Fort Hill 15th June
1849
MY DEAR DAUGHTER, I
do hope by this time, you are all safe in London, after a pleasant voyage. I
shall be on the lookout for a letter dated at London in about two weeks from
now.
I wrote to Mr
Clemson subsequent to the receipt of your letter, and addressed to Brussels,
where I hope he will find it, on his arrival. I stated in it, that I would
write you the next week, which would have been Sunday last, but when I was
about commencing to write, Cornelia brought me a letter to you, to be put under
cover, which I did and forward[ed] to the State Department, to be sent by the
first opportunity. You will probably find it at Brussels on your arrival.
Cornelia gave you, I doubt not, all the news.
In consequence of
her writing, I postponed my letter for a week, which will give it the
opportunity to go by the next Steamer after that which took yours.
We all felt, my dear
daughter, as you described your feelings to be, at your departure. It is,
indeed, distressing to be so far off and for so long a time from those so dear
to us; but let us rather look forward to when we shall again meet, than indulge
in unavailing sorrows. I trust two years, at the utmost, will terminate your
residence in Europe, and return you all again safe to our country. It is due to
the children, that your stay should not be longer. Their habits and mode of
thinking will, by that time, begin to be formed; and it is important, that they
should be such, as to conform to the conditions of the country, which is to be
their home. I often think of them, and how much delighted they would be, to be
enjoying themselves in our green and shady yard. The season has been wet, and
everything looks beautiful. Even the old field beyond the yard looks as green
as a meadow. In the field beyond it, (Speeds field), now containing 125 acres,
by the addition of clearing, has a fine crop of oats, just fully shot out,
which completely covers the whole ground, presenting an unbroken mass of green
in that direction. The big bottom on the other side is covered, with a superb
crop of corn, the best at this season, I ever had on it, which covers the whole
with a deep green. Back of it, lies fort hill, with its harvested wheat in
shocks. The spring has been too cool and wet for cotton, but mine looks well,
and, with my hill side drains and serpentine rows, really looks handsome. The
place is altogether, in fine order. I ride or walk, according to the weather
twice a day, morning and evening, over it, for the double purpose of exercise
and superintendence. I have no trouble, as Fredrick has become a first rate
overseer, and takes as much interest as I do in everything about the place. I
would be delighted to have you and the children with me occasionally, in my
walks. It would be wearisome to take them as often as I do.
My health and
strength are as good, as I could expect at my time of life. I take all
necessary care of them, except being rather more overtasked, than I could wish.
I devote all the time left me, to finishing the work, I commenced three years
ago, or more; but which I had to suspend the last two I ought not to delay its
execution any longer, and aim to put it to press, if I can finish it in the
recess, next Spring, or Summer. I finished yesterday, the preliminary work,
which treats of the elementary principles of the Science of Government, except
reading it over and making final corrections, previous to copying and
publishing. It takes 125 pages of large foolscap closely written for me. I am
pretty well satisfied with its execution. It will be nearly throughout new
territory; and, I hope, to lay a solid foundation for political Science. I have
written, just as I thought, and told the truth without fear, favour, or
affection.
1 These two works, posthumously published, "A Disquisition on Government" and "A Discourse on the Constitution and Government of the United States," constitute Vol. I of Calhoun's collected works.
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