The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-03-01
THE LETTERS OF CALHOUN.
AN Admirable Opportunity to Have
valuable Correspondence Publish

An Admirable Opportunity to Have
Valuable Correspondence Publish
ed. u
Governor Ellerbe has received the
following letter from j.. Franklin
Jameson OF Providence, II. l., chair
man OF the historical manuscripts COM
mission Of the American Historical as
ISOLATION
Dear misunderstanding that there
WIZ shortly be a meeting OF the trus-
tees OF b Clemson Agricultural col
lege, L intend to lay before them an
~apPlicatlon for permission to make his
torlcal use OF those papers OF Mr.. John
q Calhoun, which are in their posses
sion. L beg leave to explain to YOU In
dvapce the project which | have In
mind, and to ask your kind aid in
furthering that project. My old friend
Mr.. Charming M. Ward, formerly gen
eral OF the South Carolina rail-
way, bids me use his name as an in
trod uction to you.
This commission, OF which l am
chairman, was established by the
American Historical association. two
years ago. b American Historical
association, being affiliated with the
Smithsonian, Is In a sense q govern
ment lnstltution,a and, embracing mem
oers in all parts of the country, Ia ma.
tlona and nOn-sec.ional in character.
The work Of this commission Ia to
bring TO light important historical
manuscripts, OF interest to the country
as a whole. Some of the most impor-
tant OF such materials will be printed
each year by the association In its an.
nnal report to the Smithsonian. |
mean that this shall be one of the most
important branches of the associations
work. Our first report is just printed.
l nave ordered u copy OF 1T to be sent
to YOU. But as it may be delayed, |
send herewith u separate copy of the
report apart from the accompanying
documents. The report will'show you,
more fully than |, a do in a letter,
what our plans are and the full vol
ume, with the documentary material
In 1T, will, when it reaches you, show
you how we deal with documents that
We conclude to print. We mean to
Keep up a high standard OF excellence
In editing, OF which, as managing edi.
tor OF the An erican Historical Review
from its beginning, | may fairly claim
To have "a some experience. Our
second volume is now being
for the press.
At u recent meeting the commission
embossed u plan | have had in mind for
some time, for making our next grea,
OBJECT the preparation and printing,
through the government printing Of.
lice, OF a thorough and scientific edi
tlon of NE CORES ondence Of John G.
Calhoun. | think no one who appre
clates what Mr. Calhoun was and wha'
, ne ola Tor this country, no one wht
cares Tor the history and glory o
South Carolina, can doubt that suci
an edition ought to be made hefor,
long. The chief masses of such mate
; rial are those in the possession of tn,
, college and those possessed by Mis-
Calhoun. Miss Calhoun has expressed
the warmest desire to aid my project
, aud has generously offered me grea
facilities. or course il l we're to at
tempt q hrst-class edition | shout,
| rake the country for other Calhoun
letters: | think | have somewhat un
usual facilities Tor getting hold O
them. But after all it appears tina
A the main mass Is ut the college. /
y dozen or SO years ago, when | was
Junior professor at the John Hopkin
university at Baltimore, Col. Clemso
asked me to come down to Fort Hi
and make such use as | wished of thes
papers, but could not come then an
soon after he died, and | was called t
Providence. Nor did | see any way b
4 which the expenses'of such a projec
n coulc be betrayed, until the establish
v ment OF this commission. This seem
h to give opportunity to do the thin
under national auspices and in s~cientif
shape.
n l shall ask the permission OF tn
trustees to make use of the materif
n In their hands for this purpose.
v the request be granted l engage to d
= the work OF editing, in a manner bt
n lifting the reputation of the associt
y tlon and worthy OF the historical in
. portance Of the task. The associatio
would defray all expenses out OF II
Il W treasury, and the printing woul
a be done by the government. | wish
distinctly understood that | am moi
receive a cent for anything [ do. A
my work Tor this comm sion is gratu
tous work, done because | wish I
: advance h knowledge OF America
4 history. l sincerely hope that 1 ma
n nave your influential voice in favor {
the project. | suppose the papers ar
o exposed to some chance Of destruction
i and | do rot doubt the trustees wis
to have these records of Carolina
great statesman preserved in parct
ment form. If it were their d .sire {
4 see me about the matter, | could com
down about March 20. Indeed, m
only chance to go SO far from my dutie
In Brown university lin which | al
professor OF history would be betwee
l March Is and March 81.
l hope have not wearied you by S
long q letter; but | am very ardentl
= interested In the matter, and | hop
y that this will be my sufficient apology
= belleVe mo, very respectfully yours,
. j. L. JAMESON.
! The letter will be referred to tn
! trustees, who will probably acnede 1
the requ- st. This seems to be an ad
/ mirable opportunity to have the Cal
noun correspondence published II
good form.