The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-04-23

years chief and leader, stands proudly pre-
eminent.
ANDREW JACKSON, the youngest of three
brothers, was born at Wayaw, South Carolina, il
1867, ard in the sereotyped language incident II
most distinguished men, it may be said, she wa
Of humble though respectable pareniage.' Losin!
his father in his infancy, we see him at the earl,
ase of ii engaged with our fathers in their desper
ate struggle for independence. In this contest hi
brothers fell sacrifices, and he himself was nea
sharing their fate On the following year his moth
err died, leaving him an orphan without relation
in the land, At the age of II he commenced til,
study of the law at Salisbury, NC, after comp!e
ting which, he cmisrated to the South West Ter
ritory, now the State of Tennessee. Here we soor
find him Attorney General of the Territory, and OF
the admission of that State into the Union its frs
member of Congress Continuing to possess the
confidence of the people, we next find him in the
Senate OF the L. s., engaged in every struggle with
the democracy for overlhrowing the odious meas
ures of the federal party under the administration
of the elder Adams, Resignng his station here
lie was Immediately appointed Judge of the Su-
preme Court; after dscharging the duties of this
office for time, he resigned and retired to private
life. At the breaking out oflhe late war with Great
Britain, Gen. jackson was Il Major General in the
led on to this war, and the position Of the political
parties incident TO these are not surpassed in inl-
portnnce by any events since the revolutionary CON
Test, time does not permit me here to attempt their
delimeaton, nor is it necessary. The influence of
British en>sares in exciting against US the hostility
Of the Indian tribes along our whole frontier; their
efforts to divide and sever the Union ofhcse States
he British "0rders IN council" directly violating
the law of nations, by means Of which our WIS, and
lucrative commerce was almost swept from the f &c
of The ocean; the impressment of our s,umcn; the
thousands ol our citizens who were reduced from
aiuence TO beggNy; our public vessels insultcd in
manner the most wnnton and unprovoked, are
events still deepy gIaNen upon the memory Of our
corntrymcn. MOI will the political paw--!he
alders and abetiors of our enemy-thc men who
openly excused and coun,enanced these cnormites,
be soon forgotten, nor should they be- but rather
should they be marked with letters of burning
shame, aud the finger of political scorn should for
ever point 10 their acts as c6rroding, damnng spots
upon their fame, that no crocodile tears nor hy-
pocrical cIeCtoneering conversions 10 democracy
can ever purify or wash away.
The British cmissary had done his work, and
many Of the most powerful frontier tribes were
prepared for hosiiiilcs On the requisition Of the
President of the U. S. upon the Governor Of Ten
ncssee for volunteers, Gen. jackson published an
address TO his division, and was soon surrounded
by an army Of 5000 men, ready TO march Whenever
and riercrer theiI country might require. Time
would fail NE TO pnriicuari2e his various conflicts
with the savage foe: suffice it to say that the bat
ties of Tullushutchee, Tulladega, Enuckilw River
and the Horse shoe, annihilntcd the power and en-.
recaons of the enemy and they sued for peace.
Gen. Jackson was authorized to conclude treaty.
which was made hut on the part of the enemy it
was nsincerc. After It's ratification portion of
the tribe fled 10 the noghborhood of Pensacola and
united with the emissarles of England in that quar-
ter. In the midst and during the darkest period
Of the war, when the allied soycregns of Europe
had broken the sceptre of Napoleon and forced
king Of their own upon the throne of France, lcav-
ing the fleets and armies Of Great Britain free to
be thrown upon our shore, Gen. Jackson was APP
pointed TO command the South West Military dis
trct Of the L. $. in the place of Gen, Harrison who
had resigned. Notwithstanding the pretended
friendship and neutrality of Spain, it was asccr-
tanned beyond doubt that the Spanish Governor
Of Florida WINS secretly exciting and arning the
Indian tribes against us, and giving every aid and
assistance IN their power to the British arms; that
indeed, The nag Of that nation was flying over one
of the principal forircsses in the bay of Pensacola
10 the war about our invading the territory Of a
neutral nation, subsequent events have abundantly
justified the operations Of Gen. Jackson there, and
established his character Of foresight decision en-
erry and love Of country.
Appearances had sometime indicated that Eng
land was preparing 10 make descent upon some
point of the southern seaboard and Gen. Jackson
Justly presumed that New Orleans was to be the
ultimate point Of attack, the possession If which,
would command not only the country around, but
the immense valley Of thr Mississippi Preliminary
to this, the possession of the Bays Of Mobile and
Pensacola were all important, rs these would afford
safe and convenient harborS for the decentralization
and comfort Of their troops and an easy transit 10
New Orleans. To defeat these objects of the enc
my was the first care of Gen. Jackson. IN Sept
1914, Il combined land and sea attack was made
BY the British forces on Fort Bowye at Mobile pay
a gallant defence was made by Mai. Lawrence and
the enemy were repnlscd with great loss. The
little army of Gen. Jackson was now concentrated
before Pensacola, where every preparation was
made for defence. flag was sent to the Gov
ernor, but contrary to the laws of all civilized ma
tons, it was fred upon in defiance. The General
hesiiaied no longer, but determined TO "carry the
arms of his country wherever he found her enc
mics" Ills dispositions were soon made, and on
the morning oil the 9th Nov the batteries and forts
near the town, aud The town itself, were carried in
a few hours The British and their Indian allies
fed to their ships and stood out of the harbor at
the month Of which, in very strong position, stood
the old Spanish fort Bauwies, gnrrsoned by British
troops. This was abadoned and blown into ruins
The next care of Gen. Jackson was 10 provide more
particularly for the defence Of New Orleans, and
the troops were put in motion for tina, place On
his arrival he found alarm and dependency every
where prevailed; indeed, it would seem, iha, the
means for defending the city could hardly have
been in worse condition. The State had but re-
Gently been admitted into the Union; composed of
heterogeneous population, having few ties 10 bind
them together; an overwhelming slave population
that added 10 its danger rather than increased its
strength; in a remote situation; cut OF BY blocka-
ding squadron FROM all communication by sea;
thin and fluciuating population, and New Orleans,
the main point to be defended, approachable by
numerous nleis from the ocean, which was then
controlled by an overwhelming superiority Of the
enemy With the exception Of the city volunteers,
there could hardly be said TO be military organi-
zation in the State: and arms, there were none,
save those scattered abroad in the hands Of indi-
viduals. Nor was this all. A disafecion 10 the
government existed among the French and Spanish
population which threatened TO produce serious
mischief, even through the action of the Lepsla