Newspapers / Western Carolinian (Salisbury, N.C.) / May 23, 1831, edition 1 / Page 1
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, f r (, v j J. f i f, II t fte (in 1,' .." Kich, horrf ,r itiit 9.4 m then., !, !. Ibe MmbUnc of 'jititj, l.irh t-!wfti(wtiiH4hfrti,(iiir,i;itn,tl.h;ciiU ! tttJrJ with I. ul -emor. Tbe wUdo-a of i.)ii.n ! -r- SAIilBHUItY, UOWAN COUNTY, N. C MONDAY MY M, 1831. VOL. XL, .mi. ..TW at A h rll V m-... ' - . . 111! ... - ' itwilUl, ftW '""biography . JUoprapfiicalJifrmviriff jOHN CALUWKrJiALtJOU jpijiM CAtottL fUmouiT, the .' ft cTthisl7TtTVcTltrrbrn ihe 28th March, 1782, at th"plaCf- wbcrc his youngest brothtr, Patrick, row resides, in Abbeville District, (jih Carolina. Uoih hit paternal ,,d maternal ancestors were from the orth of Ireland. His grandfather Jt un'i CaUwun, emigrated from the i ant A Donegal, So the car 17JJ, with bit family, aoJ settled, in Peon. t1va.i'H. Iln father, Patrick Vat. Amm. wn then but six years old. After residing there many yean, the family removed to the western part of V.rgini and settled on the waters of Green Itnar river, one oi tne orancnes .f the Krnhawa.IIradJ')Cx'a delest Laving exposed the frontier of Vir ginia ta the depredations oi mcaava 'get, the Bcttjemeut was broken up, and the family removed to Kouth lisrolina. and in the )eV 1736, filed their residence irt what has' since been Inown by the name of Calhoun's fyl ilrmrnt, then on the confines of the CUerckeejnarion, and far in advance of nil other esUbtislimtTor the whitest HVirtly after the Cherokeea-became hclcrnd-attake4aheClJJtment On their retreat the whites were over, okeo by. a vatljf supevrior iorce. A l,l,,ody battle enuf"d, in which Valtthe males', capable of bearing arna, fell; 9u a.mong them, James Calhoun, the M.-i l.r.uhrr. who commanded on the occasion. Patrick Calhuo, the filler ol the Vice President, displayed great intrepidity, and mde a try narrow escape by breaking through the ranks ol the enemy. After the defeat, their mother,' then at a very advanced age, the-ther women and thr tKildOjLj0. fU into the hands of the - Mvaffea.-weriTtortiihawked. Those of the faraUyhoTQTvirtchh4 I ..4-U-- disasterVTCtired firat o Urangeburgb, and thenztccihedl!!!xhawr-Patrkk Calhoun was appointed "by ibe pro .... vincialilovanmsnt consmatidcr of a body of rangera to defend th"e frontier. In t hi- e r v ir m bich-f eqaucd.. great flcrivity--aod-bardihoo!Ke.proyed - himself,- by- hi- daring ..courage and enterprise, worthy of the station which had been assigned hihi7AT(ef the peace ol 1763, the family returned, aod re-occupied their former setllc- ment, where thev contimied to reside. The father of Mr. Calb un was twice .carried first while he resided rn Virgicij, to Mias Craighead, who died aionly after, wilhout issue : and nfrwrards. about the year 1770, to Martha Cldwll, a native of Charlotte i countvji'irglaia, and niece to the Jlcvercod J.mea Vaicweii, oi Cw " . . ,. . ' Jersey, rresbytcnan cmne, wno took a prominent part in the war of the revolution. The fiuita of this marriage were four eons and one daughter, of whom the subject of this biographical memoir was the fourth in the order of their birth. He re ceived tV.e name of John Caldwell, af ter his uncle, Major John "Caldwell, an active and zealous whig, who had short time previous to the birth of Mr Calhoun. w virttir 'the Presbyterianh'trch. The father ' i ere exemplary iar ineir p.7 ..i..v.. i . , ..r ' . l-.u u.,. r! u- .fr,.rV t.n!i caoacitr. re- . wrf" m ii iiift ii a ui. w i iiuiiiwa ova uvm . - t . I I II WW. T - I r wm a hardy and enterprising jwraccr , bat,' unlike most of thattuss, hs 1 placed a high value upoprc ducation. Though he w as entirely