Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-01-25

Adherence of debt, public and private dislike
of,banks and love Of hard money, love OF Justice
and love of country, were ruling passions with
Jackson; and of these he gave constant evidences
In all the situations Of his ife OF private debts
he contracted none ofhis own, and made any sac
rifce to get ont Of those incurred for others OF
this he gave signal instance not long before the
war of lSl2-selling the improved part of his
estate, with the best buildings of country upon it,
to pay debt incurred in mercantile adventure
to assist a, young relative, and going into log
houses in the forest part to begin new home and
farm. 10
He was attached to his friends and to his coun-
try, and never believed any report to the. discredt
of either, until compelled by proof He would
not believe in the first report of the surrender of
General Hull, and became sad and oppressed
when forced,te believe it. He never gave up
friend in doubtful case, or from policy or calcu-
aton. He was firm believer in the goodness of
experimenting Providence, and in the1eventful
right judgment and justice of the people. have
seen him at the most desperate part of his for
tunes, and never saw him waver in the belief that
all would come right in the end. In the time of
Cromwell, he would have been a Puritan g.n
The character of his mind was that ofiudg-
ment, with rapid and almost intutive perception,
followed by instant and decisive action. 1t was
that which made him General and President
for the times in which he served He had vgor-
GUS thoughts, but not the faculty of arranging
them in regular composition, either written or
spoken; and in formal papers usually gave his
manuscript to On aid, friend OF secretary, to be
written over-often to the loss of vigor. But the
thonghts were his own, vigorously expressed and
without effort, writing with rapid pen, and never
blotting or altering; but as Carlyle says of Crom-
WE'LL hitting the nail upon the head as he went.
have great deal Of his writing now, some on
public affairs and covering several sheets of pa
per, and no erasures or nterlineations anywhere.
His conversation was like his writing, vigor-
Gus, flowing current, apparently without the
trouble of thinking, and always impressive. His
conclusions were rapid and immoveable, whenshe
was under strong convictions, though often yield
ing in minor points to his friends. And no man
yielded quicker when convinced; perfectly Illus
trating the difference between frmness and OBJ
stinacy. Of all 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
a temper which refused compromise and bargains,
and went for clean victory, or clean defeat in
every case. Hence every step he took was q
contest and, it may be added, every contest was a
victory. have already said that he was elected
a Major General in Tennessee-an election on
which So much afterwards depended-by one vote.
His appointment in the United States regular ar
my was a conquest from the administrators, which
had twice refused to appoint him Brigadier, and
once disbanded him as volunteer General, and
yielded to his military victories. His election as
President was victory over politicans-as was
every leading event Of his administration. 2''