The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-11-27
A Young A5oiitiouist Who Thought the
South Cnrolininn Devil but Learned TO
m

Ffillu SlEOuiClS,
Oliver Dyer was the official reporter
of the United States Senate IN 1915; and
recently, he has written book, publish
ed by Robert Boauer's Sons, entitled
s'Geat Senators Of the United States"
Ii this book Mr. Dyer gives many new
facts ani !raiab!c stories concerning
such giants III those days. as Calhoun,
Bentoa, Clay, Weh-tcr, Houston and
Jefferson Davis.
Tn. author dcvo:ri considerable space
to his "reminiscences Of John Z. Calhoun.
Mr. Dyer was an Ahol;tionIst. aud when
he went to Washington IN accept his DO
sition as reporter Of 'he Senate. ne had.
as be frankly con:ts>es, such hatred
a1d violent prejudice against Mr.. Call
houn, las Southern meu who hated Abol-
+ itioust with exual virulence, fel toward
William Lloyd Garrison"
The in preston ut first made upon the
young stenographer by the great South
ern Senator was even more exaggerated
tbau we in this day OF mild opinions with
'subdued tints" of thoughts, can inag-
inc real; and yet Mr. Dyer's conversion
to Calhoun if NOT To Calhouuism, is com
pensatiou for his first violent conception
He says:
~ was naturally eager to get sight o
the great South Care lima nulli6er and dis
unionist; and when he was pointed QUIT
to me, in the Senate Chamber, l gave
him seal ching scrutiny. His appear.
auce satisfied me completely. He SEEM
ed to be q perfect image and embodiment:
of the devil Had I come across his like
ness in copy of Alilton's Paradise Lost
I should at ouce have accepted 1t as
picture of Sstar, and as master piece
of some great artist who had peculiar
genius for Satanic portlaiture. He was
tall and gaunt. His complexion was
dark and Indian like, and there seemed
to be an inner complexion of a dark
soul shining through the skin Of the face.
His eyes were large, black, plerc'ng'
scintilant 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
expression was firm, stern, aggressive,
threatening"
Mr.. Overs fraokness 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
polemc speaker, MS power of sincerity,
are seen iu wha, Mir. M5er says after
having heard the great South Carolinian
speak. He says:
II was much impressed by the clear
ness of Calnoun's views, by the bell.llke
sweetness aud resonance of his voice,
the elegance Of his demeauor. Such a
combination Of attractive qualities was
revelation to me, and / spontaneously
wished that Calhoun was an Abolitionlst
so we could have him talk on our side.
AT the beginiog of the contest my
feelings were gainst Calhoun and l wan
ted him to be worsted; but at the close
although was opposed to the principle
which ne advocated, my personal feel
lngs were in his favor, and his pbyslog-
nomy seemed to have undergone
change. Instead of looking like devil,
he Impressed me as bigh-toned, elegant
gentleman. with a brilliant intellect,
sw -et disposition, sound heart, and
conscientious devotion to what he be-
lieved to be right"
That the authur should have come to
esteem MIR. Calhoun personally highly
after such admissions US those quoted,
will not surprise any one, but all will
be i2terested in reading Mr. Dyer's
careful summary Of thecharacter Of the
great nullifer as be saw him daily in the
active field of his great intellect:
He was by all odds the most fascl-
uatiue man in private intercourse that l
ever net. His conversational powers
were marvellous. His voice was clear.
sweet aud mellow, with musical, me
tal!lc ring in it which gave it strength
without diminishing its sweetness. His
pronunciation and enunciatiou were per
icct. His manner was simple and un.
pretending.
.'Calhouu's kindness Of heart was To-
exhaustible. He impressed me as being
deeply but unobtrusivcly religious. and
Has SO morally clear and spiritually pure
that i; was pleasure to have ones soul
get close to his soul-a feeling that l
never had for any other man," He adds:
Il admired Benton; l admired Clay still
more; I admired Webster, on the intel
lec,ual side, most of all, but / l"vcd CAL
hcun; aud as came TO know him veil,
and saw his exquisitely beautiful nature
uirrored io ;iis face, his countenanc.
no longer seemed satanic. hut angelic,
and his beuignaut greeting IN the morn
ing was like u benedictiun that lasted
the whole day."
Elsewhere in the book, the author tells
of the blunder be made 10 asking Mr.
Calhoun what he thought Of jackson
For the moment, the young reporter
had forgotten the unfortunate contro-
versy or difference between Calhoun and
Jackson; but be says that ''ss soon as
the question was put, Calhoun sank into
profound quitsceuce, seemed to be un-
conscious of my presence aud was ap-
parently absorbed in introspec'ive mem
ories. Soon he looked at me beniguant-
y and said: General Jackson was q
great man" The surpris!ngly oeautilnss
expression of Calhoun's luminous eyes
and the sweet, gentle tone Of his voice,
az be thus answered uy question are
now present with me as ! write, al.
though that answer was given more than
forty years ago" /
That the Senator must have possessed
marvellous magnetism, magne, sm OF
purity of purpose, sincerity of profession,
briliancy of conception and greatness OF
osic. to have so won an Abolitionist, az
thot w. will bp |