these recollections and proofs of common interest are not strong enough to bind us together as one people, what tie will hold united the new divisions of empire, when these bonds have been broken and this Union dissevered? The first line of separation would not last for a single generation; new fragments would be torn off; new leaders would spring up; and this great and glorious republic would soon be broken into a multitude of petty States, without commerce, without credit; jealous of one another; armed for mutual aggressions; loaded with taxes to pay armies and leaders; seeking aid against each other from foreign powers; insulted and trampled upon by the nations of Europe; until, harassed with conflicts, and humbled and debased in spirit, they would be ready to submit to the absolute dominion of any military adventurer, and to surrender their liberty for the sake of repose. It is impossible to look on the consequences that would inevitably follow the destruction of this government, and not feel indignant when we hear cold calculations about the value of the Union, and have so constantly before us a line of conduct so well calculated to weaken its ties." picture to find a blemish in the detail-disregard- tion of the people, declared "that all that had Nothing but the deepest conviction of an actual danger could have induced General Jackson, in this solemn manner, and with such pointed reference and obvious application, to have given this warning to his countrymen, at that last moment, when he was quitting office, and returning to his home to die. He was, indeed, firmly impressed with a sense of that dangeras much so as Mr. Madison was-and with the same "pain" of feeling, and presentiment of great calamities to our country. What has since taken place has shown that their appre-full of consolation and encouragement to popular hensions were not groundless-that the danger government; and in that point of view it may was deep-seated, and wide-spread; and the end be safely referred to by the friends of that form not yet. of government. I have written veraciously, and of acts, not of motives. I have shown a persevering attack upon President Jackson on the part of three eminent public men during his whole administration; but have made no attribution of motives. But another historian has not been so forbearing-one to whose testimony there can be no objection, either on account of bias, judgment, or information; and who, writing under the responsibility of history, has indicated a motive in two of the assailants. Mr. Adams, in his history of the administration of Mr. Monroe, gives an account of the attempt in the two Houses of Congress in 1818, to censure General Jackson for his conduct in the Seminole war, and says: "Efforts were made in Con CHAPTER CLXIV. CONCLUSION OF GENERAL JACKSON'S ADMINIS- THE enemies of popular representative government may suppose that they find something in this work to justify the reproach of faction and violence which they lavish upon such forms of government; but it will be by committing the mistake of overlooking the broad features of a school; and was always more moderate, and better guarded by decorum. He even appeared, sometimes, as the justifier and supporter of President Jackson's measures; as in the wellknown instance of South Carolina nullification. Mr. Clay's efforts were limited to the overthrow of President Jackson; Mr. Calhoun's extended to the overthrow of the Union, and to the establishment of a southern confederacy of the slave States. The subsequent volume will have to pursue this subject. gress to procure a vote censuring the conduct Jackson; and it was probably his rising to the of General Jackson, whose fast increasing pop- head of that party which threw them both out ularity had, in all probability, already excited of it. Mr. Webster's opposition arose from his the envy of politicians. Mr. Clay and Mr. Cal-political relations, as belonging to the opposite houn in particular favored this movement; but the President himself, and Mr. Adams, the Secretary of State, who had charge of the Spanish negotiation, warmly espoused the cause of the American commander." This fear of a rising popularity was not without reason. There were proposals to bring General Jackson forward for the presidency in 1816, and in 1820; to which he would not listen, on account of his friendship to Mr. Monroe. A refusal to enter the canvass at those periods, and for that reason, naturally threw him into it in 1824, when he would come into competition with those two gentlemen. Their opposition to him, therefore, dates back to the first term of Mr. Monroe's administration; that of Mr. Clay openly and responsibly; that of Mr. Calhoun secretly and decepţiously, as shown in the "Exposition." They were both of the same political party school with General This chapter ends the view of the administration of President Jackson, promised to him in his lifetime, constituting an entire work in itself, and covering one of the most eventful periods of American history-as trying to the virtue and intelligence of the American people as was the war of the revolution to their courage and patriotism. CHAPTER CLXV. RETIRING AND DEATH OF GENERAL JACKSON—ADMINISTRATION OF MARTIN VAN BUREN. THE second and last term of General Jack- the hero-patriot who, all his life, and in all cirson's presidency expired on the 3d of March, cumstances of his life, in peace and in war, and 1837. The next day, at twelve, he appeared glorious in each, had been the friend of his with his successor, Mr. Van Buren, on the ele- country, devoted to her, regardless of self. Unvated and spacious eastern portico of the capitol, covered, and bowing, with a look of unaffected as one of the citizens who came to witness the humility and thankfulness, he acknowledged in inaguration of the new President, and no way mute signs his deep sensibility to this affecting distinguished from them, except by his place on overflow of popular feeling. I was looking down the left hand of the President elect. The day from a side window, and felt an emotion which was beautiful-clear sky, balmy