Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1878-11-07

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Senate, the conduct Of Nh. Calhoun
in this, the very crisis of his political
career, is thus graphically portrayed.
1t was known that he was opposed
to this bill, and he was now appealed
TO as tie supporter Of Gen. Jackson.
and candidate of the Republican.
Party for the Vice Presidency, and;
out Of regard to his own future pros-i
pets, not to give his casting veto
against it, but to leave the chair, as.
was not at all unusual, and allow the,
bill to take the chances, of the Senateg
Mr.. Calhoun knew the full import Of.
bis reply TO this appeal. If he not
only refused to pledge himself to q
"Judic;ous Tariff" but openly andy
nnequivocally took his stand agalns55j
the whole protective system, now3
overwhelmingly popular, he snrren-11
dered, in all human PROBABILITY, every
prospect of the Presidency, and musT
pass the remainder of his life in com
batting in small and hopeless mil
nority, not for POWER, not Tor gIoryf
but for Justice, and, in measured,
for the existence Of the South. He
was thus, iu a critical moment, called
en- to make, at once and foreverea,
decision which was to shape his dest
tiny, and perhaps the destiny of 1
whole people. He did not hesitate
He had now mastered the Constitu-
ton; lie also now saw clearly the,
fatal tendency Of the promineqsl
measures brought forward at the
close of The war; and, casting behihsA
him all the glorious labors Of tfsj
past, and all the brilliant prospects
of the future, holding in one hand ths
CONSTITUTE II, and in the other trutaS
Justice, and the violated rights of Ills
native land, he took his post with hts,
little band, wa5ed in the breach %
truceless war of two and twenty
years, and perished there. NeithT
ancient nor modern annals furniA,
a nob!er example of heroic sacrifice
of self. Peel yielded to popular as-
nands, and exchanged party for pup
lie gratitude and influence. Burke
gave up friends, but power smlS 20
upon him. Self banshed Aristiass
had already satiated his ambltis-slf. ?
Chato and Brutus persisted Sin IKE
shock. Ba5 in the early prime .9t,
Tic midway lis yet unchecked ca:
reer-witi the greatest Of ambitions
prizes but one bound ahead, Mr.,
Calhoun stopped and turned aside, to
lift from the dust the Constitution Of
bis country, tramplcd, soiied and
rent; and, bearing it alolt, conse-
Grated himself, his life, his talents
and his hopes 10 the arduous, but
sacred task Of handing it down to
future generations as pure as it was
when received frcm the fathers OF
the Revolution. Glorious and not
boolless struggle. Tie Constitution
has not been purified. 1t never will
be, but its principles have been made
immortal and will survive and flour
ish, though it shall, itself, be torn to
aton.s and given to the winds" OF
the great debate on the Force Bill,
in 1888, it is said his (Mr. Calhouhs)
speech is not surpassed by any re-
corded in modern or in ancient tines
not even by that of the great Athe'
nian on the Crown. This debate can
never be read without its being seen
and felt that Mr.. Webster, his only
opponent worthy to be named, gifted gifted
as he is universally acknowledged to
be, with talcats Of the highest order,
and remarkable even m're for his
power of reasoning than for his brill
liant defamation, was, on this memo
rabie occasion, dwarf in Il giants
grasp. He was Frustrated Oh every
ground that he assumed. And, if
logic, building on undoubted facts,
can demonstrate amy moral PROPOSE
ton, then Mr.. Calhoun made clear as
mathematical solution, his theory.of
our Government, and the right Of
each State to Judge Of infractlons Of
the Constitution, ana 10 determine
the mole and measure Of redress.
When The dust of ages shall have
covered alike the IN, the passions,
and the interests of that day, this,
speech Of Mr.. Calhoun will remain
to po: terity, not mere IL trump Phant
vindication Of the State of South
Carolina, but tower-light to sized
the brightest, purest, and truest rays
upon the path of every COnfederacy
of Free States that shall arise upon
the earth" Analysing Mr.. Calhounis
moral and mental qualities, the writer
continues. Mr.. Calhoun's -nosal
character, as exhibited to the public,
was of the Roman stamp. Lofty in
his sentiments, stern in his 5eh bring,
inaexible in his opinions, there was
no sacrifice he would not have made
without a momnnts hesitation, and
few that he did not make, 10 his