The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-03-22
DOMESTIC.
GENERAL JsckSoN's PRIVATE
OPINIONS.

4 F1r Tie last hlittn
wears had been on terms of intimacy, and
in the closest friendship with Gen. Jac lsson.
f Our professions were similar-4-ouf habits
Iacanred BY a corresponding series ni hard
fyhips and dangers in the field aud canp.-
! As a friend, | loved him; as a warrior,
/ had marked his energies and uhbrUdlng
+ sternness af character, With an admiration
nearly allied 10 enthusiasm. Ills fame. - a
Hero, WIS moi built u'on adventurous ba-
ses. knew that merit alone, was the true
! foundation Of his glory.
| But il was purely for his DOMESTIC
yirfaes which had seen developed, that
/ loved hm-and admired him only for his
| warlike genius his decision, his pronptness
to execise. When lat 81. him, he WAS
a prominent candidate for the most sublime
and diguifed station the world has ever
known.
Ia November last, rs | was returning
west from the seat of government, 10 which
| had been called by private business con-
nected with ore Of the departments, | met
the General and his lady at public house
in Washington, Pa. where he had put up
for the night, as he was journeyins 10 the
capiiu to take his seat in the Senate. Our
meeting WAS "A very cordial one and as
We were in private apartment, our con-
yersation WAS unrestrained. Although
stole indifference, rs to matters relating to
himself, Is, on most occasions, charactetis-
tic with him. yet could discover, that his
spirits were elevated above their common
pitch Various political subjects were in
troduced aud discussed. | spoke Of the
Presidential Election and though from
principle opposed To his elevation, congra-
tuaied him as a friend Oh his probable
success.
"I'Il tell your how it Is, my friend H."
said he, d" now fnd myself urged on by
a popular current where it will leave me
when the tide shall subside, ! cannot tell,
nor do much care. But, SIR, it is not in
the human heart to resist IT," ,.
4
remarked, that, at the time we stripped
ourselves in the wilderness to ford a muddy
creek, when Indians were at our heels, and
our heavy baggage on our backs-I little
thought, then, said |, that my companion
would ever be even thought of--mnch less,
successfully brought forward, for President
of thr u. States.
"Three years ago" SAID he, did not
believe that icopld ever occupy the ground
that now DO with reference to that Office.
As proof of this, | state the fact, that
felt most indignant at the efforts OF soma
pariizan newspapers, and what | though
their i'll adsised zeal on my behalf, and
wrote letters of severe reproof to several
inteli gent friends who had been instrnmen
tai in sounding my namu in the public ear.
] thought the unanimous votee % the ma
ton would be heard in ridicuIe of MY pre-
teusons-I anticipated the Glamour thai
would be raised against me on account
merely Of my military services, and also Of
my utter want o! experience in the cabinet
of the civilians. Ola government purely
Republican. in which the military should I
be subservient to the Civil power, it did not !
appear to me probable that single serious
effort would be made to put the reIgns in
the hands of a military man.
asked him if it was finally with his
consent that the Legislature of Tennessee
nominated him as fl person for that of
6ce
1T WAS by my direction said he---"A
few days before the meeting of that body.
ItfflNfh u lfllfl NUN a bl'dN iGdNliS
character in New York. personal friend
urging me in the most fDrclble and PERSIA
sive terms, to make an immcdlatc effort to
arouse the wet in my behalf, before ano-
ther in that quarter, AZ implacabl personal
ersmy, should, by uniting artiire with po-
pularity, secure it to himself. NO time was
To b. lost-and upon a little reflection
resolved In strive for tie ofhce-npon which
directed my adherents IN the Tennessee
Legislature to pass the resolutions they did
on that subject. | was well aware, howe
yer, continued he, that my defective edu
Gallon would IN some degree render me
ohnoxlO ns to those poignant shafts of satire
and derision which the event thus far has
realized"
merely Limited my sentiments of lis
abb hes in general terms, and remarked,
without having particular allusion to his
caSe-that mans elevation to any Office
which r. filled by IA general suffrage of the
people, could not in the nature of things,
deprnd so much upon his peculiar fitness
for that office, as upon the management of
parti1ans among the caAaille, and the pos.
session of some shining excellence, calcu-
lated to capti'ate the passions oFthe lower
order of politicians, which constitutes the
elective strength, not only of Legislative DO
dies, but of the whole nation.
"Wonld to God - said the General, " it
were otherwise. He whose bl east CLOVIS
with pure amor patriT, and in alIhis po-
litical relations, acts accordingly, will sell
dom be exalted by his fellow citizens. In
the frs, place, il requires no small share Of
address and perseverance TO make ones
self prominent object in the public eye,
This once effected, he may ride in the
whirIwind and direct the storm" Bat I'M
ohtrusive merit is always too meritoriOuS to
he sought by the vulgar, or to 90, itself,
begging for public honors. Whilst this
state of things exists, you may be assured,