The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-06-23
JOHN CALDWELL CALHOUN
CIV Frank Jenkins)

I Nt1llllSI tSSol
Essay Medal.)
On March 10, 1882, while our fore
fatheres were bringing to a close
their successful rebellion against un
just and tyrannous British rule, there
was born in the County of Abbeville
South Carolina, the subject Of thi:
essay, John Caldwell Calhoun, who
was destined to play, within the fol
lowing half century, a most prorni
nent and patriotic part in the strug
gle of his noble State to maintain
those rights guaranteed to her BY
the Federal Constitution of the Unit
ed States.
He was the third son of Patrick
and Martha Calhoun. His father
died when he was yet a young lad
and he was left to pass a quiet anG
simple life with his mother on their
farm. . Because of the financial con.
dition of his family, he was not af.
forded the opportunity to go off to
school. He therefore spent a great
portion of his younger days rambling
through the woods, studying nature
and probing into her secrets. This
lack of systematic training made it.
self felt throughout his life.
At the age of eighteen he went to
his brother-in-law, DR.. Waddel, a
Presbyterian clergyman, to prepare
himself for college. After two years
of persistent study, he was capable
of entering the Junior Class at Yale.
In 1904 he graduated, leaving the
college with high honors. He then
devoted the three following years to
the study of law. Eighteen months
of this time he>spent at a law school
in Connecticut, where he studied so
closely the political situation, that
this knowledge became an effective
weapon for him in his future politi-
cal career.
At the completion of his course,
he returned to Abbeville and COM
menced the practice of law. He
never made an enviable record for
himself as a lawyer; perhaps be-
cause he never considered his oppon-
ent's side in the least, and, also, be-
cause he frequently arrived at the
most astounding conclusions in his
arguments.
He had barely had time to settle
down and become acquainted with
the surroundings of his youth, when
his district sent him to the Legisla-
ture. But his fellow citizens soon
came to realize that that stage of
politics was too small for this genius,
and, in 1911, they chose him as one
of their representatives in Congress.
In the same year he married his cou-
sin, Floride Calhoun, who acted the
part of a true and loyal wife by in
spring him with hope at all times In
his struggle for the "True Cause"
On December II, 1911, he deliver
ed his first set speech in the House,
in defence of a set of resolutions
calling upon England for reparation
for her rash acts committed upon our
commerce. Thus his first act on the
national stage was to sound the key
note of his political caree Hence
forth incessant war. war to the bitter
end, was to be his destiny to the last
DAYS of his life" Although not
against a foreign aggressor, but
against his own c~ountrymen. who,
he truly believed, were threatening
the welfare of his State. This
speech was delivered in such an elo-
quent and g~entlemanly name that
it aroused the interest of the whole
country. Great things were prophe-
sled for this young statesman from
the South, and, as we will see, he full
filled the expectations even of the
most critical.
In 1916. by a speech on tariff, and
1.LI1 1-. " zool 49, tLa 0Nn