744 Dociwients mately, but at present he aimed only at reducing the Tariff down to the Revenue point — about Eleven or Twelve millions per annum, wh. would enable the government to pay the civil list handsomely. He said he was no radical in this and thought the government should be liberal in its constitutional expenditures. The Tariff at this point might be so ad- justed as to suit the Northern people better than it did now. The gen- eral increase of duty on every article had diminished the profits of each individually by adding to the cost of every thing necessary to the pro- duction of each manufacturer. He would propose to single out some of the most important articles and giving them a liberal protection, enhance their profits still further by lowering the duties upon all [or] nearly all the other articles of necessary consumption. He said that the Northern manufacturers, if they took an extended view of things, must look to a foreign market and with that object it would be their desire and their most urgent interest, to cheapen everything in the country but their own peculiar manufactures. Taking this view of it, he thought the Northern people might easily be induced to lower the Tariff to the revenue point and thus reconcile the interests of the North and South. This is a pretty full view of Mr. Calhoun's plan of reconciliation. He thought it practicable — at all events worth trying. If it failed or matters continued going forward as they now did he looked upon disunion as inevitable. And he thought it best, for the system of plunder such as it was now was the most despicable of all possible forms of government. For his part he would not administer the government as it was now operating. He regarded it as a despicable ambition. It would be administering an in- solvent estate, — and one, said Judge Martin who had entered the room during our conversation, that would soon have to plead "plene adminis- travit. ' ' If things could be fixed upon the basis he proposed the govern- ment would be strengthened, and regain the confidence of the people. It would prevent the traffic of interests now carried on. In this game the North could beat us. We being the payer and they the receiver they could outbid us with the West and always w'^ do it. When I started to come away Mr Calhoun took his hat, and we walked together for some distance. He then hinted pretty strongly that if things went right, he might be placed in nomination for the Presidency next fall. I told him candidly that such a step would be imprudent at this moment both at home and abroad, and should not be thought of at this time. He agreed with me. He said his object was to throw himself entirely upon the South and if possible to be more Southern if possible. In advancing our principles therefore, we should advance him in the only way in wh. he desired to be advanced. This I believe is a correct outline of the long interesting interview wh. I had with Mr. Calhoun. To many of his projects I could not yield my assent, and his fine theory — if sound and republican — I fear will be found impractible. — I dined with Mr. Calhoun to-day at Judge D's and took tea with him at Major Taylor's. He is much less disposed to harangue than usual.
