Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 11.pdf/459

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
426
The Green Bag.

reported that an order had been issued for Calhoun's arrest, and it was thought that the other members of Congress from the South would soon be in prison. He said that there was a feeling of uneasiness among Carolinians generally and that he himself shared in the same. He concluded that he would hunt up Mr. Calhoun and that, when he found him at the capitol, his smiling face and encouraging utterances at once brought confidence, where before was fear. Here was the inspiration which moral heroism gives. And now that I have about reached a con clusion, I cannot do better than to quote and to appropriate in all their fullness to Mr. Calhoun the beautiful words which Joseph Choate applied to Rufus Choatc, his kins man, in his great Boston speech : " And first, and far. above his splendid talents and his triumphant eloquence, I would place the character of the man, pure, honest, delivered absolutely from all the temptations of sordid and mercenary things, aspiring daily to what

was higher and better, loathing all that was vulgar and of low repute, simple as a child, and tender and sympathetic as a woman. Emerson most truly says that character is far above intellect, and this man's character surpassed even his exalted intellect, and, controlling all his great endowments, made the consummate beauty of his life." At Wofford College, South Carolina, one of the literary societies was named for Mr. Calhoun. From its wall is suspended his picture, on the shelves of its library are his works, and the history of his country is his life. When the young men of Carolina and the South gather at this shrine of learning, look upon his face, read his books and study his life, may they gather fresh inspiration for life's duties, — may they learn like him to live wisely or, if need be, in his own grand words " to die nobly." Abbeville, S. C.

SCOTCH MARRIAGES. By R. Vashon Rogers. APPARENTLY at one time the lassies of came to the home of the woman and led her Scotland enjoyed a continual leap year, to his own house; that was the ceremony for we are told that in the thirteenth century, and nothing more (Moore's Reports 170). during the days of her most blessed majes Marriage, as an ecclesiastical matter, did ty Margaret, the Parliament enacted that dur not exist in Scotland until the eighth century. ing her reign "like maiden ladie, of baith! Up to the time of the Reformation a system high and lowe estait, shall have libertie to ' was in vogue in some parts called " handfastspeak the man she likes. Gif he refuses to | ing" — under it a man and a woman agreed tak her to bee his wyf, he shall be mulct in to live together for a year, at the end of that the sum of one hundredity pundis, or less, as time they were free to separate unless they his estait may be, except and alwais, gif he chose otherwise. It was of Celtic origin. can make it appeare that he is betrothit to Even after this style of temporary union was another woman, then he shail bee free." prohibited the Scottish law of marriage long Before the time of Pope Innocent III mar remained in an unsatisfactory condition. riage was simple in Great Britain, there was An acknowledgment made by the parties no solemnization in the church; the man either by word or $riting, that they were hus