Charles Maurice Wiltse (1907–1990)

1395 John C. Calhoun Nullifier, 1829-1839, by Charles M. Wiltse (read 20 June 1976) The bias in favor of Calhoun detracts from the worth of the work. This volume was more interesting than the first, covering as it does the history of Congress during the years involved, 1829 to 1839. Calhoun was elected Vice-president in 1828, but soon became violently opposed to Jackson, and in 1832 he resigned to become US Senator from South Carolina. The volume closes with Calhoun reconciled to Van Buren and anticipating succeeding him in 1844. The account of the Senate debates is intriguing. (In my note made on June 20, 1976, I commented on the fact that Carter had become assured of being the Democratic nominee for President and perspicaciously said: "I consider his victory in November sure and on Jan 20, 1977, he'll be inaugurated President of the United States.")… (altro)

1397 John C. Calhoun Sectionalist, 1840-1850, by Charles M. Wiltse (read 10 July 1976) This is the final volume of Wiltse's over-laudatory biography, but the period of Calhoun's life was and is such an interesting time that I could not help but be caught up in the three volume work. Calhoun died March 31, 1850, and was buried in Charleston, SC. The book ends:

"So he lies beneath a graying monument, all but obscured by the more pretentious memorials to the dead of later days--lies among others, great in the history of South Carolina and of the nation, rather than beneath the rich soil of his own Fort Hill. To him it would make very little difference, for he never meant his monument to be of stone, nor his final resting place to be of bricks and sod."… (altro)