Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-05-17
THE GREAT NuLLIFIER.



Eminent Statesman.
Oliver Overs Great Senators Of
Forty Years is attracting much ia
vorable notice. The following sketch
of John {. Calhoun will give the reader
a pleasant taste OF the authors style:
Forty years ago tlsssl John G. Cal-
houn, OF South Carolina, was one OF the
most noted men on the American conti-
nent. The rabid abolitionists of the
North Of whom I was one-who hated
slavery and shareholders with yiruient
animosity, felt toward Calhoun the
same as southern men, who hated abo-
lftionists with equal virulence. felt to-
ward William Lloyd Garrison. All
through the North Calhoun was known
as the great sccessionist, the great nnl-
lifier, the great disunionist,' and
the great bad man generally.
who had long been trying
To destroy the Union. As ] was full to
the brim of abolition bigotry and
prejudice. when went To- Washington
J was naturally eager To get a sight of
the great South Carolina nullifier and
disunionist: and when he was pointed
out to me, in the senate chamber.
gave him u searching scrutiny.
He was tall and gannt- His complexion
WAS dark and indian-like. His eyes
we're large. black, piercing. scintillant.
Ills hair was iron-gray, and rising near
w straight from the scalp, fell over on
all sides. and hung down in thick
masses like lions name. His features
were strongly marked. and their ex.
preston was firm, stern. aggressive.
threate ming"
on New-Year's day, 1s49. Mr.. Dyer
had an interview of several hours dura-
tion with Calhoun. and subsequently,
learned to like him more than he liked
/ any other man in Washington.
After that New Years dav. ls.a. "
4 MIR, Dyer continues. II occasionally
met Mr.. Calhoun, and every time had
/ an opportunity 10 hear him converse and
to study his character my appreciation
OF him was strengthened. He was, by
all odds. the most fascinating man in
I private intercourse that ! ever met. His
conversational powers we're marvellous.
His voice was clear, sweet and mellow,
with q musical. metallic ring in it,
which gave it strength without dimin-
ishing it, sweetness. His pronunciation
and enunciation were perfect. His man
ner was simple and unpretentious. He
/ talked on the most abstruse subjects
with the guileless simplicity of prat-
tling child. His ideas were so clear and
his language SO plain that he made a
path of light through any subject he
discussed
'Calhoun's kindness of heart was in
exhanstible. lie impressed me ss being
deeply but unobtrusively religious, and
was SO morally clean and spiritually
pure that IL was pleasure to have ones
soul get close Ia his soul-a feeling that
| never had for any other man. He
seemed To exhale an atmosphere of
purity, as fresh and sweet and bracing
a. a breeze from the prairie. the ocean,
or the mountain-an atmosphere which
one could safely breathe all in and he
better and purer from the inspiration.
lie was inexpressibly urbane. refined.
gentle, winning: and yet he was strong
and thoroughly manly. with an elegant
and engaging insincibleness pervading
his softness and gentleness | admired
benton: ! admired Clay still more; ad-
mired Webster. on the intellectual side,
most OF all; hut | loved Calhoun: and.
as came TO know him well. and saw his
exquisitely beautiful nature mirrored in
his face, his eonntenance seemed an
geIic. and his benignant greeting in the
morning was like a benediction that
lasted the whole day"