Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-03-12
GENERAL JACKSON'S LETTER.
tn the Editors of the Phenir Gazette.

A
Jackson's, has become the theme Of general
conversation and among those, who are
| overheated with partizan zeal, or political
| Observation-Disclosures. The learned
| politicians of the present day, whether the
infuriate friends of the general, or of Mr..
Crawford, are loud in their plaudits, and ex-
tol it as masterpiece of composition, and an
expose Of facts, blazoned with the pure, and
sterling integrity of the general. 1t behoves
some one to take little notice of the letter
not in my opinion, that it imperiously calls tor
it, but because it is remarkable for some inu-
endoes and alterations from the fact, worthy
of an exposure.
Gen. Jackson starts with the declaration,
that he was first of opinion that Mr.. Clay's let
ter demanded some public notice but on re-
Election, he considered that such notice of it,
would be insulting to the people who had 81
ven him ninety mine electoral votes and Mr..
Swartwout, to whom the letter was written,
expressly saws that it was not intended for the
public eye. must here beg leave to assert one
thing, that either MIR. S. has strayed from the
fact, or been guilty Of breach of confidence.
What motive could Gen. Jackson have had in
writing such letter to Mr.. S. Why such Pc
culiar selection of language, with finely turn
ed periods, heretofore not existing in any of
his writings Why all that care and attention,
in writing letter to one, with whom he was
every day in the closest intimacy Why did
he write to that gentleman in New-York,
concerning matter which had taken place,
while the same person was in Washington
For it is notorious, that Mr.. S. was in the Dis
trict for some time previous to the election,
long after Mr. Clay's letter appeared, and re-
NAMED there many days, and was one of the
committee that invited him to public dinner.
There was certainly no necessity for that gen.
tleman to write Gen. Jackson, upon a subject,
which, from their intimacy, they must fire.
auently have conversed on inWashington; and
much less was there necessity for Gen. j.
to write him detailed account, of what, no
doubt he had often told him-if such account
was not intended for the public eye. The
presumption is clear, that it was penned for
that purpose-the circumstances Of the case
Justify such a belief; and from this corrobo-
rative testimony, have no doubt that every
rejecting citizen will be of the same opinion
GeneralJ. has of late been much admired
and bolstered up, as possessing character Of
| uncommon moderation. The spirit which he
manifested in 1915, seems to have again burst
forth with renewed vigor and although there
are evident struggles in the letter to smother
it, vet, at times the lion shows his teeth. He
is "aware" that the term "Military Chieftain, +"
has been s'cant phrase" with Mr.. Clay and
his friends for some time. If the General
makes such broad sweep, at all the friends
of him, whom he conceives to be his enemy,
he had better turn Knight Errant, set out on
4 Quixotc expedition, and engage all those
who dare to oppose his election. The Gene
raj will find, however, that it is not only "pre-
iudiced minds" who will use the "epithet
Military Chieftain," but those, whose charac-
tiers are as fair and irreproachable as his own.
Ifhe will take upon himself the trouble to re-
fer few years back, when his pretensions to
the Presidency were as Aimsy as the ham OF
Tartary, he will find, that even then, the
term was used, with much more force and
weight than at present and it was only the
slight probability of his election, that In
duced his opposers to hull their political muir
murs. 1t is the military" fame of General
Jackson, the services he has rendered to the
nation in military" way, that alone has Civ
en- him his eclat in the world and it is unde.
niable, that had this general have succeeded
in all his other enterprises, and not have been
at New Orleans, he never would have been
brought forward to the public as candidate
for the Presidency; and it is the affair of New
Orleans alone, that has saved him from the de.
served censure of the American people for
hSNS bSSh W WIN A>AN,
they have never forgotten the "Mihtary Chief
tain" Even at the zenith of his " Military
fame, his acts in opposition to the commands
of the executive, have never been lost sight
of ! and the manner in which the General
speaks ofhis success before the people, mus
be attributed, either to his vanity, or to ar
imposition practised upon him by some of hi
friends.
General Jackson has takena singular me
thod to injure Mr.. Clay in the estimation ofhi
fellow citizens; but the drift of it is clearl!
seen. "Mr. Clay has never risked himself for
his country" had heretofore been aware o
the desire of General ]. to e9alt the military
above the civil, but never for momen
believed, that he would make such sweep
ing declaration, as that no man is entitled tt
the chief Magistracy, unless be has borne arm