Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-10-20
VOLUME X. NO. 43.


writing now, some on public affairs and covering
several sheets Of paper, and no erasures or in.
terlineations anywhere. His conversation wa?
like his writing vigorous flowing current, ap'
parently without tro ible Of thinking, and always
impressive. His conclusions were rabid and
inmovable, when he was under strong convic-
tons, though often yielding, on minor points, to
his friends. And no man yielded quicker when
he was convinced, perfectly illustrating the df'
ference between frmness & obstinacy. Ofallt the
Presidents who have done me the honor TO listen
to my opinions, there was no one TO whom
spoke with more confidence when | felt myself
to be in the right.
He had load to carry all his life, resulting
from temper which refused compromises and
bargains, and went to a clean victory, or clean
defeat 10 every case. Hence every sep he took
was contest, and, it may be added, every con-
test was victory. have already said that he
was elected Major-General in Tennessee-an
election on which SO much afterwards depended
by one vote. His appointment in the United
States regular. army was conquest from the ad
lnnistration which had twice refused to appoint
him as Brigader and once disbanded him asa
volunteer general, and only yielded to his militia
victories His election as President was VIC
tory over politicans-as was every leading event
of his administration.
have said that his appointment in the regu.
lar army was victory over the administration,
and it belongs to the inside views of history,
and to the illustration Of government mistakes,
and calculation of individual merit surmounting
obstacles, 10 tell how that way. Twice passed
by to give preference to two others in the west,
General Harrison and General Winchester,)
once disbanded, and omitted in all the lists Of
military nominations, how did he get at last to
be appointed Major.General? 1t was thus:
Congress passed an act authorizing the Presi'
dent to accept organized corps of volunteers,
proposed to General Jackson to raise corps
under tha. act and hold it ready for service He
did so and with this corps, and some militia,
he defeated the Greek Indians, and gained the
repu'on which forced his appointment in the
regular army. drew up the address which he
made 10 his division at the time, and when l
carried it to him in the evening, found the
child and The lamb between his knees. | raised
regiment myself, and made the speeches at
the general musters, which helped TO raise two
others, assisted by small band of frlends--all
feeling confident that il we could conquer the
first dficult-master the first step-and get him
upon the theatre Of action, he would do the rest
himself This is the way he got into the regu-
lar army, not only unsolicited by the wisdom OF
government, but rejected by t-a stone rejected
by the master builder and worked in by an un-
seen hand, to become tho stone of the
temple. The aged men of Tennessee will re-
member all this, and it is time that history
should learn it, But to return to the private life
and personal characteristics of this extraordinary
man.
There was on innate, unvaryng, self-acting
eelicacy in his intercourse with the female sex,
including all WON ,nkind; and on that point my
personal observation, land my opportunities for
observation were both large and sarious,) ena.
bles me to j,n in the declaration of the belief
expressed by his earliest friend and most init.
mate associate. the late Judge Overton, of
Tennessee. The Roman general won an i'm
mortality Of honor by one act of confluence;
what praise is due to Jackson, whose whole
life was continent? repeat: if he had been
born in the time of Cromwell, he would have
been a puritan. Nothing could exceeded his
kindness and affection to Mrs. Jackson, always
increasing in proportion as his elevation and
eliminating fortunes drew cruel attacks upon
her. | knew her well, and that more exemplary
woman in all the relations Of lfe-wife, friend,
neighbcr, relative, mistress Of saves-.never
lived, and never presented more quiet, cheer
ful management of her household. She had not
education, but she had a heart, and good one
and that was always leading her to do kind things
in the kudest manner. She had the Generals
own warm heart frank manners, and hospitabe
temper, and no two persons could have been
better suited to each other lived more happily
together, or made house more attractive to
visitors. She had the faculty-a rare one-oi
retaining names and titles in throng OF visitors,
addressing each one appropriately. and dspens-
ing hospitality to all with cotdiahty which
enchanted its value. No bashfnl youth, or
plain old man. whose modesty sat them down at
the lower end of the table, could escape her
cordial attention, any more than the titled gen.
tleman on her right and left. Young persons
; were her delight, and she always had her house.
well filed with them-clever young women and
clever young men-all calling her, effectionate-
ly, "Aunt Rachel" | was young, then, and
was one of the number own it 10 early re-
collections, and to cherished convictions this
last notice of the Hern1tage-to bear this faith
fol testimony to the memory of its first and
3 long mstress--the loved and honored wife OF q
great man. Her greatest eulegy is in the af-
{ ecfion which he bore her living, and in the
died at the moment of the Generals first elec-
i ton to the Presidency, and every one that had
+ Just petition to present. or charitable request 10
e make, lost, in her dead the surest channel to the
J. ear and to the heart of the President. His re-.
rt gard for her survived, and lived n the persona of
1t her nearest relatives. A nephew of hers was
le his adoped son and heir, taking his own name,
and now the respectable master Of the Hermi-
= tage. Another nephe W "A ndrew Jackson Donel-
D. son, Esq, was his private secretary when Presi-
1t dent The presidential mansion was presided
l. over during his term by her niece, the most
d amiable Mrs. sDonelson +; and all his conduct