The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-04-10
THE PEERLESS CALHOUN
Tribute to Cardinals Philosopher and
Statesman Oh the l21St Anniversary
Of His Birth by Col. Thomas.
Florence Times.

Florence Times.
The following is 8, Lopsis of COL
j. F. Thomas eloquent and impress
slve address delivered on the occasion
of the celebration of Calhoun's birth
day by the Calhoun Light infantry
of this city, and read by him at the
educational meeting in Darlington.
COL Thomas SAID that in view of
the lateness of the hour, be would be
brief and go Immediately to the point.
The occasion was high one to
commemorate the birthday of South
Cardinals grand statesman. "Dear
son of memory, great heir of fame,"
Calhoun stands today the strongest
character, the most imposing figure
in the brilliant history of our State.
The speakers preceding me have &C
ourately and forcibly sketohed Cal.
houn's life and character and public
services. [ shall restrict myself to
his works and his intense personality,
his striking individuality. The works
of Calhoun are embodied in six vol
umes. Five give full record of his
speeches, his reports and his public
papers. One, the most important of
all, contains his disquisition on gov
ernment and his discourse on the gov
ernment and constitution of tho
United States. BY these posterity
will judge him. They compose mon.
ument to his memory. They reveal
wealth of deep thought, a force of
logic, mastery of governmental
principles, and sagacity of prophecy
that make Calhoun in craftsmanship
the foremost thinker Of his age, rising
far above his compeers, the massive
Webster and the persuasive Clay. l
do not say that Calhoun's scheme of
government, involving the concurrent
principle, was practicable, for I
believe it was not. Based as it WAS
upon an intelligence and virtue wan
ting as yet in our people-it was
fitted only for community Of Cal
houns. Nevertheless, Calhoun's plan
OF government, presenting to the gen
GRAFTON a grand ideal, is full of ger
minal truths in the science of politics
that will live forever for the instruo-
tion and guidance of the nation and
the constitution makers of the CEN
tury. Calhoun was Americas Aristo
tie. Above all, Calhoun was the great
champion Of State rights, the master
full advocacy of which makes his coro-
nal of glory, and the principle Of
which was the thing for which Lee
fought, Jackson died and our confed-
crate soldiery nobly dared and gran.
dly endured or died "a principle by
no means dead today but which lives
in the frequent decisions of our
supreme United States court and is a
living factor in an indestructible
union Of indestructibia States. True,
Calhoun is misunderstood today and
grievously y wounded in the house even
of his political friends. In the north,
he is even called Cataline, but the
truth is that South Carolinn's peerless
son was a grander hero than any Of
Plutarchs men, tirmer than Cato,
higher than Cicero, as Just as Aris-
tides, and IA hard to turn from the
path of honor and duty as WAS the
honest Tabricius. 70 compare Cal
houn to modern mon, who acquainted
with the life Of tho man of iron
moulds does not know that he rea-
soned like Burke and, to crown it all,
died like Chatham He WAS no traitor
but Il patriot to the core, loyal to the
union of States, but holding para
mount allegiance to the sovereignty
Of the States that created the union.
Consider now, the personality Of
Calhoun. 1t was Il happy inspiration
that bade you, young men of the Cal
houn Light infantry, thus to name
your corps.
Behind the soldier in all history
stands the statesman. and what better
backing could you have of man of
character! 1t was Calhoun's privai o
life, it was his gravity of demcanor,
his wisdom of ia k to the young that
lent such a charm to his blameless
career. The splendor of Calhonn's
public life WAS in beautiful accord
with the purity Of his domestic life.