Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 11.pdf/22

 George McDuffie. It is said that from the top of his house with the use of a spy-glass one could see in the distance Abbeville, South Carolina, and Washington, Georgia. It is to be regretted that this historic residence no longer re mains, having been destroyed by fire some years ago. A few miles distant is Orange Hill, the residence of Major Burt, who was for many years a member of Con gress and was at one time speaker pro tempore of the House of Representatives. Mr. McDuffie's house had four large rooms, above and below, with spacious halls between them, and with upper and lower piazzas extending all around the building except on the rear side. The site was a very commanding one, and from one of the piazzas you had a splendid view of the Savannah for about a mile. A long avenue lined on either side with shade trees led up to the house. He usually kept a riding horse, a carriage, and a pair of car riage-horses. He had a large tract of land and looked carefully after it. But he was not regarded as a successful farmer. While he made good crops, it was due to his over seers and hands. He was fond of farming, and is said on one occasion to have de livered a splendid address before the South Carolina Agricultural Society. Like An drew Jackson, Henry Clay, and George Washington, he is said sometimes to have sworn to his own hurt and that of his repu tation. So far as I have been able to learn, he never made any profession of religion, though he attended regularly the Presby terian church at Willington where a Rev erend Mr. Davis preached. He is said to have been remarkable for his quiet manner and taciturn disposition, though at times he was full of zest and life. He was a man of strong feeling and nervous temperament. About 1818, Mr. McDuffie fought a duel with Colonel William Gumming and received a wound in his spinal column which affected

his nervous system and ultimately under mined his constitution and embittered his life. He is said never to have been the same man after this duel that he*was before. The ball was never extracted, antl the wound having been a severe one made him exceed ingly irritable, and in fact before his death he became a melancholy wreck both in body and mind. By fighting this duel he may have vindicated his honor, but it was at a fearful sacrifice. He was throughout his life an exceedingly industrious man and he could not bear to have lazy people about him. Often when at home at Cherry Hill, he would sit up half the night engaged in reading or writ ing; but still he would always rise early and sometimes would kindle the fire himself be fore the servant came in. A writer in speaking of him says: " In all the relations of life this great man was faithful to his duties — a devoted husband, a sincere friend, a kind neighbor, and a considerate and in dulgent master to his slaves." It is said that firmness, sincerity, and truthfulness characterized him in an eminent degree. He took a deep interest in the subject of education, was for a while a trustee of the South Carolina College, and had a good deal to do with the re-organization of the faculty of this institution in 1835, while he was serving as president of its board of trustees. When McDuffie first entered Congress, he was in favor of a liberal construction of the Constitution, and Mr. Calhoun seems to have been like him in this respect, for he favored a system of internal improvements. But, in the case of both of them, their minds underwent a change and they afterwards became what were called strict construction ists. In speakir1gof Mr. McDuffie's change of opinion on this subject, Judge O'Neall says that he is satisfied that it was the result of honest conviction. And doubtless the same was true of Calhoun. Henry Clay too we find reversed his position on the