Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-10-05
REMINIsCENC OF AN EDITORS
LIFE.
NO. VIII.
The Plotting and Cultivation of the Sc
cessiOn Movement Long Before the
Breaking Out of Hostilities-Im-
portant Testimony - Andrew
Jackson and John G. Cal

houn.
By Thomas Hale
To the Editor of the Free Press
During my first year in Alabama GS3O
and in fact, during my second year in that
State, and during my residence for year
and half ia Mississippi (near and in
Matched | heard much discussion of poll
tics, mainly concerning the secession and
Union phases of politics. There We're
democrats and Calhoun democrats, the
latter signifying States rights or secession
democrats the wings having no such di-
vision. They were all regarded and an
nounced by leading democratic politicians
as too much in favor of the North and
Northern men, some going so far as to de-
nounce them as abolitionists in disguise.
| distinctly remember Hon. Adam l..
Bingham, residing near -Nachez, Miss,
who, while running for Congress,
had the courage of his convic.
tions, and openly and boldly advocated
whig principles as held by the leading
wing statesmen of New England and New
York, and did not hesitate to pay the
highest compliments to Daniel Webster
and Henry Clay, declaring and proving
that only by an adherence to their princi-
pies could the Union be preserved. He
was denounced as an aboitionist-hut
this denunciation was regarded by the
great body of wings as mere political
clap-trap.
SECESSION AND REBELLION IN EMBRYO.
During the years of 1881 and 1888, l had
occasion to meet a young physician, DR..
Calhoun, whom well remember as being
either Il son or nephew of the late dis
tinguished John G. Calhoun of South
Carolina. | have been recently Informed
by grandson of the distinguished states
man, now residing IN New York, that the
doctor referred to was his uncle and the
third son of the late John & Calhoun. In
a long and Interesting conversation with
DR.. Calhoun, he said
The North and the South will even
tually have to separate. The people OF
the Two sections are widely different in
their social, financial and political rela
tous. They have grown up under totally
different civilizations. | don't blame the
people of the North for disliking slavery,
they have been educated to dislike and t.
even hate it, aud | can't blame them for
It, We of the South, on the contrary. have
been educated TO ike and foster the sys-
TEN of servitude, which our ance ,toIS for
lsheG ana bequeathed to Us. We of this
generation We're born with the responsible
tiles of the system upon our shoulders,
and we can not well throw 1t off, and |
don't know as we would if we could. The
two civilizations are SO different, there
must be, as Gov Seward expresses
1t, an irrepressble conflict. There must
De sooner or later separation between
the sections. But we are not vet ready
South Carolina is the only State that is
now ready although there is large ele-
ment III several other States that is in
sympathy with the ideas of South Caro-
lima. We are now working up the senti.
ment of separation, and as soon rs We can
get Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi to
join South Carolina in n secession move
ment, we will start. II won't do for one
State to start alone but with the three
great States named to join South Caro-
lima, the movement will begin. We will
90 peacefully II we can, but by force If we
must"
The above is substantially the collouuial
speech of DR.. Calhoun of Alabama, the
third son of the late John &. Calhoun, |
made to me in 1887 or 1888. In all proba-
bility an actual majority of the voting |
people Of Georgia, Alapama aud MsSi-ip |
p was not ready IN ID -cemDer, 1860, when. |
under the preteXt of Mr.. LincOlu's cleo
tion to the presidency, thu State OF south |
Carolina inaugurated the secession move
meDl. Georgia certainly was not READY, /
as her convention called for the purpose of /
making the secession movement proved /
But the fiery and threatening eluquence
Of William l.. Nancey and his colleagues
drove enough OF the timid sort INTO the
movement TO secure majority, as SINH
lar orators did in Virginia, Tennessee and
Louisiana.
JACKSON AND CALHOUN-A SOUTHERN CON
FEDERACY LONG AIMED AT-A sIGNIFI-
CANT LETTER.
After teaching year in Greensboro |
went to Demopolis. Marengo county,
where | remained year, boarding all
,he while in the family of Andrew Jack
son Crawford, nephew of President
Jackson, who appointed him registrer or
receiver at the land Office in Demopolis.
Crawford had frequent correspondence
with his uncle, both while president and
after his retirement from office. One letter
distinctly remember, as it had so much
political significance. 1t had reference to
The tariff act of Congress, passed in 1882 or
1888, and so hostile to its execution were