self-tsugtit, and lived the grest,ef part of his fife ta the frontier, stfrounded by danger he mad hWell an excellent Kng- 'Tfifcltfat ful auiefor, which profession be "long followed. He was the dm mem. bereleed to the provincial Legisla ture from the interior of .South Card lina Of this T body and the State Legislature after the tevolutioa,lhe. continued a member for thirty years, without intermissien,' with the "eP" tton of a single i term, until his death in 1796.V He w a zealous whig and a daicerestcd patriot, lie oppoaed the adoption of the Federal ConMitu tion on the ground that it conferred rights on Congress ir.comptib!e with the sovereignty of the states, . John C. Calhoun received his Hog lilh education in the ordinary country schools. hcn in his 13th year, he wM-4vtaced in. the acedemy, iepuJiv 1iihr6ther-1o-1aw, thf Her. Dr,Wad- 4a.t uca atJjmth.dljUpy 'jhed , in i the Hoiithtri) Sutrs as a teacher, with whom he was to commence his clvui. cat studies. He hl acrcrlv begua, when the death of hit father, and Mrs, Waddel, hi sitter, Interrupted his education, Pr. Vddct having after these events d'ncon'.iod his acade. mv, Mr, Calhoun continued to re. side with htm but the frequent ab sence of the Doctor no h'.i clerical duties deprived hint almost entirely ol the advantage of his inttru' iinn. The time, however, was not tost. A cir culating library for the neighborhood, uf which the Doctor was librarian, was established at his house. . Often left alour, with the exceptions of the do- tuestics, youog Cihoua resorted to the library fur amusement and occu pation. ' Undirected, he passed over lighter reading, and Card his attention xnaioly.on history He applied him- elf su indcutigsbly, thsi in the course uf fourteen weeks he had read Holm's Ancient History, Robertsons Chrles V UoUrrivMi's America, oltairc s Charles II, the larce edition of Cookc'a Voyages, the first volume cf Jtocle on the tiumaa - Understand igr and some other smaller works. Such was-his eagerness,-that he scarcely spared time fr his meals or rest, aod eft none for exercise or amusemeot. Under such severe application his eves were so much affected that he was obliged to exclude the glare of light, by drawing in the window shutters; his countenance became pallid, and bis hole frame emaciated. Intelligence of the state of his health rrarhing bis mother, she became alarmed, and he was taken home, and separated frOra hia boot. "Aif and exercise reinstated eaJlh. J .and to the to ve T)f ; book t succeeded a fondncs9 forcrruntry sports aod amuemcnts. Four years pieJ--aw"ay4albrZlBj?y Though during this period he nude no- progceai.Lt.hts. education, he, nev. ertheless, derived frocnTt an ibestimtfi ble beneCl. He laid the foundation of ahlxccllent cor.stitution, and contrac. tedTf bre for-ariuUurct... which has ever sir.ceTontinueJ-4o increase, . und which hns tn.tbled him, like the falher of his country, to f.ll up the interval of public dutitH with pleasure and ed vantage in thut useful and indepen dent pursuit. At this period he had abtndored the inteutioo of acquiring a liberal education; His eldest brother, Williix, had taken charpe of a plan tatiou at'aome distance from the fami ly midswce. . liis nccocd brother, .-- --- r---- knur in .