man.
The United States frigate Chesapeake,
in June, 1907, was fired into by the Brit
ish frigate Leopard, near Fortress Monroe,
because the American captain would not
allow his vessel to be searched for British
deserters. The Chesapeake received TWEEN,
ty-one shots in her hull, and had twenty-one
men killed and wounded, after, which, be,
ing totally disabled, she struck her colors,
the search was made, and four deserters
were taken out. This affair, as may be
imagined, reused the nation to fury, and
meetings were held in almost every town tc
denounce it. Such a meeting was held
near the home of the Calhouns, and this
young student, so recently from college, the
son of Patrick Calhoun, who had represen
ted the district for thirty years in the leg.
islature, was naturally asked to write, move,
and support the resolutions.
He accepted the duty, and performed il
so we'll that at the next election, he was
chosen a member of the legislature by al
unusual majority. Thus introduced into
nubl;o l;fa his nrooress in II was remark