The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-08-02

VI thO oNiCHOO VI 'SS'oioIio', III jug
ment, and integrity.
Fond of private life, he would have
resigned the judicial office, but the
whole country demanded bis service
"Na,ure," they cried, "never designed
that your powers of thought and inde
pendence of mind should be lost in re-
tirement." But after few years, re-
lieving himself from the cares of the
bench, he gave himself to the activity
and the independent life of husband
man. He carried into retirement the
fame Of natural intelligence, and was
cherished as "a prompt, frank, and ar
dent SOUL" His vigor of character
constituted him first among all with
whom he associated. A private man as
he was, his name was familiarly spo.
ken round every hearth-stone in Ten
nessee. Men loved to discuss his quail
tiles. All discerned his power; and
when the vehemence and impetuosity
ofhis nature were observed upon, there
were not wanting those who saw, be-
meath the blazing fires of his genius, the
soIidity of his Judgment.
His hospitable roof sheltered the en-
igrant and the pioneer; and, as they
made their way to their new homes.
they filled the mountain sides and the
valleys with his praise. 4
Connecting himself,f for a season, with
a man of business, Jackson soon dis
cerned the misconduct Of his associ-
ate. it marked his character, that he
insisted, himself, on paying every obi
CATION that had been contracted; and,
rather than endure the vassalagc Of
debt, he instantly parted with the rich
domain which his early enterprise had
acquired with his own mansio on-with
the fields which he himself had first
tanned to the pioughshare-with the
forest whose trees were as familiar to
him as his frlends-and chose rather to
dwell, for time, in rude og-cabin,
in the pride of independence and integ-
rity.
On all great occasions, Jackson's IN
huence was deferred to. When JEFF
ferson had acquired for the country the
whole Of Louisiana, and there seemed
some hesitancy, on the part of Spain,
to acknowledge our possession, the
services of Jackson were solicited by
the national administration, and were
not called into full exercise, only from
the peaceful termination of the Incl
dents that occasioned the summons.
In the long series of aggressions on
the freedom of the seas, and the rights
of the American flag, Jackson was on.
the side of his country, and the new
maritime code of republicanism. In
his inland home, where the roar of the
breakers was never heard, and the mar
iner was never seen, he resented the
continued aggression on our commerce
and on our sailors.
When the continuance of wrong
compelled the nation to resort to arms,
Jackson, led by the instructive knowl-
edge of his own greatness, yet with
modesty that would have honored the
most sensitive delicacy of nature, con.
fessed his willingness to be employed
on the Canada frontier; and it is a fact,
that he aspired to the command to
which Winchester was appointed. We
may ask, what would have been the re-
suit, if the command of the northwes-
tern army had, at the opening of the
war been intrusted to man, who in ac-
ton, was ever so fortunate, that his
vehement will seemed to have made
destiny capitulate to his designs?
The path of duty led him in another
direction. On the declaration Of war,
twenty-five hundred volunteers had
risen at his word to follow his standard
but,by countermanding orders from the
seat of COVE rnment, the movement was
without effect.
A new and great danger hung over
the west. The Indian tribes were to
make one last effort to restore it to its
solitude, and recover it for savage life.
The brave relentless Shawnees who,
from time immemorial had strolled from
the waters of the Ohio to the rivers Of
Alabama were animated by Tecum.
sch and his brother the prophet, who
spoke to them as with the voice of a
Great Spirit, and reused the Creek ma
ton to desperate massacres. Who has
not heard of their terrible deeds, when
their ruthless cruelty spared neithersex
norage9'when the infant and its mother
the planter and his family, who had
fed for refuge to the fortress, the gar
fison that capitulated--all were slain,
and not vestige OF defence was left
IN the country2 The cry Of the west
demanded Jackson for its defender;and
though his arm was then fractured by
d ball, and hung in a sling, he placed
himself at the head Of the volunteers of