( 'Kri.lnll. Bull Oil houie in Charleston, autl himself and his younesi brother, Patrick, were the only children left with their wid owed mother. Dr. Waddel had again,opened his acaaelny; but it was atthe distance of fifty miles, in Columbia county, Ceor e'.a. . .Under suchcircunstanccs, the fend and anxious motbtr felt Averse, to a second acpcatioa i aad the ZTQW,aZrtseA on attschmeotof John to agricultural ,rt.m-r t pxnuieeme4ntioe occupation. . Hiatrother James,1ifw - mnnstrared asainit hia dctermlnatipn, iraportuned him i to 'chaitgc hit. coarse, and warmly urged him to tcra teutioo" without delay to the acquisi tion o! a classical education. John at length; after much pcrsuasjon, aub mitted his inclination o the judgment of his brother, but not ; eithout a fixed determination, which hewror.gty ex pressed ;T"tfie"iif2ie7 that-IteDver would enter a profession unless he was convinced that he could rise far above mediocrity. Vith a. frm adherence to that resolution, he lost no time m commencing His preparatory studies. He forth with proceeded to Dr. Wad del's academy,! which he .entered in Jane, taoo. At this-period, at the age of ei ghteeo, he may .be said to have commenced his claasicaJ etudics, Hugsging in them, however, with his characteristic ador, his progress was so rapidj that in 10 years he was pre. parrrl to join the junior class to Yale Ollege, which he entered wi'b, dis. tinction in the autumn f 1802. He psssed through that institution with great credit, obtainioi a hieh standee " u uic uiUBr.cm siuuies ouc.wniie he was not deficient in imseinitiou nd -ttr,' b-wae-iwoe-afeularIy distinguished by the depth4nd Quick ness of hie percrption. Thoueh dlf. bring widely in pnliticsl opioions from) Or. Owisht, who was then at ne hcd of tha' institution, he, nevertheless, wss a great favorite with that very distinguished aod good Uao, with whom he had fret.uent friendly en counters ia the field of tulitkkl dis cussion. In the course of retitatioo in IMey'e Philosophy, the Doctor ex. prccu a uouui "wncmcr me coo.iuu an uy 01 irtecung arriTsu. sent of the governed wu the only just origin of Ic & i ii mate govern meat, l'nia gave rise to an animated debate be (ween him and Mr. Calhoun, by which he examination was interrupted, and the class held in delightful suspense till the belt summoned them to dinner. In the ceursecif the discussion, the student evinced such depth of thought such, power of .argument, and such eloquence, that his celebrated precep tor predicted his future rise to the highest honors of the republic. Tlut voOnjf man; said he aftcrwarda to a f riend, has - talotita - enough to be President of the United "r?tates.w Mr. Calhoun passed his examination fr a degree in the summer of 1804, just bur tears alter ha had commenced the t.nin grsmmsr) butt notwlihstandinK ;h rapniitf with which he had pasted ihroutrh his studirs, he in a larce and t.len'eJ class of upwsrds of seventy, at ined the blehest erxle of honors. An L'nlWh oraiion was astinAd him, and he prepared one on the qualiflcaiionb ne cesiarv o a neriect statesman ; a severe iuJisootition, however, prevented him from delivering it- Mr. Calhoun hsvinj returned to South Ctttoiiiu. entced h'msnlf -ituJenl a la in iUe oQke of ILJVJJf ttaussure. aMbanime a disunguished advocate, and now one of the thnctlion of (he oute, iluer-iemaiuka.Xewnioj!ihsl'hh hr wtnt nack 1o New KnjjUndi and enter- ert ttie law school at LltchuclJ, then sa periuicno'eJ 5 Judtre 'iecve and ludgo Could."" forinff4t eiihieeaJ mon' hs that be attended their telofaiad lecture. he aa a c'osa student, and ipsue great orojrois. The mornings' hade voted to I T inenhe TC5Ttit theda4o .izencfi. HVei afUre. He-euluvaiei Ums-powers of extcnporaneoun speaking with- great as kidti;r. The studaots bad formed s de bt ling societ y ; and, in order to agitating political topics of the day were usually se lected for debate. The school was nearly e(;u.,"y divided between the two great pititia which wei'e then contandio in the r.-ucn agaiust each otker. Mr. Cat houn was the champion of the republican side ; and, fas the meetings were open, aud thj debates co.