University of Virginia Library

In Character

Significantly, I almost believe
Calhoun may have actually done
precisely that. It certainly would
have been in character, for the man
was above all else. - statesman,
diplomat, Christian, human being -
he was above all else, a Legalist.
And this was his tragedy.

Calhoun is a symbolic figure: he
represents in some hazy fashion the
absurd logical conclusion of the
legalist frame of mind which haunts
American history. We are a people,
more so than the ancient Jews, of
the Book. We are a people, more so
than the British, of the Law. Calhoun
impaled himself on the sword
of "justice and law." He was never
wrong. His frame of mind could
lead him to write, after finishing an
essay on nullification, it "will forever
settle the question, at least, as
far as reason has anything to do
with setting political questions."

The tragedy of Calhoun is the
larger tragedy of America: means,
the law, somehow get confuse; with
ends, human beings. Calhoun, I
believe, was not so much interested
in human beings as he was in
legalisms. Law and philosophical order,
political metaphysics, these
were the final judges. The tragedy
of Calhoun is instructive for those
of us today whose minds are so
immersed in legalisms that the effect,
in the end, is one of confusing
ends and means.