Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1874-06-20

John {. Calhoun.

ronCalhoun's prediction 0: 1862,
wsch says;
T"Thc blacks, and the pronigatc
't!hitcs that might unite with them,
would become the principal recipients
Of the Federal Offices and patronage
and would in consequence be raised
above the whites of the South in the
political and social scale We would.
in a word, change conditions with
them, n degradation greater than has
vet fallen 10 the lot of free and en-
lightcncd people, and one from which
we could not escape, should enamel
patton take place (Which it certainly
will if not prevcntcd,) but by fleeing
the homes of ourselves and our an
ccstors, and by abandoning our coun-
try to our former slaves, to become
the permanent abode of disorder, an
archv. poverty, misery and wretched-
ness"
The above language, uttered over
forty years ago, contains a prediction
which the current events of the pres
cnt day render singulary remarkable.
IL was in itself a prophecy which the
author could hardly have believed ca
pablc of being realized in so short a
time. 1t was received by some as
the eXtravagant eXageration of the
possible rather than what could rcas-
onably he supposed probable result
in this country. by others it was
looked upon as the ou,pourings of a
crazy fanatcism, while third party
looked upon it as deliberately design
ed effort to excite sectional animosity
that would ultimately lead to dis
solution of the Union. Like the
prophecies Of Cassandra, the words of
Mr.. Calhoun fell upon deaf cars, and
his warning voice was lost in the
stormy struggle of parties Yet his
words have come true and the picture
which he painted is now before ""'
The men who charged MT Iaihouh
n, n traitor IN his heart, and called
him John Coioiine Calhoun, because
he imagined such things possible, were
the very men who verified his predic-
tions and filed out his picture.
When IIazael ;>thc Syrian general,
visited the prophet Eliccus, to inquire
as to the result of the sickness with
which Benedad, the King, was then
afflicted, and when the prophet, hav-
ing answered him, wcpf. "And IIa-
zael said to him: Why doth my
Lord weep? And he said :-Bccause
l know the evil that thou will do to
the children of Isracl.-Their strong
cities thou wilt burn. with fire, and
their young men thou wilt kill with
the sword, and thou wilt dash their
children and rip up their pregnant
women And IIazacl said: But
what am |, thy servant, dog, that |
should do this great thing?"
The events that have occurred
since Mr.. Calhoun's death, have tend
cd to elevate his !. character in the
eyes of many wh9Nreated his opin-
ions, while living with indifference.
No one can now doubt his wonderful
foresight, his capacity for linking
cause and effect, his honesty.
Mr.. Calhoun never intrigued for
the President, he cared little for Office,
except when be could make it means
of serving the country {; he never made
his private feelings subservient to
what might be thought his public in
terest, be was too lofty in bis person
al independence 10 dcmagogue. He
was, in truth, the only statesman the |
United States have had in the last fif- |
~ years All the other so-called states
men that figured in public life during
that period were mere traflickers in
politics, who never rose above the
dea of personal or party rivalry.
Their = . c'ual acumen never ex-
ended beyond the present, they were
,earsighted as to the future. They
carried into all their public policy the
,etty spirit of Yankee horse-swap:
heir great principal was expedency,
Ind their great panacea in every ques-
ion of political right was comprom-
Sc. They first compromised the
lights Of southern States in the Ter. {
itorics, next the rights of the States