The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-02-19
Calhoun and Jackson.
To the Editor of The News and

have just read in your paper the
racy sketch of Andrew jackson,
drawn by a recent writer in the
Washington Post. The graphic pic
ture of Old Hickory which he has
given us, if highly colored, is
nevertheless life-ike and true in it's
main features But the incidental
picture of John c. Calhoun, which
his narrative contains. is entirely
fictitious, and untrue in every par
ticular. 1t is contradicted by the
records of the Senate. by the history
of the times and by the facts of the
case. This is the statement to whicq
we seriously object:
"When John c. Calhoun found be
could not be President he resolved to
be a traitor. He invented nullihca-
ton. His invention would have had
a great run, too, were it not for
Jackson. He resolved to hang Cal
houn following the first overt act,
and he lay in wait for him like cat
jackson arranged to put 100000
armed soldiers into South Carolina
within sixty days. He worked with
the accuracy of machine and the
energy of storm. Calhoun was
simply frozen with fear when he
finally realized the tremendous blow
the res;stless, inveterate jackson
stood ready to deal. He awoke one
morning to find his State surrounded
and the hangman's grip al! but on his
personal arm.
"sWith nulli6cation,' said Jack
son, 'the Union is like bag of meal
open at both ends. Pick it up in
any fashion and it all runs out. |
will tie the bag and save the coun-
try
"Calboun discovered that one de.
tail of this bag tying was to hang
him, and the color left his face.
Calhoun travelled night and day to
get back to South Carolina and still
the storm be had copjured SO
long to raise. He was hurrying to
save his own neck from the halter,
and it may be added that he succeed
ed by the breadth of hair"
There are six erroneous statements
in this brief extract.
Mr.. Calhoun always maintained
that he did not invent notification,
but deduced the right logically from
the Virginia and Kentucky resolu-
tions of 179s and 1899, written by
Jefferson, though he unquestiopably
carried it to a length which the au.
thors did not contemplate. He did
not quail with terror then, nor at any
other time in his life. He was as
brave as Jackson, though not as
reckless and the story of his running
away from Washington is absurdly
false. He left South Carolina after
the Act of Notification had been
passed, and travelled day and night
to Washington not from it) to take
his seat in the Senate to defend his
native State against any and every
foe, nor did lie leave his place until
the end of the session.
1t was my good fortune to hear the
most important debates OF that
stormy session, including Mr.. Web.
s,er's grand oration on the national
powers of the Government. and MIR.
Calhoun's mastery defence of the
reserved rights Of the States as
guaranteed by the Constitution No
man who listened to his burning
words, or who could appreciate the
keen power of his logical mind, and
the evident honesty of purpose by
which he was guided could fail to
admire his dauntless spirit The
sole champion Of his native State,
with not one Senator, except his
colleague. in full sympathy with him
with ali the power of the most
potent Administration which our
country had ever seen affayeo
against him-with the public opin-
ion of the nation. outside Ct two or
three Southern States, strongly op-
posed to him-he stood on the floor
Of the Senate like lion at bay,
calm, courageous and con6dens. He
never yielded an inch to the over
whelming pressure of numbers, but
maintained his bold front until the
end.
1t was the highest exhibition of
moral courage which | have ever
seen. l thcnght SO then, and | think
so still, after the lapse Of sixty
wears. have witnessed during and
since the civil war some exalted man.
ifestations of heroic courage. |
have seen Geu Lee in his defeat,
the same calm, self controlled, cour-
teous gentleman that he was 10 ante
bellum days, hiding broken heart
onH lONkpN