The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-03-09
ABOUT Juo. 6 6. CALHOUN.
A HALF CENTURY GLANCE
BACKWARD.
Rec,llactiors ana Reflections.
By HON. J. L. NJ. CURRY, Ii. D.

By HON. j. L. NJ. CURRY, Ii. D.
Religious Herald.
1t is unfortunate fer us and discre.:-
ltab'e that we JUICE the character Ct
our public Il Ell too severely, or through
sectional prejudice Or i'altry envy. Net
unfreorent!y & reputation, when par
ties run high, or sectional animosity
exists, is made by mans opponents.
and posterity sometimes lacks the jus
tice or courage to reverse the Cpl Mons
Of former years. The war OF 1861 >
resulted III such reorganization OF So
clety under new system of labor,
swept away so many custom peculiar
tiles, and institutions, created such a
chasm betwlxt the present and past,
minlmized the Importance of so many
of the theories, ideas, acts of the ante
diluvian period, that the conquered
section, besides other great mlsfortunes,
is almost unavoldably constrained by
new environments and the cease:ess
struggle for material development and
autonomous existence to forget many
chapters of a glorious history, and to
permit to pass into folgetfulness or
disregard the memories and achieve
ments OF some Of the noblest men who
eyer lived AMI labored for human rights
and civil liberty. Besides the great
changes OF thirty years ago, recent
events have erected a new order Of
ideas, strange Imperial policy, revers-
ing all the traditions of the fathers,
making "back numbers" OF our most
spacious statesmen, and requiring a
study OF the diplomacy and policy Of
European and Oriental governments,
rather than of our simple and tried
constitutional system.
No one OF our illustrious men has
suffered in public estimation and in
due appreciation of his principles and
character from these causes more than
JOHN CALDWELL CALHOUN.
No purar patriot, no truer friend Of
the Union, no ADLER defender of the
Constitution ever lived in our country
Well educated, he had an acute, !o.i-
c,,l, somewhat metaph .?slcal mind.
which unfailingly detected sophistry
and fallacies and worked out conciu-
sions with the accuracy and convincing
ness OF a mathematical demonstration
Mr.. Bryce, while writing "The Ameri-
can Commonwealth" asked me as to
the nature of the veto power II our
Constitution and itsacceptability as an
executive prerogatiye, and requested
him to read Cai:aoun's speech On the
veto, and assured him that, when he
finished its perusal, he would write at
the end quod erot densonstrondum.
His adversalies accused him Of deal
ing in distractions and of being too
idealistic tor practical life. With his
broad and rapid generalization, his
acute foresight, grasp, and mastery OF
the most complicated problems, be
united common sense and extraordinary
ability with talent for administration
which placed him in the forefront OF
rulers and statesmen. AS Secretary of
War, he was distinguished for his abils-
ty as an organizer, for his mastery OF
the minutest details, and what he i'm
pressed upon that Department remains
in effectiveness until today. His plans
and instructions as to general prlnci-
pies and routine work were so wise and
comprehensive, his knowledge so &C
curate, that the complicated machinery
ran as perfect clockwork. What he
designed more than three quarters of =
century ago is largely in use today.
with little alteration. With forecast
and devotion he busted himself about
the legitimate affairs of the Depart
ment, and not about distribution OF the
"spoils of Office" and carrying cleo
tions. A late writer, eulogistic OF
Stanton, tells how the Department, in
1864, was occupied with arranging for
soldiers to 60 home to vote and for the
taking OF ballots in the camp. Wires
were kept hot, official hours and sub
ordinates were employed in carrying
out scheme Tor "the control of an
empire" The Indians, then the sole
wards of the nation, were diligently
looked after, and efforts were put in
execution to localize them and start
them on a career of civilization. Cal
houn also studied the country with the
eye and intelligence of an engineer
with view to military defence and
rapid transportation. Reaching, by in
duction, knowledge OF the fact OF the
superior altitude of the mountains In
Western North Carolina, he favored
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