Washington 28th April 1848
MY DEAR DAUGHTER,
The Sarah Sands brought me a letter from Mr Clemson and one from you to
Cornelia, but none was received by the Acadia from either of you.
I was happy to hear
of the continued good health of yourself and Mr Clemson and the children, and
how much they grow and improve.
We all, on this side
of the Atlantick, look with intense solicitude on the great events, transpiring
in Europe, and no one more so than myself. As frequent as the arrivals of
Stemers now are, and as short as is the interval between their arrivals, there
is no abatement of the anxiety with which each succeeding one is looked for. If
there be the interval of but a few days, as much and more exciting news is
expected, than formally there was after one of a month. I look, perhaps, with
greater solicitude for the unfolding of the great events now in progress in
Europe, as they afford me an opportunity to test the truth or error, of the
principles, which I have laid down in my elementary discourse on Government. It
is as yet in the rough draft, waiting the completion of the rough draft of the
discourse on our system of Government. I cannot doubt the correctness of the
principles, I have laid down, for they are drawn from facts in the moral world,
just as certain, as any in the physical; but I am solicitous to see, how far
they are subject to modification in their practical application to the present
condition of the civilized world, which is so very different from any, that
ever preceded it in many respects. There are powerful, long established, and
widely extended errors now at work, which tend to universal disorder and
anarchy throughout Christendom; while on the other hand there are powerful
causes in operation to counteract them, and which, I trust, and believe, in
time, will overpower them, and give a fairer prospect, than has ever yet
existed, to the cause of real liberty and civilization. But in the meane time,
it is to be feared, there will be great disorders, conflicts and suffering. You
will see, that I am still hopeful. Had such a revolution—so wide and so rapid,
occured 50 years ago, I would have dispaired, and regarded it, as the
commencement of a great retrograde movement in the most advanced and civilized
portion of the world. Even now, I regret—greatly regret its rapidity, extent,
and too thorough and radical character, especially in France. It ought never be
forgotten, that the past is the parent of the present, and that the past
condition of Europe, which has given birth to a state of advance and
civilization, far exceeding any heretofore known to the world, could not be a
bad one. It may have, indeed, contained, within itself, causes calculated to
retard, or prevent a farther progress, but these ought to have been removed
cautiously, as experience pointed them out, without overthrowing all at once
the peace of Governments, and the social condition of communities, which led to
such great and happy results; especially as such an overthrow must of necessity
be accompanied by such universal embarrassment and distress, and run the hazard
of a retrograde, instead of an advance movement, in the condition of the race.
I had, my dear
daughter, no intention of writing you such a letter, when I took up my pen. I
commenced with the Intention, to relate the ordinary occurrences of the day on
this side of the Ocean; but the allusion to the far greater, taking place in
Europe, has led me, insensibly, in the direction I have taken. You must take
it, better for worse, as I have not time to write another, or space, more than
briefly to touch on, what I intended to make the subject of my letter.
My health continues
as usual. When I last heard from home (a few days since) all were well and
doing well. Your mother had turned to guarding and improving the yard, which
Willey writes, has kept her employed, cheerful and hearty.
With love to Mr
Clemson, and kisses for the children.
SOURCE: J. Franklin
Jameson, Editor, Annual Report of the American Historical Association
for the Year 1899, Volume II, Calhoun’s Correspondence: Fourth Annual Report of
the Historical Manuscripts Commission, Correspondence of John C. Calhoun,
p. 752-3
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