He was upright in all his personal and political relations, but he could not forget that he was born a Southern man and a slave-holder.

He had a full measure of that pride in his State so deeply cherished by Virginians.

At the outset of his public career he became associated with Mr.Calhoun, and early imbibed the doctrines of that illustrious senator, who seldom failed to fascinate the young men who fell within the sphere of his personal influence.
Mr.Hunter therefore naturally opposed the new tariff, and under his lead all action upon it was defeated for the session.

This conclusion was undoubtedly brought about by considerations outside of the legitimate scope of the real question at issue.

The struggle for the Presidency was in progress, and any concession by the slave States on the tariff question would weaken the Democratic party in the section where its chief strength lay, and would correspondingly increase the prestige of Lincoln's supporters in the North and of Mr.Fillmore's followers in the South.