The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-06-28

olies.
The unity of his mind and his consistency were
without parallel. With natural diaectics, he de-
veloped the political doctrines that suited every
emergency, with precision and harmony that no
theorst could hope to equal. On every subject in
politics. speak but fact-he was thoroughly and
profoundly and immovably radical; and would sit
for hours, and in continued flow Of remark make
the application Of his principles to every question
that could arise in Legislation, or in the Interpretation
of the constitution.
His expression of himself was 20 clear, that his
influence pervsded not land only, but all Amer
lea and all mankind. They say that, in the physical
world, the magnetic fluid is diffused that its VII
bratons are discernibe simultaneously in every part
of the globe. So it is with the element Of freedom
And as Jackson developed its doctrines from their
source in the mind of humanity, the popular SYM
patty was moved and agitated throughout the world,
till his name grew everywhere to be the symbol of
popular power.
Himself the witness Of the ruthlessness of savage
life, he planned the removal of the Indian tribes be-
yond the limits of the organized States and il is the
result of his determined policy that the region east of
the Mississippi has been transferred to the exclusive
possession of cultivated man.
A pupil Of the wilderness, his heart was with the
pioneers of American life towards the setting
No American statesman has ever embraced within
his affections scheme 30 liberal for the emigrants
as that of Jackson He longed to secure to them,
not prescription rights only, but more than pre-emp-
ton rights. He longed to invite labor to take pos
session of the unoccupied fields without money and
without price; with no obligation except the perpet-
ual devotion Of itself by allegiance to ts country.
Under the benefcent influence Of his opinions,
the sons of misfortune, the children Of adventure,
find their way to the uncnltiyated West. There
in some wilderness glade, in the thick for
est of the fertile plain, or where the pralries
most sparkle with flowers, they, like the wild bee
which sets them the example of industry, may
choose their home, mark the extent of their posses
sions by driving stakes or blazing trees, shelter
their logcabin with boughs and turf and teach the
virgin soil TO yield itself to the poughshare. Theirs
shall be the soil, theirs the beautiful farms which
they teach to be productive. Come, children Of
sorrow! you on whom the Old World frowns;
crowd fearessy to the forests; plant your homes in
confidence, for the country watches over YOU your
children grow around you as hostages, and the will
derness at your bidding, surrenders its grandeur Of
useless luxuriance to the beauty and loneliness of
culture. Yet beautiful and lovely as is this scene it
still by far falls short of the ideal which lived in the
affections of Jackson. His heart was ever with the
pioneer his policy ever favored the diffusion of in
dependent freeholds throughout the laborng classes
of our land.
1t would be sin against the OCCASION were l to
omit to commemorate the deep devotedness of Jack
to the and to the rights of labor. 1t was
for the welfare of the laborng classes that he defed
all the storms of political hostility. He longed to
secure to labor the fruits of its own industry; and
to lessen their reward, or which exposed them to be
defrauded of their dues. The laborers may bend
over his grave with afectonate sorrow; for never,
in the tide of time, did statesman exist more heart
lily resolved to protect them in their rights, and to
advance their happiness. For their benefit, he OPP
posed partial egislation for their benefit he resisted
all artificial methods Of controlling labor, and sub
ectng it to capital. 1t was for their benefit that he
loved freedom in all its forms-freedom of the indi-
vidual in personal independence, freedom of the
States as separate sovereignties. He never would
listen to counses which tended to the Capitalization
Of power. The true American system presupposes
the diffusion of freedomorganized life in all the
parts Of the American body polite, as there is
ganized life in every part of the human system.
Jackson was deaf to every counsel which sought to
subject general labor to central will His vindca-
ton of the just principles of the constitution derived
its sublimy from his deep conviction that this strict
construction is required by the lasting welfare Of the
great aboring classes of the United States.
To this end Jackson revived the tribunicial power
of the veo and exered it against the decisive action
of both branches Of Congress, against the votes, the
wishes, the entreaties of personal and political
friends. "Show me, was his reply to them, "show
me express clause in the constitution authorizing
Congress TO take the business of State legislatures
out Of their hands you will ruin us all, . cried
firm partisan friend, you will ruin your party
and your own prospects," providence" answer
ed jackson, +" viii take care of me-" and he perse-
vered.
In proceeding to discharge the debt of the United
States--a measure thoroughly ADMINISTRATION
followed the example of his predecessors but he fol-
lowed it with the full consciousness that he was
rescuing the country from the artificial system of
finance which had prevailed throughout the world;
and with him it formed part of system by which
American legislation was to separate itself more and
more efectually from European precedens, and de-
veop itself more and more, according to the vital
principles of our political existence.
n The discharpe of the debt brOIght with IL IF ne
cessity, great reduction of the public burdens and
brought of necessity, into view, the question, how
far America should follow, of choice, the old re-
strictve system of high duties, under which Europe
on her own freedom and enterprise and power, de-
flying the competition, and seeking the markets, and
receiving the products of the world.
The mind of jackson on this subject reasoned
clearly, and without passion. In the abuses of the
system of revenue by excessive imposts, he saw
evils which the public mind would remedy; and,
incning with the whole might of his energetic ma
ture to the side of duties, he made his
nest but tranquil appeal to the judgment of the peo-
pie
The portions of country that suffered most Sc
verey from system Of legislation, which, in it's ex-
IRENE character as il then existed, is univer-
sally acknowledged to have been unequal and UNI
just, were less tranquil; and rayng on the doc
trines of freedom, which made our government a
limited one, they in the oppressive acts an
sumption of power which was nugatory, because it
exercised, as they held, without authority from
the people.
The contest that ensued was the most moment
GUS in annals. The greatest minds of America
engaged in the discussion Eloquence never
achieved sublimer triumphs in the American senate
than on those occasions. The country became
deeply divided; and the antagonist elements were
arrayed against each other under forms of clashing
authority menacing civil war; the freedom of the
several States invoked against the power of the
United States and under the organization Of a
State in conventon the reserved rights Of the people
were summoned to display their energy and bal
ance the authority and neutralze the legislation of
the central government. The States were agitated
with prolonged excitement; the friends of freedom
throughout the world looked on with divided SYM
pathies, praying that the union of the States might
be perpetual, and also that the commerce Of the
world might be free.
Fortunately for the country, and fortunately for
mankind Andrew Jackson was at the helm Of state,
the representative Of the principles that were TO al
Law excitement and to restore the hopes of peace