The national whig., 1847-06-24
From tAs Charleston .heressy Of March Is. !.
Important Political History.
JACKSON, CRAWFORD, AND
CALHOUN.

| CAL HOUN.
The reflection cast in the General Order, after
the battle Of the Horse Shoe, on the conduc, ol
the Seth regiment. had impaired 70 the comman.
ders. Williams and Benton, q deadly hostility
TO Gen. Jackson. The Hero Of New Orleans,
however, was too deeply seated in the aftsc-
iions Of the People to be attacked directly with
success. As in the work Of assassination, some
bye or concealed path had 10 be selected for
the contemplated assault Jackson, Of warm
temperament, was strongly attached 10 his
friends and his life shows with what perlina-
city he sustained even those who never merited
his confidence. under the mistaken opinion
that they We're true to him. Next, if not SUI
perior 10 his devotion to his friends, was his
sensitiveness to the honor Of himself, and
those gallant spirits who had carried him tri-
umphantly through the Creek war. To assail
either his friends or his volunteers, was per-
sonai blow at him and Williams and Benton.
both well understood the supposed weak or as,
sailable points Of the man they would strike al.
Lieut.. Houston was exempt from the General
Order. His squad did not falter, but was re
ported to have behaved well, aud he himself
was wounded in the conflict Relieved at the
close Of the war. he obtained sub.agency in
the Cherokee Nation. From this place, thro'
the influence OF Williams Then Senator in
CongressI and Benton. he was dismissed. Il
was at this period that the writer became ac-
quainted with Houston, young man Of erect
form, progressing appearance. .and in the Cher
okee costume. He narrated his story of dismis
sal, and Of Williams and Benton's assault on
him as the favored friend of Jackson.
The General. as was to be expected, was
moved, and for the first time, the writer was
introduced TO the character Of Benton, under
epithets which his present friend, Gen. Hous-
ton, may recall, but which cannot with propri
ely be here repeated. Politicians, however.
have an easy mode Of reconciling ancient feuds.
We will watch the sequel. Next to Houston's
discharge from place, because he had incurred
Williams and Benton's displeasure, as Jack
sons friend, was bill introduced and passed
in Congress, through the influence OF Senator
Williams, appropriating $4,000 TO remuner-
ate the Cherokees for depredations alleged 10
have been committed by Jackson's Army
Mr.. Crawford was then Secretary Of War, and
the duty of executing this act devolved on his
Office. If 6rebrand had been cast into mag
azine. the explosion could not have been more
sudden and terrific, than was Jackson's excite
ment on the annunciation of this fact. Know
ing the political relations Of Williams, Benton
and Crawford al that time, and deeply sensible
to the bitter personal feelings Of the two for
mer towards him, Jackson too readily yielded
to the impulse that Crawford had been made
an instrument in the hands Of Williams and
Benton, to cast odium on himself and his COM
mand in the Creek war. A correspondence
was opened, which, in the temper and spirit
displayed on the part Of Gen. Jackson, was
little calculated either 10 extort explanation
from MI. Crawford, or to reconcile him TO what
he must have considered an unprovoked as
sault Hewas only the administrative officer,
not the Legislative, Of the offensive act but Jack
son visited on him. with marked seperity, what
was only merited by others. This is the head
and foot. the origin and beginning. of the Jack
son and Crawford .tead, which had no little in
fluence on the political movements Of the day.
but which Benton and other allies, after being
whipped into subserviency TO General Jackson,
had the art to transfer to Mr.. Calhoun, thus
falsely impressing upon the democracy Of this
country, that Jackson's uniayorable feelings TO-
wards Mr.. Crawford were at the instigation Of
Mr.. Calhoun. The latter was al this period
member Of the same Cabinet, under the Presi.
dency Of Mr.. Monroe, and in his then intimate
relations with Mr.. Crawford, was known to
have warmly reproyed the injustice, in this
case, Of Jackson 10 Mr.. Crawford. This fact
is not founded on vague report, but on actual
knowledge; and the narrator, with all his strong
preferences for the General, has never disguised
the opinion, that Jackson was involved in this
controversy under the impulse Of too sensi-
tive and exciable temperament The unfortu-
maize feud however had its influence on the times,
and for the truth Of History reference alone is
now made to it. Though Jackson's hostility
to Crawford would seem TO have originated in
the bill to indemnify the Cherokee Indians for
dePredations committed on them, there were
other causes, connected with the election Of
Mr.. Monroe, and the caucus influence, which
was used to defeat him. which had prejudiced
General Jackson against Mr.. Crawford, and
made him the more readily yield afterwards TO
the impulses which the indemnity bill had pro-