New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-10

Rutler met n in the only possible way oy ueoHrihg
that 70 his knowledge Van Buren, wouiu sign Oil
abolishine slavery in the District, II congress
should mass such measure. liter ali, IL was
,o,erablv safe promise, and 10 secured van bufen
the nomination-whc elected Taylor.
A, washington NJ Dyer met Sam Houston the
horo If San Jacinto, whom he thus describes;
lilo was then only afty-Gve years old and seemed
m bo I'm perfect health and admirable pilyslcai
condition lie was magnincegno ID" lie was large
of frame Of stately carriage anu ulghIieu
demeanor and had lionlike couhtenh.n1 oapan a
of on pressing the ftrcest passions ne re
Uacnllar hut was becoming to his siyic. Inc
nonsncuous features OF IL were u uIit'hy cup
and a short military cloak OF me olue pron ao
cloth. with blood-red lining Aiterwaru o., oc o,d
sionallv met him when he wore vas. anu
nictnrcsone so,nbrero and a Mexican bianKetIa
sort of ornamented bedquilt, WIN siio ~ ,l,e
middle, through which the wearer ncau 70 u,usI,
leaving the blanket 10 nanB III si"oe'"i ~
around the body. A. ao.,,.. and
Houston rarely took part IN the deoa'cs' anu
spoke briefly when he did His prin,G n employ
ment In tho Senate Was whiting pine SUCKS. L
nsed 70 wonder where he got his pine lumber put
never fathomed the mystery lie would $40 ana
uyhittle AWAY and at the same tlme keep up
mutterng of discomfort 40 s9G for
sbeir intolerable verbosity. Those who knew him
we'll said that he was tcnderhearted ana had
chivslrc regard for women rllaC ~ to wcltars ns
a lady friend-a reputation which was IN direct
line with his alleged conduct toward his wlfe
II was a matter of common 1ocose remark thnt III
g Old San Jncinto7 THAT was HOuston's nlokname)
sbould ever become President, he would have
Cabinet of women"
Mr. DYER went to Washington an Abolitionist,
and the Abolitionists felt toward John y. Cal
boun the same us Southern men, who hated
Aboitionists with equal virulence, felt toward
William Lloyd Garrison" He continues;
7 was naturally eager to get sight Of the
great South Carolina nullifier aud dlsunlonist;
and when he was pointed out 10 me, In tile ocnnte
Chamber / gave him a searching scrutiny. his
appearance satisfied me completely lie seemed
TO be q perfect image and embodiment OF the deVl.
Had come across his likeness in copy OF Milton
Paradise Lost, should at once nave accepted
il as a picture of Satan, and as masterpiece OF
some great artist who had Il peculiar genius Tor
Satanic portraiturc. He was tai and gaunt;
His complexion was dark and lndlan-like. and
there seemed 10 be an inner complexion oil dark
soul shining through the skin OF the face. lis
eyes were large, black, piercing sclntillant. HIS
hair was iron gray, and rising nearly straight
from his scalp, fell over on all SIDES, ana hunB
down in thick masses like lions name. His
features were strongly marked, and their express
sion was firm, stern, aggressive, threatening.
When he heard Calhoun speak, however, his
first impressions of him were modified. He says
/ was much impressed by the clearness OF Cal
houns views by the bell-like sweetness anu
of his voice, the elegance OF MS ulcliOu,
and the exquisite courtesy Of his demeanor Such
a combination OF attractive qualities was revela-
ton to me, and | spontaneously wished that Cal
houn was an Abolitlonist, so we could have him
talking on our side"
As the debate went on the reporters feelings
changed
At the beginning of the contest my feelings were
against Calhoun and | wanted him TO be worsted;
but at the close although | was opposed to the
principle which he advocated my personal feelings
N fu
to have undergone change Instead of looking
like devil. he impressed me as heightened. ele-
sweet disposition, a sound heart and cOnscienti-
Gus devotion to what he believed to be right. L
vexed and astonished at my self that such
change should have occurred in my feelings
toward the great Nulliler. 1t seemed to me that
! was becoming a traitor 10 my status as an
abolitionSt; but as time went on the change also
went on in spite Of all that | could do.
Later. he came to know Calhoun with some
intimacy. and he gives here a statement made TO
him by the great Nullifcr of his States Rights
doctrine which is full of interest. Mention of
this doctrine leads Mr.. Dyer into pointing out
that as a matter Of fact, Massachusetts and not
South Carolina the State that introduced the
secession hcrcsy; Josiah Quincy having In 81,
opposed the admission of Louisiana then called
the Orleans Territory on precisely the same
grounds as were afterward taken by Calhoun.
On that occasion Mr.. Quincy said: If this bill
passes it is my delhi crate opinion that it is viz
tually dissolution OF the Union; that 1t will
free the States from their moral obligation, and
1t will be the right of all. so it will be the
duty of some. definitely TO prepare for separation,
amicaby if they can. violently if they must"
Certainly Calhoun could not have gone further
than that and Mr.. Dyer is warranted by the facts
in submitting that what is sauce for the South
Carolina goose is also for the Massachusetts
gander."
Through an indirec; question to Mr.. Calhoun
Mr.. Dyer elected an impressive incident:
| asked Mr.. Calhoun what kind OF man Cen
eral jackson was The effect Of the question
upon him made Il profound impression upon me.
Had / not been SO young and inexperienced, |
would mott could not-have asked him such
a question. 1t did not occur 70 me that he and
Jackson had been ineXpressibly bitter and reent-
less Toes for many years. AS soon rs the queS-
ton was put. Calhoun sank into profound auies-
ccnce, seemed 10 be unconscious of my presence.
and was apparently absorbed in interpretive
memories. Then h relations to jackson flashed
vividly into my mind; was appalled, at my
blundcr and awaited the result with trepidation
CalhOun's revery continued but a short time. Soon
he looked at me bcnignantly and said: General
Jackson was "A great man The surprisingly
beautiful expression Of CahOun's luminous eyes
and the sweet, gentle tone Of his voice as he
thus answered my question. are now present with
me. as / write. although that answer was given
more than forty years ago.
OF the same statesman Mr.. Dyer writes lie
was by all odds the most fascinating man in
private intercourse that | ever met. Ills CONVEX
sational powers were marvellous. His voice was
clear. sweet and mellow with musical, metallic
ring IN it which gave it strength without dmin-
ishing its sweetness. His pronunciation and
enunciatlon were perfect. His manner was sim
pie and unpretendng.' And again he says:
"Calhoun's kindness of heart was inexhaustible
He impressed me being deeply but unobtrusivey
religious. and WAS so morally clear and spirit
uaIy pure that it was pleasure 10 have ones
soul get close TO his soul-a feeling that !
never had for any other man" He adds: ad
mired Benton: admired Clay still more ! adj
mred Webster, on the intellectual side. most OF
all but | loved Calhoun; and as | came u know
him well. and saw his eXquisitely beautiful nature
mirrorcd in his face his countenance no longer