The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-07-07

popular that this country ever had. So far, the
| principle Of his heart democraticl
But he was simply military chieftan; and, like
Alexander, and Caesar, and Cromwell, and Bona
parte, must be ambitious and dangerous! Yes he
was military cheftain-and glorious one, too-as
trust have shown; but where were the armies Of
Alexander the legons Of Cesar the soldiers OF
CROMWELL or the guards Of Napoleon III tell you,
| my beloved countrymen;-they were only To be
found in the brave and honest citizens of this free
country, whom he led to battle and victory in vim
dication of its liberties and glory! This was the
ambition of Andrew Jackson! But was he amb-
tious' No! His spirit scared beyond ambitions
reach. He loved glory, but still more loved his
country. That was his master passion; and, with
resstless might, it ruled his every thought, and
word, and deed.
| But he was vindictve to his opponents, and to
| those whom he disliked OF those whom he re-
garded as dangerous and bad men, he certainly had
great dstrust. He regarded dstrust in public life,
as defensive principle; and thought, with Burke,
that there was no safety for honest men, but in be-
lieving all possible evil of bad men, and acting with
decision and steadiness on that belief. So far, and
| no farther, was he distrustful.
| With all his fondness and acquired propensity for
military glory and with every incentive to the exer
else farms, peace was the ruling principle of his con-
duct and the tranquil prosperity of his country the
dominant object ofhis ambition. This was finely il
Illustrated throughout his whole administration
and especially in its intercourse with foreign
of my departure for England in 1896, his last
words to me as he babe me adieu-and il proved
to be forever-and which still ring in my ears
"Take care, my good friend, to defend manfuly
the rights and honor of you. country; but, for
Gods sake, keep the peacer How often was it
said to me, while abroad by the most enlightened
and distinguished men--"Why this General Jack
son of yours must be an extraordinary man; we
expected from what we had heard, that he was to be
the of the age and the disurber of the peace
hat ha
his administration. As it is, he has taken us
all by surprise, and may now be regarded as the
great pacifcator, and the most ilustrious and
peaceful of all your rulers" All Europe felt
and acknowledged his pacific policy. They saw
the wisdom and vigor Of his measures, and
acquiesced in his neutral and peaceful policy.
And it may not be unworthy of notice, that of
the greatest qualifications which he felt in laying
down his high trust, as | know, was, that he had
preserved the peace Of his country! He often said
that he came in with that determination, and had
looked to it with unsleeping anxiety He felt it was
necessary to our prosperity, and thought with Fox
that there ustifable Of war with civil
lied and enlightened nations, but national honor.
With respect to his administration, it is, perhaps
impossible, at the present moment, to make up an
impartial opinion to its effects and benefits. II
is not the time for calm and deliberate Judgment in
relation to those troubled scenes. The tendency |
and effects of some of his great measures, posterty
probably, will alone be able to appreciate But when
the angry passions shall have been allayed--the |
judgment unwarped by excitement and prejudice |
the heart longer embittered with disappointment
or revenge--nor the mind carried away by the i'm
putation OF unworthy motives when the tendency /
OF opinions and measures shall be examined by the |
test of reason and experimentation and not till then,
will full justice be done to this great man, and the
distinguished actors in those troubled Then
will the full nature and extent of the public obliga
ton be felt and acknowledged.
1t is, however, honorable to him and his oppo-
nents, that amidst all the contests and collisions of
party, and those storms and strifes which for so |
many years, agitated our country his integrity and
patriotism remained unsupported and unimpeached /
Even those who believed his political errors to have
been the most numerous and mischievous, yet ac-
knowledge that they were errors of the mind, actua
ted by the purest wishes, and pursuing, with unde-
Waiting recttude of intention, the public good.
And all now must admit one thing, and it is this |
that at the close of the eight years of his adminisr
ton, he laid down his high trust in the midst of the
wealth, prosperity, and happiness of his country,
and his own most unbounded popularity Indeed. his
popularity seemed to be that of eternal youth: like
the sun, Its light was always new, yet always the
same.
The question will doubtless be agitated by poster.
ity, whether he was the greater general or states
man. Those who read attentively the history Of his
administration and his official papers, will be in
cllned to pronounce in favor of the latter; while
those who may not have duly considered them but
more narrowly scanning his difficulties and sacrii-
ces in war, will be inclined decide in favor Of the
former. The controversy will therefore only be
solved by admitting, all must do, that he was
great in war, and great in peace.
we come now, in conclusion, to say a few words
ofthis venerable man in retirement and of his pri-
vate and domestic virtues.
In March, 1887 General Jackson retired from
public life to his residence in Tennessee, followed by
the fervent admiration and gratitude of a devoted
country. And what liberal and generous mind
might not have been deeply moved, in seeing the
man, whose whole life had been devoted to his coun-
try, now abandoning power, and dedcatng himself
in retirement to his family and his Cod
And it was here that he exhibited striking illus
tratlon OF the TRUTH that true greatness is perfectly
compatible with everything that is amiablo and en-
gaging in mani
country's history who had possessed a popularity
and influence exceeded only by Washington 's-who
had filled every high station of dignity and trust
which his country could confer, both civil and mil
itary-became, when in the domestic circle, and
around the social hearth, as simple as child, dis
tlnguished by the suavity Of his department, and
an intuitive felicity Of making every one around
him happy. Such was Andrew Jackson, in private
life and it is there that true greatness waits to be
exhoi,ed. In the world, men rise superior to each
other but 1t is here that rises superior to HIM
self, The region Of politics, at best is banef and
too often "the soil, the rices like.o In his private
attachments he was governed by the same steadi.
ness that sustained his public conduct. His friend
shiPs were, therefore, sincere and fixed. If he |
loved you to-day, he would love you still more to-
morrow, the next day and forever, provided YOU
did nothing to forfeit his regard and good opinion
Although, in character marked by such strength |
of features, the lineaments of the softer virtues
could scarcely be expected to mix, yet those who
knew HIM best IN private life, and in the unbendings
Of retirement knew the genuine indications of their
existence and the child-ke simplicity and tender
ness of his nature
His manners, though naturally digni6ed were
never naughty There was the same gentleness
without hmidity, and decision without presump-
ton. He blended dignity with condescension, and
the greatest as well the humblest objects re-
ceived attention. Born with strong passions, often
the concomtants fgenius he had acquired great
command and ascendency over them and among all |
his personal qualities, courage both physical and
moral, were allowed to him in an eminent degree |
1t was these only which, amidst those formidable
aagstions of party, which, for SO many years of
his administration, conyused the American neonle.