The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-06-04
THE MoNTGoMERY ADvERTIsER.

tional instrument. and to distinguish inc cases Of Virginia and Kentucky in 1799 and of New England in 1874, from that of South Carolina. The former point he touched upon lightly. the latter he dis cussed ably, eloquently, ingeniously and at length. Unfortunately, the facts were against him. in both instances. When the Constitution was adopted by the votes of States at Philadelphia. and ac- cepted by the votes of States in popular conventions. 1t is safe to say that there was not man in the country. rom Washington and Hamilton on the one side. to George Clinton and George Ma son on the other, who regarded the new instrument as anything but an cxperi- ment entered upon by the States. and from which each and every State had the right ceably to withdraw--a right which was very likely to be exercised"
 The discussion was properly regarded as meeting between the giants of de- bate. The Senate Chamber was crowd ed. and every available space was occu- pied. Distinguished representatives of this and other countries were attracted by the momentous issues involved and the exalted character and great ability of the men engaged I have it from Col onel Woodward. who was at one time in Congress from South Carolina, and ''As' "NS ptSSShh tiS acpdtc' tiial while MT. Calhoun was speaking. Mir. Webster sat in front of him some dist ance removed. leaning forward following the argument of the speaker closely. As MT. Calhoun reached the great climax of his argument. he seemed to address him. self to Mir. Webster, and. raising his long arm, with index finger. he seemed to hurl his conclusion at his opponent. MT. Webster was seen to sink back in his a1asr T~1,r IC1.z l. vl... disliked Mir. Webster most cordially, was present during the debate, and when some one got in his way, or obstructed his view, under the tension and excite ment of the situation. he was heard to cry out with impatience Get out of the way, and let me see him die!
 MT. Calhoun prevailed Both houses of Congress, with the President of the United States, and that President An drew Jackson combined all together in the adoption of measures to force his State into submission to the law which she had nullified Mir Lamar. speaking of MT. Calhoun at this critical moment of his life says:
 Strong in his own conviction of the justice of his cause; self poised in the counsels of his own mind doing nothing rashly, and yet nothing timidly or doubt fully; ready to immolate himself for the right which his State had entrusted to his defense. this noble, brave man, on whose brow God had set the seal of truth, whose eye beamed bright with the devotion that fired his soul-courage. manliness, sincerity truth in every tone and look, greatness in every lineament of his countenance--stood alone and pre- vailed. Yes, prevailed! For the contro- versy, when closed. was closed by the compromise act which repealed the law that his State had nullified. The very Congress which passed the force bill to coerce South Carolina into submission to the tariff of 1928 and 1S32 at the same ses- sion repealed those two laws; and An drew Jackson. the man of iron will and pitiless purpose in the face of his proc lamation signed the act that swept from the statute book the enactment which South Carolina in her asserted sovereign ty had declared unconstitutional, null and void, and imperative in her limits.
 And further showing the correctness of MT Calhoun's construction of the Con- stitution, that it was constitutional compact entered into between sovereign States from which any State had the right to withdraw in case of d violation of the compact, it may be sufficient to quote the action of MT. Webster's own State, the State of Massachusetts, in 1S44, which was something over ten years sub sequent to the period of this great de- bate At this time, acting with reference to measures taken for the annexation of the State of Texas, the Legislature of the State of Massachusetts adopted res- olution declaring in behalf of that State. that '"The Commonwealth of Massachu- setts faithful to the compact between the people of the United States, according to the plain meaning and intent in which it was understood by them, Is sincerely anx- ious for its preservation; but that it Is determined. as it doubts not other States are, to submit to undelegated powers in no body of men on earth,' and that ''the project of the annexation of Texas, un- less arrested at the threshold, may tend to drive these States into a dissolution of the Union."
 And if anything more conclusive is needed, permit me to read you what Mir. Webster himself said in his Capon Springs speech, June 2S, 1851. He said: T do not hesitate to say. and repeat. that If the Northern States refuse wilfully and deliberately to carry into effect that part of the Constitution which respects the restoration of fcgitive slaves, and Congress provide no remedy, the South would no longer be bound to observe the compact. A bargain broken on one side is broken on all sides.''
 Defense of Calhoun.
 
 of resentment when I think of the studied effort on the part of historians on the other side to write down the fame of John c. Calhoun. No truer friend of the Union, no more exalted character, no purer statesman. no profounder intellect. adorns the annals of American history
 I might cite many instances of the in- justice of Northern historians in this re- spect. but one may be sufficient for the present purpose. I refer to what is known as the American Statesman series. The learned editor of this series of valuable books, which is supposed to be published to place the lives of our great men with in the reach of students both at the North and the South. makes fair and happy selection of a biogra pher for MT. Web ster. New England's greatest statesman in MT. Henry Cabot Lodge a ripe scholar and distinguished Senator from the State of Massa chusetts. But who does he se- feet to record the purity the patriotism and statesmanship of John C. Calhoun? He selects pr. Herman Aduard von Hoist. a man who was banished from Russia for an incorporate attack upon his own government. and who came to Amer ica to unite his energies with the cause of the abolitionists--a man who, Ike most Europeans, Is wholly incapable of under standing or apprcciatinE the great work achieved by our fathers in framing the Federal Constitution and who openly pro claims his contempt for written constitu- tions-a man who has devoted his talent to the defense of John Brown. whose mis- sion was to incite our slaves to murder the women and children of the South. I hold 1t to be above and beyond cantro-