The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1889-10-10
A Friends Tribute.
MEMPHIS. Tenn. Oct.


EDITOR CITIZEN: 1t is an i'm
pressive fact that within two
months, three of the most honored
and beloved men that ever graced
your city and county, have been
laid to rest in Maplewood Cemete-
ry; Gen. Jno C. Brown, Rev. Rob't
Caldwell and Hon. James Mccall
lum, each of whom / have loved
and known intimately from my
early manhood-over 80 years.
Funeral discourses, resolutions
of the bar and various fraternities
and eulogistic notices Of each OF
them, already delivered or pub
lis bed leaves very little to be adj
ded in their praise Having read
in the CITIZEN the just and discrim-
mating resolutions of the Pulaski
bar: and of the Masonic fraternity
in honor of James McCallum, and
the funeral sermon of his pastor,
Rev. Mr.. W lson, setting forth his
noble and beautiful characteristics,
l concluded to follow the i'm
pulse of my heart and submit to
your readers few thoughts that
may possibly improve the fne pic
ture already sketched of him.
His pastor says; "Men are not
asking how much property he lett,
etc." That significant remark
brings to memory the words OF
Senator Thos. E. Benton lin his
Thirty years in the U. S. Sem
ate," in his sketch OF Senator
Francis Macon, of North Carolina,
viz, that he, Macon, twas too
great ever to have wanted to be
rich," and that Macon was by M
drew jackson and Joha C.. CAL
houn, habitually called 1.-The last of
the Romans" from the simplicity
and moral grandeur of his life, and
his contempt Of riches. "
l venture the opinion that Meth
err Cato, the Roman, nor Macon
the American senator, was in any
respect a greater man, or more free
of the "accursed thirst for gold"
{ Sacro flames auris) than was the
Christian gentleman, James Mccall
lum, of Tennessee.
"Great men and judges and po-
tentates shall be honored; yet is |
there none OF them greater than he
that feareth the Lord"
Another characteristic Of great .
beauty marked his entire life; viz,
the strength and sentimental ten
derness of his friendships. A sin
gle incident, which he told me in
our last conversation about old |
tim s, will illustrate this. When |
be was quite young man, an inti-
mate FRIEND who was deeply in
love with young lady in the
neighborhood Of Eikton came to
talk to him on that subject. So
they walked away out into the
woods and sat down side by side,
upon a fsllen walnut tree, with |
their arms around each others
necks. His friend began, Jimmy |
I'm ruined! Miss has ID
nally discarded me, and is to mar.
RED very soon to my rival, mr.
unless / prevent it, which
propoe to do at the risk of my life,
etc.
After long PERSUASION McCallum
convinced him that a duel would
not mend matters, but would make |
them worse, however it resulted.
At last the young man burst into
tears at the thought of losing his
and, sal McCallum, 81
wept with him, in sympathy for his
distress; and we sat there and wept |
like children.
And years afterwards, when Jas.
became the owner OF
that land and was having it cleared
for cultivation. be called the wood
choppers to that walnut log and
told them to clear oil around it, but
not to touch that log! And there it
Law till he sold the land
/ mention few other character
istics:
/. He was cmphstically a peace
maker; prompt, untiring, and won
derfully wise, in preventing or set
thing difficulties.
2. He knew how to keep silence,
to cold his tongue, But when he
spoke, every word showed him To be
"a man of understanding"
2. He was true practical friend
to the widow and orphan and OF all
persons In distress.
Finally he was unsurpassed in
the quickuess and correctness of
bis insight into tee characters and
Of men. He wac 'judfie
Of human nature" Here is q spec
linen. While he was quite young