-.ductid in the usual SdUum 9 n t arr to anner, treat mtcrr;t wt often felt in the discussion by the inhabi tants of the town. It was in this admi rably conducted society that Mr. Clhoun rt developed his great power of parlia mentary debate. He usually prepared himself by reCection on the subjects pro pqaeo for dicusiioo, but rarely, if ever, committed to writing the arrangement of hli ioDlcs. or took notes of tue argu ments of those" w ho preceded t hlmCH e hts tenaciois memory tor pre- the order established in his own f'oCaiysls ifld-hit-woadarfui powee--r-4pid j nd cTassiBcstlenensblcd-htr., even in the hurry and excitement of an en m tne. nurry ana eara,e... v, - TTTOi-ntN-sn to Its nrnnrr nlire K in thai ordsr, the aossrer and re.utation of all the various arguments of tbe spes ke.Si1 however fiu'merousj whtm be fol lowed. On several occasion" whirt i was xnown that a settled majority was opposed to hint etthe'commjiT.cement of the discussion, be br(ke ddn the bsrri ers of party obstinacy, and triumphantly cariied hia side b the force and fervor ol bis cl xjutDt and logical arguments. In the autumo.of llOfl he 3Mn return edlo.Parolina, and completed his study of the law in tne oIScT&rMrrDcne.ur' . . . . . - . .v..-,..- sure, in vbetc", na mr-,DJe very resnectablo lawyer residing at At. beville coutP bouse. He passed his ex amination for admission . to the bar in December. 180r, and immediately aTter iards cotnmsneed in bia naiive district a lucrative pra;ice. He ranked from-the hecinning amonest the first lawyers o! his circuit. Cut talents snd acquire ments, such as' be Possessed, could ooi , ; -. . " loot; be permitted to be absorbed n pi f' purul's. I'tA btfors be s d milled to the bar, an Incident occorred, which turned the ares of the people on hint as one destined for the p-iblic sir vice. W sliu t to the affair of the Chesspeakt. iTha south Dsrtool doeulr ot tha t xciutAcut wllch (Uuwad , thai ouiragns act. .. meeting -was called al 7.buyTlXc4ift iouse to conirderl.lpVieaifil Vecin Han.lorpfi subjoctt and to express the sentiments ot iUm palsixTjW.e.fjBntel id won w iH'ioiwuta niesun. Though ho had not tat been admiued 10 the prsuce, llf. Cafhtuet was selected s one of the cent miller, ' and Srcovred such an ioiimaia knowledge cf our pub lic avoirs, that he vss sppointe J by ibe committee chalrouo of the sub commit tee to drt'ght the address, and report resolutions to be submlited to the peoole K!e was also rerjuitcd by the com inn tee ' to address tha ote eiiiig when the resolu tious shoul.l t proposed lor their adon tioo. 1 be day of irteciinc arrived. lUs assemblage was very large- It wss the firtt timj he was brought before the pub lio. The situation ws trying, but he rouitted bimsatf in such mtnner as to excite tbe most enthusiastic feelings in nit favor, and tbe speech with (be ad dress aod resolutions were received wi.H the w.riaeM approbation. Tbe conse quence wss, that, as soon si be was ad milieu to me oar, be was proposed as a Cindidte for the next election to. ibe LegWUture I and in spite of a lour stand iog prejudice, which bsd for many years picvrincd the election of any laver, he succeeded by an overwbrlmipg majjrity, hat piC4a htnf Itt ahead tftil tha eiher candidates, though they were amon (he mot pcipular iocn ol the duinct. The Crst important object which, after be took bis seat ia the LeUlaiure ex cited the attention of the members, wss the selection of eandidatea for the Presi dent nd Vice President of the United States. A meeting of the republican members wis called for thit purpose. Mr. Madison wss their unanimous rhoice for the Presidency ' A division existed as to the Vice Presidency. In def ine, his sentiments on the