The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-10-04
GENERAL JACKsoN's MARRIAGE.

This event in the history of General JACKSON
attending it are very little known. The subjoined
narrative is from eulogy delivered at Natchez:
Miss Rachel Donelson, the daughter of Col.
Doneson, of Virginia, had been celebrated for her
gayety, atiablity aud sweetness of dispositon.--
Her father emgrated to Tennessee, and dying, left
her an orphan. She formed an unhappy matrimo-
niaI connection with morose, jealous, and dis.
sipated character by the name Of Roberts, who
soon aba Idoned her,
The difficulty was made up, and the wedding
pair came together again, soon after Andrew jack
son became transient boardey in the same house
where Roberts and his wife were residing.
second rupture soon occurred and Roberts left his
wife and wentto Kentucky. Learning that he in
tended returning and taking her there, and dread
ing his inhumanity and bad treatment. she deter
mined to seek an asylum in Natchez, beyond his
reach. Natchez was then the Oregon of Ameri-
ca. In the spring of 1901 she came here with Col.
Starke and his family At the earnest request of
Col Starke, Gen. Jackson pioted his family
through the Indian country. After his return,
Judge o. erton communicated TO him the astound-
ing intelligence that he was the unconscious cause
of the last separation; that it arose from Roberts
accompanying Col. Starke, to protect his family
from the Indians, had been seized upon by Roberts
as ground of divorce, in petition to the Virgin
ia Legislature.
The thought that al innocent woman was suffer-
ing so unustly on his account made General Jack
sons sensitive mind most uneasy aud unhappy
He Immediately sought out Roberts and expostu-
lated with him on tine injustice and cruelty OF his
causeless suspicion; out the interview ended in
mutual defances At length news came that the
Virginia Legislature had actually granted the di-
vorce, in accordance with Roberts petition
Forthwith Andrew Jackson proceeded to Natchez.
and offered his hand and his heart to the innocent
and amiable woman, who had been made SO I'M
happy by false and unfounded accusations. He
came to Natchez, to give the world the highest
evidence he could give Of her innocence.
Although free 10 form a new connection, Mrs.
Roberts declined the proffer But Andrew Jack
son was not to be out done. He addressed her in
the language OF Ruth to Naomi "Entreat me not
to leave thee Or to return from following after
thee, for where thou goest will go, where thou
lodgest will lodge, thy people shall be my people
and thy God my God; here thou diest will die,
and there Will be buried.''
A promise which he literally fulfilled in refusing
the sarcophagus of the Emperor Alexander Sever
us, that he might be buried by her. Atlength,
after some three months, Mrs. Roberts, being con-
yinced that the chiValry which prompted the pro-
posal'had become associated with genuine love,
accepted the offer, and they were married in this
city cr its vicinity, and returned to Tennessee
On arriving there, finding that the divorce had not
gone through all the forms required by the laws of
Virginia, at the time of their marriage here, the
ceremony was again performed there.