Washington 24th Jan
1849
MY DEAR ANNA, I was
happy to learn by your letter, that you were all spending your time so
agreeably, at the Cane Brake. I feared, that you, with all your philosophy,
would find the change between Brussels and so retired a place, too great to be
agreeable; especially with all the vexation of house keeping, where supplies
are so limited and little diversified.
I gave in my
letters, written a few days since to your Mother and Mr Clemson, an account of
the state of my health. Since then it has been improving, and I now feel fully
as well as usual. The day is fine and I will take my seat again in the Senate.
The slight attack of faintness, which passed off in less than a minute, was
caused by several acts of imprudence, and among others, by doing what has not
been usual with me, sponging my body all over as soon as I got up. The morning
was cold and my system did not react, as I hoped it would. I must be more
careful hereafter and not tax my mind as heavily as I have been accustomed to
do.
I had a letter from
John a few days since. He is under the operation of the water cure, and says
that he already feels much benefitted. He writes that Mr McDuffie has been so
far restored as to be free of the dyspeptick and nervous symptoms, but that the
paralized limbs remain unremedied.
The meeting of the
Southern members took place again last Monday night. My address was adopted by
a decided majority.1 You will see a brief account of the proceedings
in the Union, which goes with this. It is a decided triumph under [the]
circumstances. The administration threw all its weight against us, and added it
to the most rabid of the Whigs. Virginia has passed admirable resolutions, by
an overwhelming vote. The South is more roused than I ever saw it on the
subject. I shall postpone the reflections, which your statement of the
conversation of Co1 Pickens gave rise to, until I shall see you, with a single
exception. He has constantly endeavoured to hold me in the wrong by attempting
to make the impression, that I have been influenced in my course towards him by
the artful management of persons hostile to him. There is not the least
foundation for it. No attempt of the kind has ever been made; and no man knows
better than himself, how far I am above being influenced by such attempts; for
no one has ever done as much to endeavour to influence me that way, as himself,
and as he knows without success. I have never regarded the course, which has
led to the present relation between us with any other feeling but that of
profound regret, on his account.
My love to all.
1 “Address of the Southern Delegates in Congress
to their Constituents,” relating to the opposition to the Wilmot Proviso. See
Calhoun's Works, VI, 285–312.
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. 761-2
