Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-03-19

My peEssnal acquaintance with Gen. Jackson |
in the fall Of 1915, ut the City Of
Washington. Prior IL that time, had never
seem him. Onr intercourse was then friendly |
and cordial. He engaged to pass IL week of the |
ensuing summer at my residence in Kentucky. !
Daring t',at soason, received letter from hun
communicating his regret that he sas prevented
from visiting me. did not again see him until
thRt session of Congress at which the events of
the Seminole War were discussed. lie arrived
at Washington III the midst oil lie debate and
AFTER the delivery, hnt before the publication. OF.
toe hrst speech which pronounced en that sub
Ject Waving all ceremony, cala, to see hn
Intending l,y the visit TO evince on my part, thai:
no opinion. which II sense Of auty had comnailaj
me to express Of his public conduct, ought TO
affect our personal intercourse. Ny visit was
not returned, and was subsequently, told that lie
was IN the habit OF nlnlsiny in tie biterest Oh
servations upon most OF those (nyself among the
nnnher) lilo had called in question the ;,ro pretty
OF hi- military conduct in the Seminole War |
SAW 10 taore OF him, except possibly at distance
during the same winter, in ibis City, uatl the
summer OF ihe year 1919. Being in that SUM
mer, on my way from n. Orleans 10 Lexington.
and travelling the same road on which he wac
pass1n-, in the opposite direction iron Lexington
| to Nashville, we met at Lebanon in Kentucky,
where had stopt 10 breakfast | WAS sitting al
the door in the shade reading newspaper, Y hen
! the arrival O! Gen. Jackson and his suite WA IN
nounced. As he assembled lie steps an;l ap-
proached me, rose and salu;e,: him lin the most
respectful! manner. He dartcd hv me, slightly
'nclining his head, and abruptly addressing inc
! lie was followed by some OF his suite who stop
ped and converted with me snme time ev;nq
me the latest information OF nay family. after
wards learnt that Gen. Jackson accompanied Pre-
sdent Monroe, ia Il visit 10 my sapiy and par-
| took OF some slight reireshmen at my house
! On leaving the tavern al Lebanon, | had occa-
sion TO 80 into IL room where fonnd Gen Jack.
! son seated reading newspaper and retired
neither having spoken 10 the other, and pursued
my journey, in company with four er five ira.
yelling companions.
| Such was the state Of our relations al the CON-
| meOcemeat Of the session of Congress in TAGS
the interval having passed without my seeing him
Soon after his arrival here to attend that session
/ l collected IRON certain Indications thnt he hac
resolved upon general amnesty, the benefit o
which was To be extended to me. He became
suddenly reconclad with some individuals be-
/ tween whom and himself there had been a Ions
existing cnmity. The greater part OF the Ten.
nessoe delegation Gall believe except Mr. Eatop
and Gen. Cockel called on me together early Il in
the session. for the express purpose, as uader.
stood of producing a reconciliation between us
| | related in substance, all OF the above circuu,-
stances, including the meeting at Lebanon b,
way OF apology for his conduct at Iebanon some
! of the gentemen remarked that he did not in
tend any dlsrespect to me- but that he was lnber.
! ing under iidisposition. | stated TINT the
opinions which had expressed in the House OF
Representatives., i'll regard to Gen Jackson
military transactions had been sincerely enter
tanned and we're still held, bat that being opn-
Gus in respect to public acts they never had beer
| supposed by me to form any Just occasion for pr-
vate ennty between US, and that none had been
Cherished on my part Consequently there was
| on my side obstacle 10 meeting with him and
maintaining PectfuI intercourse For the
purpose Of bringing us together, the Tennessee
representatives, nil of whom according to nv
recollection, boarded at Mrs Claxton's, on Capt.
toll li!i, gave dinner to which we were both in
V'ed, and at which | remember, Air Senator
| y !ic, then sctiDg-as Commissioner under the
Florida treaty, and others were present w,
there met, exchanged snlutations, and dined to-
ge:har. retired from the table early, and was
followed 10 the door by Gen. jackson and DIR
Eaton, who insisted on my taking seat ia their
carriage. redc with them and was set down
at my own lodgings. Twas afterwards invited by
Gen. Jackson 10 dine with him, where met with
MIR Adams, Mr Calhoun, Mr Southafd and MANY
other gentlemen, chiefly members Of Congress
tie also dtned, IN company with 6ftpcn or eigh-
teen members Of Congress. at M lodgings. and
we frequently met in the course ofthe winter
always respectfully addressing each other,
Just before ist( IlsntucSy tic succeeding ..,ll
Nov. lae1l to proceed to Washington, re-
port reached Lexington, that Gen Jackson in
tended to take that place in his roatc 10 the civ.
Our friendly intercourse having been restored,
IN the manner stated, was very desirons that
he should arrive, prior TO my departure from
home. that might offer 10 him the hospitality of
my house and, lest he might misinterpret the
motive Of my departure, if it preceded his arri-
val In this temper Of mind, I think it quite
possible that u: y have said that, if had been
aware OF his intention to pass that way, wo1id
have wrltteh to him when intended to sci out,
and urged him to reach Lexington before started
on my journey. certainly never contemplated
travelling in company with him, having some
time before made all my arrangements for the
Journey with the gentleman who accompanied
me, and having determined upon a route, diff
tereat from the usual one, which was taken by