RICHMOND [VA.], 9
April, 1850.
MY DEAR SIR: Feeling
deeply impressed with an unaffected and painful sense of the great public loss
occasioned to America and to mankind by the death of Mr. Calhoun, I am anxious
that some fitting eulogy on his character and public services should appear in
the Southern Literary Messenger. While the grief of his personal friends is yet
fresh, and the general sorrow pervading the country unabated, such a tribute
might be most worthily performed without discussing his political opinions or
offending persons of opposite views with any reflections on his party
attachments. I need scarcely say, sir, that I know no one so well qualified, by
long and intimate acquaintance with the illustrious dead, by congeniality of
sentiment and study, and by facility of elegant and finished composition, to
undertake this labour of love as yourself. I am sure that you would willingly
do me a service and I am equally certain that you would yet more gladly render
to the memory of your noble and lamented friend that tribute of affectionate remembrance
and admiration which is so proper over his closing grave. May I not ask then
that you will furnish for the Messenger an eulogy on Mr. Calhoun? If you
accede, be good enough to inform me at what time I may expect to receive the
Ms, if, you decline, pray make my best regards to your friend, the Hon. Mr.
Seddon or to your nephew, Mr. Garnett, and ask, in my behalf, such an article
from one of them.
SOURCE: Charles
Henry Ambler, Editor, Annual Report of
the American Historical Association for the Year 1916, in Two Volumes, Vol. II,
Correspondence of Robert M. T. Hunter (1826-1876), p. 110
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