occasion, Mr. Calhoun entered intoihe state of our public aTarti, ' pointed out the probable necessiry of sn appeal to at ma before the expiration of the next presidential term, sad urged, that, with such proipccts be fore them, it became necsssary In put down the first appearance of schTtrriTn" itaelf ranks. He stated bis apprehensions, from" maVi ; yMndtcations " which he pointed out. that Mr. madison wou'd not receise the cordial support of soma of the lead inz.paiiikUns, wi'o had be f ire acted with thrparty, particularly in Nw York, and urged that great care shouU taken, in selecting Candidate -for the Vice , rresl dcncvooua.propose a person around whom the dlscontenied might rally"."-Uu tier this Tiew of th-sghiuctr he sujresv ted tha name of John LanJon, of New llampkhire, ss one who not only posies sed the confidence of the country, but every other suitable qualification. Thi speech was received with loud applause ; and the evidence which it gave of sagaci ty and knowledge of public affairs, placed him st once among the leading members or the Legislature. The war, which followed two years afterwards, and the dsfigeroaecblsmwhirn detached for- a time the State of Naw York, at a critical period, from the support of Mr. Madi son's administration, and which threaten ed to defeat bis second election by tbe rallying of the discontented with his op ponents in support of a distinguished cits aeon of that State, presented a striking in stmce of that eltur toncrfitUn the fit turet for. which be has since been so much Mr. Calhoun remained two sessions in tbe Legislature, end took an active an J'teadingart -a.jIUhe Jmportant suojects wnicn. aunng insrpenoawcre ; d t0 the Iconsider.tion of that . - udyr At tbe next eenera I election be was brought forward as a candidate for Con gress to represent tne oistrici composeu of Abbeville, Newbery. Lsmens. HU oppocent was Gen. Uurnsides, Lau rens. - Mr. lyainoun succeced by an overwhelming majority. After his elec tion to Congress he abandoned the prac tice at the bar, and has since devoted him rlf exclusively to public aSYirs and ag riculture'. He look bia seat in Congress in the sutunVn-of 41 1 1 at liie commence , ment of the Crst acsaioo of the I'ith Con 1 tress, distinguished ss the session which declared what baa been justly called the second war of lndependance. Young as he was, his reputation had pi eceeded him and he wss placed second on. the Com mittee of Foreign Relations, which waV in the existing posture of our political affairs, considered the most Important h tbe House- Taey made au able report, nd recommenJid IrrisJ,,!. D rviw iion ior wn aim ihiu ,n i arms, if Ori U.i.iai iD0i ruiresa o nur wrongs, u.i ou ', discussion of the seioo l, i,'Ut n.d. Tha nn nrii lha thirmn. Ucheral trr a, debate. IU was foJlowe jf Orur,Jf a member of tha coinrok,.. in.t.rtf powerful speech i'l d'ltce uf ih i a inemocr.riyui u "MM ab'cat and mAi (oauenr apeexbes. , Wit ,.. lotuJi73lr7Can.6dr-ta--trj--ii,u; Tula may oe corsidarrd bl,t tff0rt io Confess. The occasion wf.n nj , . 'he publiceiclicmcnt great. g.iierr of the House hit crowded to ovfOVtn Under these tirrumstances, a measuie strength with one oh( mon sagacious oppontnts and porrlcrorf wnicn mis or any otner f.ouotry4 rf piodured. Not to sink uft0,",gch'a ' trf io g.in credif. ,ni,lrj the juitice of tha cauv, prf)fjutry jfJ prestod with a solemn sensa 6f tnejt. , oi of the occasion, roused to uUg. " tion by the Injuries J '.flu ted on bfioue try, and Ibe dishonor o!fcr(d to hel,raa by haughty belligarvois he deltv.