The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-20
THORN IN The SIDE
OF PRESIDENT
MADISON
Certain Species ofPestiferous
0fficeseeker Nearly as Much
in Evidence a Century Ago
as Now One Calender
and His Diatribes.
From Globe Washington Bureau

From Globe Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. 19.--Two
hundred citations from one authority
in an historical work of 3S5 pages is
an unusual tribute to the fertility of
a single source of information. This
is the testimony which Gaillard Hunt
bears, in the footnotes to his new
Life of James Madison" to the useful
ness Of the Madison manuscripts in the
archives of the department of state
The references touch wide range OF
subjects. The manuscripts have been
accessible to students and writers for
sixty years, but no other author is be-
lieved to have ransacked them with his
own hands and eyes as Mr.. Hunt has
done in search of original material
for this and other monographs cover
ing the first quarter century of the re-
public. Perhaps the most entertain
ing story of which the chief data were
dug out of the unpublished papers is
that of Madison's experience with a
peStiferous ofhceseeker, of type that
still exists and makes burdensome the
lives of the president and all his coun-
cillors-the man with a grievance
which there is good reason to believe
he keeps alive only for Matchmaking
purposes.
This fellow was one Calender, who
conceived that he had claims on the
administration, not only for services
performed for the Republicans, but
for sufferings in the Republican cause
In the spring of 1900 he had been SEN
fenced to nine months Imprisonment
and to pay a fine of 5000 for a libel
against John Adams. The prosecution
being under a law which Jefferson con-
sidered to be unconstitutional, Callen-
der was pardoned Immediately upon
Jefferson's becoming president.
Law NuIIity.
Il discharged" Jefferson explained
In letter to Mrs. Adams a few weeks
later, every person under punishment
or prosecution under the sedition law
because l considered, and now consid-
err that law to be nullity as absolute
and as palpable as if congress had or
dered us to fall down and worship a
golden image
A part of the remission of punish
ment in this case included the return
to Calender Of the fine he had paid
Madison's acquaintance with Calender
was contemporaneouS with JefferSOnS
having begun when Calender first
came into prominence as a political
writer, and when his productions were
generally regarded with favor by the
Republicans. Although Madison new
er held him, or pretended to hold him,
in esteem, Calender had for Madison
greater respect and confidence than
he entertained for other public men
who disguised their contempt for him.
In 1896 he wrote to Madison from
Baltimore that he wanted to establish
himself as a country schoolmaster He
enVled the wages of a journeyman car
penter. he added, and had a wife and
four children to support. He expressed
fear that Madison did not have a
friendly feeling toward him. 1t was
about this time that Jefferson first re-
lleved his necessities by a pecuniary
contribution, which, with several sub
seQuent donations from the same
source, Calender afterWard represent
ed to be a reward for his writings and
purchase of his pen. Madison, how
ever, neither found him employment
nor sent him aims.
Began to Threaten.
When Jefferson became president
elect, Calender, who was nearing the
end of his term of Imprisonment. re-
ce1Ved what he took to be assurances
that he would soon be pardoned and
reimbursed the amount of his fine. On
his release he found himself in great
pecuniary distress and became angry
because there was delay in recovering
his fine. He began to threaten at
once, and wrote to Madison, as "the
one man in whom he reposed perfect
confidence to urge haste.
Does the president" he said, reflect
upon the e-munire into which he
hIsI in hi cole
unqualified or even volunteer promise &?
l will not injure him bv
surprising that he cares a farthing for
anything which 1 feel'' Jefferson he
went on, should reflect that his serv-
ices might be needed again, and he
gave warning that he would not be
sacrlhced as "scape- goat to political
decorum'
He admired Jefferson, he admitted
but had been stung to the quick be-
cause Jefferson had snubbed him. He
conhded this fact to Madison alone
ana suggested significantly that it was
Tor Jefferson to say whether it would
be safe to quarrel with him.
Callender'S Importance was due sole
ly to the fact that he had fallen a vic
TIM to the ubiquitous sedition law. He
empodled the principle of opposition tc
that law, and the most distinguished
lawyers in Virginia had defended him
at ms trial 1t was easy, therefore
LOT MN to form an exaggerated notion
of his personal Importance. and the III
ADVISED attention paid to him by JEFF
PERSONS friends encouraged his belief
Feared for jefferson.
Monroe especially was overzealous
and seemed to fear the consequences
10 jefferson if the man were cast off
He saw Calender soon after bie
threats to Madison, and Calender com
plalned that no positive orders had
been given to pay him the amount n
ms hne Monroe wrote Madison thai
calender wanted $25 to enable him
TO go to Washington, but Monroe Der.
suaded him to wait few days. and
tn the meantime asked the United
Sues marshal whether the money t.
reimburse his fine could NOT he o,o+
from the state department Being an.
sWered in the negative, Monroe though
OF raising the money by private sub.
eciip'loh' out concluded that if he die