Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-04-05
Election of 1S9s--ErrOr
OfDe TOcqueViIIe.
BY BENTON.

didates; with the latter, Mr. Clay, (his Secretary
of State) so intimately associated in the public
mind, on account of the circumstances of the pre-
vious Presidential election in the House Of Repre-
sentative that their names and interests were in
separable during the canvass. General Jackson
was elected having received l7S electoral votes to
S3 received by Mr.. Adams. Mr.. Richard Rush,
of Pennsylvania, was the Vice Presidential can
didate on the ticket of Mr.. Adams, and received
an equal vote with that gentleman.
Mr.. Calhoun was the vice-P Presidential candi-
date on the ticket with General Jackson, and re-
ceived slightly less vote-the deficiency being
in Georgia, where the friends of Mr.. Crawford
still resented his believed connection with the
IA. B. plot" In the previous election, he had
been neutral between General Jackson and Mr..
General, and received the same vote everywhere,
except in Georgia. In this election there was
circumstance to be known and remembered. Mr..
Adams and Mr. Rush were both from non-slave-
holding, General Jackson and Mr.. Calhoun from
the slaveholding states, and both large slave-own
ers themselves-and both received argeEvote
(7S each) in the free states-and of which at
least forty were indispensable to their election
There was no jealousy, or hostile or aggressive
spirit in the North at that time against the South!
The election of General Jackson was triumph
of Democratic principle, and an assertion of the
peoples right to govern themselves. That prin-
ciple had been violated in the Presidential cleo
ton in the House of Representatives in the ses-
sion of lS24-'25; and the sanction, or rebuke of
that violation was leading question in the whole
canvass. 1t was also triumph over the high
protective policy land the federal internal improve
ment policy, and the attudinous construction of
the constitution; and of the Democracy over the
federalists, then called national republicans; and
was the re-establishment of parties on principle,
according to the landmarks of the early ages of
the government. For, although, Mr. Adams had
received confidence and office from Mr.. Madison
and Mr.. Monroe, and had classed with the Demo-
"era of good feeling" yet he had previously been
federal; and in the re-establishment of old party
lines, which began TO take place after the election
of Mr. Adams in the House of Representatives
his affinities and policy became those of his form
er party; and as a party, with many individual
exceptions, they became his supporters and his
strength. General Jackson, on the contrary, had
always been Democratic, so chasing when he
was a Senator in Congress under the administra-
ton of the first Mr.. Adams, and when party lines
were most straightly down, and upon principle,
and as such now receiving the support of men and
States which took their political position at that
time, and had maintained it ever since-Mr. Ma
con and Mr.. Randolph, for example, and the
it becomes my duty to notice an error, Or a con-
geres of errors of Mons. de. Tocqueville, in re-
laton to the causes of General Jacksons election,
and which he finds exclusively in the glare of a
military fame, resulting from "a very ordinary
achievement, only to be remembered where bat
ties are rare" He says;
General Jackson, whom the Americans have
twice elected to the head of their government, is
man Of violent temper and mediocre talents.
No one circumstance in the whole course of his
free people; and, indeed, the majority Of the en-
lighted classes of the Union has always been op-
posed to him. But he was raised to the Presiden-
cy, and has been maintained in the lofty station,
solely by the recollection of victory which he
gained twenty years ago, under the walls of New
Orleans; victory which, however, was very
ordinary achievement, and which could only be
remembered in country where battles are rare.
This may pass for American history, in Europe
and in foreign language, and even finds abettors
here to make it American history in the United
States, with preface and notes to enforce and
commend it; but America will find historians OF
her own to do justice to the national and to indi-
vidual character. In the mean time have some
knowledge of General Jackson, and the Ameri-
can people, and the two Presidential elections
with which they honored the General; and will
oppose it, that is, my knowledge to the fippant
and shallow statements of Mons. de Tocquevile
ga man of violent temper" ought to know
something about that---contemporarie wilunder
stand the allusion-and | can say that Genera
Jackson had good temper, kind and hospitable
to everybody, and a feeling of protection in it fol
the whole human race, and especially the weake
and humber part ofit. He had few quarrels OF
his own account; and probably the very ones o
which M. de Toqueville had heard were accidedt
al, against his will, and for the succor of friends
"Mediocre talent; and no capacity to govren
free people," In the first place, free people ar,
not governed by any man, but by laws. But t.
understand the phrase as, perhaps, intended, tha
he had no capacity for civil administration, let tn
condition Of the country at the respective period
he took up and when he laid down the administra
ton, answer. He found the country in domestic
distress s-pecuniary distress the national an,
State legislation invoked by leading politicians tt
relieve it by empirical remedies; tariffs to reliev
one part Of the community by taxing the other
| internal imDroyement tn Distribute nuhlic monev