vernal sun, had never passed through me before. I had seen tranquil atmosphere ;-and the assemblage im- the inauguration of many presidents, and their mense. On foot, in the large area in front of going away, and their days of state, vested with the steps, orderly without troops, and closely power, and surrounded by the splendors of the wedged together, their faces turned to the por- first magistracy of a great republic. But they tico-presenting to the beholders from all the all appeared to be as pageants, empty and souleastern windows the appearance of a field paved less, brief to the view, unreal to the touch, and with human faces. This vast crowd remained soon to vanish. But here there seemed to be a riveted to their places, and profoundly silent, reality—a real scene-a man and the people— until the ceremony of inauguration was over. he, laying down power and withdrawing through It was the stillness and silence of reverence and the portals of everlasting fame ;-they, sounding affection; and there was no room for mistake as in his ears the everlasting plaudits of unborn to whom this mute and impressive homage was generations. Two days after, I saw the patriot rendered. For once, the rising was eclipsed by ex-President in the car which bore him off to the setting sun. Though disrobed of power, his desired seclusion. I saw him depart with and retiring to the shades of private life, it was that look of quiet enjoyment which bespoke the evident that the great ex-President was the ab- inward satisfaction of the soul at exchanging the sorbing object of this intense regard. At the cares of office for the repose of home. History, moment he began to descend the broad steps of poetry, oratory, marble and brass, will hand the portico to take his seat in the open carriage down the military exploits of Jackson: this which was to bear him away, the deep repressed work will commemorate the events of his civil feeling of the dense mass brook forth, acclama- administration, not less glorious than his militions and cheers bursting from the heart and tary achievements, great as they were; and this filling the air-such as power never commanded, brief notice of his last appearance at the Amenor man in power received. It was the affec- rican capital is intended to preserve some faint tion, gratitude, and admiration of the living age, memory of a scene, the grandeur of which was saluting for the last time a great man. It was so impressive to the beholder, and the solace of the acclaim of posterity, breaking from the which must have been so grateful to the heart bosoms of contemporaries. It was the antici- of the departing patriot. pation of futurity-unpurchasable homage to Eight years afterwards he died at the Hermit age, in the full possession of all his faculties, and strong to the last in the ruling passion of his soul-love of country. Public history will do justice to his public life; but a further notice is wanted of him-a notice of the domestic man of the man at home, with his wife, his friends, his neighbors, his slaves; and this I feel some qualification for giving, from my long and varied acquaintance with him. First, his intimate and early friend-then a rude ruptureafterwards friendship and intimacy for twenty years, and until his death: in all forty years of personal observation, in the double relation of friend and foe, and in all the walks of life, public and private, civil and military. The first time that I saw General Jackson was at Nashville, Tennessee, in 1799-he on the bench, a judge of the then Superior Court, and I a youth of seventeen, back in the crowd. He was then a remarkable man, and had his ascendant over all who approached him, not the effect of his high judicial station, nor of the senatorial rank which he had held and resigned; nor of military exploits, for he had not then been to war; but the effect of personal qualities; cordial and graceful manners, hospitable temper, elevation of mind, undaunted spirit, generosity, and perfect integrity. In charging the jury in the impending case, he committed a slight solecism in language which grated on my ear, and lodged on my memory, without derogating in the least from the respect which he inspired; and without awakening the slightest suspicion that I was ever to be engaged in smoothing his diction. The first time I spoke with him was some years after, at a (then) frontier town in Tennessee, when he was returning from a Southern visit, which brought him through the towns and camps of some of the Indian tribes. In pulling off his overcoat, I perceived on the white lining of the turning down sleeve, a dark speck, which had life and motion. I brushed it off, and put the heel of my shoe upon it-little thinking that I was ever to brush away from him game of a very different kind. He smiled; and we began a conversation in which he very quickly revealed a leading trait of his character, that of encouraging young men in their laudable pursuits. Getting my name and parentage, and learning my intended profession, he manifested a regard for me, said he had received hospitality at my father's house in North Caro lina, gave me kind invitations to visit him; and expressed a belief that I would do well at the bar-generous words which had the effect of promoting what they undertook to foretell. Soon after, he had further opportunity to show his generous feelings. I was employed in a criminal case of great magnitude, where the oldest and ablest counsel appeared-Haywood, Grundy, Whiteside,-and the trial of which General Jackson attended through concern for the fate of a friend. As junior counsel I had to precede my elders, and did my best; and, it being on the side of his feelings, he found my effort to be better than it was. He complimented me greatly, and from that time our intimacy began. I soon after became his aid, he being a Major General in the Tennessee militia-made so by a majority of one vote. How much often depends upon one vote!-New Orleans, the Creek campaign, and all their consequences, date from that one vote!