The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1888-05-24
CALHOUN AND CLEMSON.
Reminiscences Of Visit to Fort HiII--Faot
About Its Owner.

The tidings have recently come of the
death of the Hon. Il. @. Clemson. Mr..
Clemson's close relationship to one of
the greatest, if not the greatest of
American statesmen, John O. Calhoun,
renders him parsonage of special inter
est to the American people.
The name OF Calhoun is q synonym of
all that is excellent in American states
manshlp. The largest Drained man our
country has ever produced, one of the
immortal trio of great national leaders,
the embodiment of the grand principles
OF pure Democracy (not the degenerate
stuff now called Democracy O man
possessing on intuitive insight into the
problems of government, Calhoun stands
peerless in American history. Mr.. Glenn
son married the only daughter of Gal
| houn, and was himself for long while
prominent in public life, having once
filled the position of United States min-
ister to some foreign country-Belgium
L think.
1t was once my pleasure to visit Mr..
| Clemson in his Fort Hill residence, the
old homestead of Mr.. Calhoun. The
residence is one of exquisite beauty,
situated on high point overlooking the
Seneca River, in what is called the sup
country" of South Carolina. 1t is four
| miles from Pendleton, which is on the
Blue Ridge Railroad, and about EIGHT
miles from Seneca City, OF the crossing
of that road and the Atlanta and Rich.
mond Air Line Railroad. NV visit was
In the spring of 1877. Mr.. Clemson
| lived In this country villa all alone. His
| wife had been dead some years, his only
| son had been killed in railroad acci
| dent, and his only daughter was living
with relative, Mrs. Lee, think.
According to an old custom [ was in
vlted to breakfast with him. The meal,
though simple enough, was served in
| the old'time style, in elaborate table
ware, silver plate, &c. The meal was
concluded with lucious Strawberries of
three varieties, sweet and juicy. After
breakfast we went to the drawing-room,
and MIR. Clemson brought out his pipes
and tobacco-seyeral varieties of each,
he offered his guest pipe, which was
century old, made of bluo soapstone.
weighing not less than q pound, and
having an Indians head elaborately
carved on it. He said that this pipe was
given by Indians to Mrs. Calhoun's
father in treating for tho Fort Hill place
in 1777.
The visitor was at length conducted
to most elegant parlor, and was shown
the exact spot on the rich carpet whore
Mr.. Clemson stood when he was united
IN marriage to Miss Calhoun, the old
gentleman dwelling on these sacred
memories until the mist gathered in his
eyes. Around every object in the room
seemed to cluster many pleasant associa-
tlons with the loved departed.
The next place Of interest visited was
the library Of Mr.. Calhoun, circular
building in the beautiful grass .carpeted
yard, with an ice house under it. Mrs.
Calhoun used to say that she had tho
leo house under the library to keep her
husbands head cool. There-all around
the room-were the literary treasures of
the great statesman, the largest and
choicest private library have ever seen,
with one exception. In the centre Of
the room upon stand was life-sizc
plaster of Paris bust of Mr.. Calhoun,
Mr. Clemson was an ardent lover of
science and literature, and upon anv
SUBJECT he could entertain with all
the fascination of charming romance.
how beautiful and thrillingly interesting
the most commonplace subject became
under his magic touches. After lapse
of eleven years L remember with great
vlVidness his luminous utterances upon
one or two questions of mineralogy and
electricity, which came up incidentally in
Tree conversation.
He seemed to dwell continually on the
memory of the grandeur CT Mr.. Culhoun's
great name and great fame. In the midst
OF hls enthusiastic eulogies OF the illust-
rlous statesman he asked his guest if he
had ever read certain of Calhoun's books,
HIS look OF lneXpressible surprise at a
confession of total Ignorance of the
books referred to will never be forgotten.
1t caused his guest to feel that he had
failed IN the one great end of life
mastery OF the writings of the illustrious
statesman.
While SO thoroughly acquainted with
all departments Of sc,Cnce there was one
most important branch of KNOWLEDGE TO
which he was a stranger-the knowledge
of divine Saviour. He would say.
"Ihese historical records in your Bible
are doubtless correct, because they are
supported by reliable historians; but all
the miracles that is related were doubtless
due to some mental hallucination, or to
the tondness for the supernatural which
then existed. do not take any of the
miracles which you Christians believe
IN. Although he was very courteous,
ne could not be persuaded to believe
these to be divine books. In this state
OF mind [ suppose he died, but hope
not.
His ruling idea at that time was the
establishment of State agricultural in
stltutlon, and / remember how enthusi- |
astle and eloquent he grew as he spoke |
OF the excelloncies Of Fort Hill for such |
an institute. New that he is dead his
lovely home and an additional legacy is
bequeathed to South Carolina tor the |
accomplishment of his favorite scheme,
How appropriate that this beautiful |
place, with all of its sweet memories of
the lllustrlous statesman, should become |
Inc nucleus OF an institution for training |
those who till the soil of the State he |
loved 80 well. l.. S. FOsTER
Carrollton, Miss, May 3.
Is. Is. IL.