The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-11-28
MEMORIES OF CALHOUN.

MEMORIES OF CALHOUN.
a Young Abo1itionist Who Thought tth-
South Csrclinian Devil but Learned to
Love Him.
Oliver Dyer was the official reporter of
the United States Senate in 1S45; and
recently, he has written q book, publish.
e1 by Robert Bonner's Sons, entitled
"Great Senators of the United States"
In this book Mr.. Dyer gives many new
facts and readable stories concerning
such "giants in those days" as Calhoun,
Benton, Clay, Webster, General Houston
and Jefferson Davis.
The author devotes considerable space
to his "reminiscences of John G. Calhoun.
Mr.. Dyer was an Abolitionist, and when
he went to Washington to accept his
position as reporter of the Senate, he
had, as he frankly confesses, such q
hatred of and violent prejudice against
Mr.. Calhoun, "as Southern men, who
hated Abolitionists with equal virulence,
felt toward William Lloyd Garrison"
The impression at first made upon the
young stenographer by the great South.
ern Senator was even more exaggerated
than We in this day of mild opinions
with, "subdued tints" Of thoughts, can
imagine real; and yet Mr.. Dyer's con.
version to Calhoun if not to Calhounism,
is compensation for his first violent con.
ception. he says:
was naturally eager to get sight Of
the great South Carolinian nulli6er and
disunionist; and when be was pointed
out to me, in the Senate Chamber, gave
him a searching scrutiny. His appear.
ance satisfied me completely. he seemed
to be perfect image and embodiment of
the devil. Had I come across his like.
ness in copy of Millions Paradise Lost,
I should at once have accepted it as
picture of Satan, and as master piece of
some great artist who had peculiar genius
for Satanic portraiture. he was tall
and gaunt. His complexion was dark
and Indian-like, and there seemed to be
an inner complexion of a dark soul shin
ing through the skin of the face. His
eyes were large, black, piercing, scinlil-
liant. His hair was iron gray, and rising
nearly straight from his scalp, fell over
on all sides, and hung down in thick
masses like lions name. His features
were strongly marked, and their expires.
sion was firm, stern, aggressive and
threatening.
Mr.. Dyer's fiankness in this regard is
not surpassed by his subsequent and
equally frank confession of conversion.
The power Of Mr. Calhoun in the forum,
his mastery over men, his greatness as q
polenic speaker, bis power of sincerity,
are seen in what Mr.. Dyer says after
having beard the great South Caroliniau
speak. He says:
II was much impressed by the clear
ness of Calhoun's views by the bell-like
sweetness aud resonance of his voice, the
elegance of his demeanor. Such COM
bination of attractive qualities was
revelation 10 me, and spontaneously
wished that Calhoun was an Abolition.
ist, 80 we could have him talk on our
side.
Sat the beginning OF the contest my
feelings were against Calhoun and I
wanted him to be worsted but at the
close, although I was opposed to the
principal which he advocated, my per-
sonal feelings were in his favor, and his
physiognomy seemed to have undergone
change. Instead of looking like
devil, he impressed one as high'toned,
elegant gentleman, with brilliant intel.
lect, sweet disposition, sound heart,
and conscientious devotion to what he
believed to be right"
That the author should have come to
esteem Mr.. Calhoun personally highly
after such admissions as those quoted,
will not surprise any one; but all will he
interested in reading Mr. Dyer's careful
summary of the character of the great
Nulli6er as he saw him daily in the most
active field of his great intellect:
"He was by all odds the most fascinat-
ing man in private intercourse that I
ever met His conversational powers
were marvellous. His voice was clear,
sweet and mellow, with musical, metal.
lie ring in it which gave it strength with.
out diminiahiDg its sweetness. His
pronunciation and enunciation were per-
feet. His manner was simple and
unpretending.
"Calhoun's kindness of heart was
inexhaustible. He impressed me as.
being deeply but unobtrusively religious,
and was so morally clear and spiritually
pure that it was pleasure to have ones
soul get close to his soul-a feeling that 1
never had for any other man." He adds: {:
~ admired Benton; admired Clay still
more; admired Webster, on the intel
lectual side, most Of all, but I loved Cal.
houn; and as I came to know him well,
and saw his exquisitely beautiful nature
mirrored iu his face, his countenance no
longer seemed satanic, but angelic, ard
his benignant greeting in the morning
was like benediction that lasted the
whole day.
Elsewhere in the book, the author tells
of the blunder be made in asking Mr..
Calhoun what be thought of Jackson.
For the moment, the young reporter had
forgotten the unfortunate controversy or
difference between Calhoun and Jackson !;
but be says that "as soon as the question
was put, Calhoun sank into profound
| nnieaoenca seemed to he unconscious of