as an unwarrantable assumption of power on the part of the President, which could not be constitutionally exercised; here he agreed with his great rivals, while he was more moderate than they in his language.  He made war on measures rather than on men personally, regarding the latter as of temporary importance, of passing interest.  So far as the removal of deposits seemed an arbitrary act on the part of the Executive, he severely denounced it, as done with a view to grasp unconstitutional power for party purposes, thus corrupting the country, and as a measure to get control of money.  Said he:  “With money we will get partisans, with partisans votes, and with votes money, is the maxim of our political pilferers.”  He regarded the measure as a part of the “spoils system” which marked Jackson’s departure from the policy of his predecessors.

Calhoun detested the system of making politics a game, since it would throw the government into the hands of political adventurers and mere machine-politicians.  He was too lofty a man to encourage anything like this, and here we are compelled to do him honor.  Whatever he said or did was in obedience to his convictions.  He was above and beyond all deceit and trickery and personal selfishness.  His contempt for political wire-pullers amounted almost to loathing.  He was incapable of doing a mean thing.  He might be wrong in his views, and hence might do evil instead of good, but he was honest.  In his severe self-respect and cold dignity of character he resembled William Pitt.  His integrity was peerless.  He could neither be bought nor seduced from his course.  Private considerations had no weight with him, except his aspiration for the presidency, and even that seems to have passed away when his disagreement with Jackson put him out of the Democratic race, and when the new crisis arose in Southern interests, to which he ever after devoted himself with entire self-abnegation.

In moral character Calhoun was as reproachless as Washington.  He neither drank to excess, nor gambled, nor violated the seventh commandment.  He had no fellowship with either fools or knaves.  He believed that the office of Senator was the highest to which Americans could ordinarily attain, and he gave dignity to it, and felt its responsibilities.  He thought that only the best and most capable men should be elevated to that post.  Nor would he seek it by unworthy ends.  The office sought him, not he the office.  It was this pure and exalted character which gave him such an ascendency at the South, as much as his marvellous logical powers and his devotion to Southern interests.  His constituents believed in him and followed him, perhaps blindly.  Therefore, when we consider what are generally acknowledged as his mistakes, we should bear in mind the palliating circumstances.