—and after that, I was habitually at his house; and, as an inmate, had opportunities to know his domestic life, and at the period when it was least understood and most misrepresented. He had resigned his place on the bench of the Superior Court, as he had previously resigned his place in the Senate of the United States, and lived on a superb estate of some thousand acres, twelve miles from Nashville, then hardly known by its subsequent famous name of the Hermitage-name chosen for its perfect accord with his feelings; for he had then actually withdrawn from the stage of public life, and from a state of feeling well known to belong to great talent when finding no theatre for its congenial employment. He was a careful farmer, overlooking every thing himself, seeing that the fields and fences were in good order, the stock well attended, and the slaves comfortably provided for. His house was the seat of hospitality, the resort of friends and acquaintances, and of all strangers visiting the State-and the more agreeable to all from the perfect conformity of Mrs. Jackson's character to his own. But he needed some excitement beyond that which a farming life can afford, and found it, for some years, in the animating sports of the turf. He loved fine horses-racers of speed and bottom-owned several, and contested the four mile heats with the best that could be bred, or brought to the State, and for large sums. That is the nearest to gaming that I ever knew him to come. Cards and the cock-relation to the son of the famous Daniel Boone. pit have been imputed to him, but most errone- The young man had come to Nashville on his ously. I never saw him engaged in either. father's business, to be detained some weeks, Duels were usual in that time, and he had his and had his lodgings at a small tavern, towards share of them, with their unpleasant concomi- the lower part of the town. General Jackson tants; but they passed away with all their ani- heard of it; sought him out; found him; took mosities, and he has often been seen zealously him home to remain as long as his business depressing the advancement of those against whom tained him in the country, saying, "Your father's he had but lately been arrayed in deadly hos- dog should not stay in a tavern, where I have a tility. house." This was heart! and I had it from the young man himself, long after, when he was a State Senator of the General Assembly of Missouri, and, as such, nominated me for the United States Senate, at my first election, in 1820: an act of hereditary friendship, as our fathers had been early friends. His temper was placable as well as irascible, and his reconciliations were cordial and sincere. Of that, my own case was a signal instance. After a deadly feud, I became his confidential adviser; was offered the highest marks of his favor, and received from his dying bed a message of friendship, dictated when life was departing, and when he would have to pause for breath. There was a deep-seated vein of piety in him, unaffectedly showing itself in his reverence for divine worship, respect for the ministers of the gospel, their hospitable reception in his house, and constant encouragement of all the pious tendencies of Mrs. Jackson. And when they both afterwards became members of a church, it was the natural and regular result of their early and cherished feelings. He was gentle in his house, and alive to the tenderest emotions; and of this, I can give an instance, greatly in contrast with his supposed character, and worth more than a long discourse in showing what that character really was. I arrived at his house one wet chilly evening, in February, and came upon him in the twilight, sitting alone before the fire, a lamb and a child between his knees. He started a little, called a servant to remove the two innocents to another room, and explained to me how it was. The child had cried because the lamb was out in the cold, and begged him to bring it in-which he had done to please the child, his adopted son, then not two years old. The ferocious man does not do that! and though Jackson had his passions and his violence, they were for men and enemiesthose who stood up against him-and not for women and children, or the weak and helpless: for all whom his feelings were those of protection and support. His hospitality was active as well as cordial, embracing the worthy in every walk of life, and seeking out deserving objects to receive it, no matter how obscure. Of this, I learned a characteristic instance in VOL. I.-47 Abhorrence of debt, public and private, dislike of banks, and love of hard money-love of justice and love of country, were ruling passions with Jackson; and of these he gave constant evidence in all the situations of his life. Of private debts he contracted none of his own, and made any sacrifices to get out of those incurred for others. Of this he gave a signal instance, not long before the war of 1812-selling the improved part of his estate, with the best buildings of the country upon it, to pay a debt incurred in a mercantile adventure to assist a young relative; and going into log-houses in the forest to begin a new home and farm. He was living in these rude tenements when he vanquished the British at New Orleans; and, probably, a view of their conqueror's domicile would have astonished the British officers as much as their defeat had done. He was attached to his friends, and to his country, and never believed any report to the discredit of either, until compelled by proof. He would not believe in the first reports of the surrender of General Hull, and became sad and oppressed when forced to believe it. He never gave up a friend in a doubtful case, or from policy, or calculation. He was a firm believer in the goodness of a superintending Providence, and in the eventual right judgment and justice of the people. I have seen him at the most desperate part of his fortunes, and never saw him waver in the belief that all would come right in the end. In the time of Cromwell he would have been a puritan. The character of his mind was that of judgment, with a rapid and almost intuitive perception, followed by an instant and decisive action. |