The sun., 1909-02-06
NEW BOOKS.
John CaIheun and some other,

The Senator from South Carolina srno,,
with his long and pallid and vahooss
hand upon the table and said. sHer.
Is what 7 shall say to England reeartinS
Texas. / shall show her what a Monro.
Doctrine Is: shall show her that Will.
Texas Is small and weak. Texas and nm,
republic are not. shall tell MIR. Papken.
ham that his chiefs avowal OF intention,
has made 1t our imperious duty, in self.
defence, to hasten the annexation Of
Texas, cost what IL may, mean what II
may! John Calhoun does not shily.
shally.'
That John Calhoun expressed himse,
in this lofty and powerful manner 4.
made known TO us in Mr.. Emerson Housh )
earnest story Of "54-4O or Fight" CTh.
Bobbs-Merrill Company. Indianapolis)
Calhoun was telling his friend and phy.
sician, DR.. Sam Ward. what he would
do when he became Mr.. Tyler's Secre.
tary Of State. The italics and still mora
Calhoun's declaration of his own habitual
fxity Of purpose will satisfy the reader
that the nations affairs in that parlous
time were to be administered by strong
hands. II the story IL ever played on
the stage II will let loose with audibls
effects an immense volume of patriotc
confidence in the Bowery. The whol.
scene shows what a thoroughly stern
and determined old boy Calhoun was
We could not help feeling little sorry
for Sir Richard Pack enhsm. the British
Minister, who fatuously thought that
he and his Government were going I,
stop John Calhoun from acquiring Texas
and as much OF the Oregon country a,
he thought feasible.
The story has a refrain composed Of IN,
words John Calhoun Calhoun himself
loved 20 sound the strong and swelling
name. Said he TO DR.. Sam Ward: Listen
then, and will tell you what John Cal.
houn means--John Calhoun, who ha,
loved his own State. who has hated thoss
who hated him. who has never prayed for
those who despitefully used him" And
again, still to the enthralled doctor .Can
you believe John Calhoun. pro-slayery
advocate and orator all his life. when
he says that he believes he il an humbl.
instrument destined with Gods aid and
through the use of such instruments AZ
our human society afords?" and so forth.
Happily the not too vigorous and enduring
hands of Mr.. Tyler were held up BY
John Calhoun. By the side OF John Cal.
houn Jim Polk Of Tennessee" is made
to seem very contemplate in the story.
There is picture OF Jim shouting the
slogan "Fifty-four forty or fght!' in the
cold presence of John Calhoun. The
great man wears woollen nightcap.
Jim looks like rooster shaken with the
vehemence of song. The straps confnins
his trousers about his feet are plainly
imperilled. John Calhoun looked at him
and groaned.
The story purports to be told by Nicholas
Trist, the young secretary OF John Cal.
houn. Nicholas brought the ravishins
Baroness Won Ritz TO an interview with
Calhoun at in the morning. She was
much impressed by the old statesman's
nightcap. She was an astonishing az
well as a distracting person. She bad
Ave sumptuous apartments, all OF them
OF precisely the same pattern. in as man,
important cities OF the world. Curiously,
one Of them was in Montreal. The ao-
count of the entertainm ent Of Nicholas
by the Baroness in Montreal will dazzls
the reader. We suspect it will make
him hold his breath at one point. Ths
business Of the Baroness was political
intrigue. Why will ladies, unless they
are positively incapable OF sentimental
impulses. engage in such matters? 1t
was by his discerning use OF the engaging
Nicholas that John Calhoun was able to
wind the Baroness about his lean and
chilly finger.
The Baroness was tremendously capa-
DE. Her achievement of removing her
furniture to Oregon was genius.
But John Calhoun knew how to divert
Ter from her possible purpose of serving
he political intentions Of Sir Richard
the bibulous and amorous
Of Great Britain in thesd
,arts. The story makes rather sur
,rising envoy of the amiable Sir Richard
II Montreal the Baroness confded 10
Nicholas her impression Of John Calhoun,
eceived on the occasion when she en-.
ountered him in his woollen nightcsp.
Monsieur" said she to Nicholas, -he isa
reat man, because even so clad he made
% more apology than you do, showed
o more curiosity. and he welcomed me
ute as a gentleman unashamed-as a
ing. IL you please" 1t seems to us that
lch curiosity as the case called FOR might
'ell have been lodged with the Ba! oness
ather than with the statesman. But il
plain that John Calhoun had poise. He
as not fiustered by the fact of his night
sp, somewhat gross though it was,
The story will find grateful readers.
is interesting and surprising.