(t speech which for lofty'ii.d f airloilt,,,'. timeets, for close aixt irresiilatle su. quencc has been rarely eon divd. It,,' received with UnbotindcU p!tue tk In and out of Congress. The Kiefem a 7 ' I.Mouirer, in a borsi of ent)iuiam, coi I pared Mni to "one of Thr old I'-k'I tf tt ild Congrats with the grair.ofyouih " 1 alluding to this speech, Pt ich filled th whole country with edmi'aiioo, and m-rk- blw aaaa dca-iimd in ttrti'., . Controlling influence ' or the.fljr of hia . cour.tj, Mr. Kiiche sayst Mr, Caliamn is clear and -pretHw"-h his-Yeatiff!rr- mirching directly to the object cf Me at tack, and fating down thr errors of bis opponent with the dub ol (leicules not . eloquent ia tropta and figures, but like ' res in the moral elevation of bis send-' mentsi free from persoiuli-r, yet full of those fnr touches of indigniion which are the aevarest cut to a man of feeling. :, His speech, like a fine drawing, abour ds V in those lights and shades, which set c(f , eacn omcr, tne cau.e ot biseconiry is . robed h Hgh!. while bar pponeni era' " wrapped in darkneas. It were contra; fed) to wish Mr. Cl:ioun were a VlrgwLn ; " t hoMfeh. alter j,he ga'jt t w Mr h she, ji e furnished J9 the oppjsltionjsuch a whtl " mijlt ,be T'ren tis. Yet we bejr leave T to jiarucipile, asuAcQsricaus and It iemis . Carolina. We h.nntir youiiV Ca ro 1 1 in T r as one of the mattrr spirits who stamp their name upon the age in wbich they Jv.r-rrr- - Uu U'wis not lo the characfei1 of a " parliamentary debater only that Mr. Cl hmi appeared .to advantage;, during .tola. ; t long and important session. Young and ineaperTenced as ba'was; htf pFoved irW-"w-self an abbTand sagacious leader. GftiT Porter, at an early period of the session, retired from hi aeat In Congress, which nlaced Mr. Cilhoun at the Ik ad of the Committee of Foreign Relation j which ' committee, by a vote, of the House, jaV addition lo the appropriate du'.iea, ws directed to report bills to cany into ef. :", feet the military preparo;lms , which" ,, they had recommended Ho was thtri, Or ihe; rorct..otcirc.otnyan'cfst fVfj j x ' by pre-rnin?nt aliiiity, St ihi erty pe-, riod of his congressional life, phced at the bead of the pry which sustained the ' war. and performed the atduons duties ' which belorg to so high and responaihla a station to the entire SHthfction, not only of the party, but of the coun'ry ; for his ptrlo'iim was of, too lofty a charac ter, aa his acts demonstrated, to parmi't bins to be - subservient . to mcre.- parry... VleS.lncommon with -hi abl and virtuous collesgufls, Chevesind Lowndes, he dine red from 'the ''administration' and " hf if friends 00 sversl important points .; Of policy, psrttcuJarl? liiTregard to'tha" " rfs'lietivp system and the nsvy At .':is ptflodrorgsnizTtioii ou buh 'trhs wifr-so - complete that Instances of trembers leav ing tbe mnks of thc4e party were we? and consequently, attended Jtb danger. This did not preventidr, Calftjun from selelng every suitsUt oproruaiiy to op- a - .a . . -, pose resolutely li.e whole restrictive iys- . tern, and to sustain the nsry with teal. One of his, isrliest snd best speeehea was oeuvereu n opposition to tno lorr mer jbiit he so conducted his oppoiH' when diJeriug from the majority with. whkb.he wi-PW leaving ordinary topics, he presented uch ibrcible, profound, snd pMlosophJ eal vinwi, appeaUnit directly to the na ture of man for his support, tbat he left a tfibroucb conviction on tie mlndi of all, that he was governed solely by the most drsfntereated and "patrioiic" cohstd- erations, without the vlightest tincture of factious feeliogs. 2 Of this we cannot present a better Cluitiatiyii tban by an. t i
Western Carolinian (Salisbury, N.C.)
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May 23, 1831, edition 1
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