Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-09-20

/ teneuleGtS when he Nanqulshed the British
at New Orleans snd probably view of
their conqueror's domicil would have as
tonished the British officers as much as
their defeat had doLe. lie was attached
TO his friends, and his country, and never
believed any report to the discrodit of ell
ther until compelled by proof. He would
not believe in the first reports Of the sur
render of General Hull ard became sad
and oppressed when forced to believe it
He never gave up friend in doubtful
case, or from policy, or calculation. He
was firm believer IN the goodness of a
experimenting Providence and in the
eventual right. Judgment and Justice of
the people l have seen him at the NEST
desperate part of ,is t. tunes and~neger
:. Saw bin wavcr ia the behefsthat all would
come right in the end Ia the time of
Cromwell lie would have been puritan
The character Of his mind was that of
Judgment, with rapid anesamost intui-
tive perception. followed by instant and
decisive action It was that which made
4 him General and a President for the
times in which he served lie had yigor
Gus thoughts bat not the faculty of ar
ranging them Ia a regular composition,
either written or spoken; and IN formal
papers usually gave his manuscript to an
aid friend or secretary, to be written
oyer-often to the loss of vigor But the
thoughts were his own, vigorously express
ed, and without effort, writing with a rap
ii pen, and never blottng or altering;
but, as Carlyle says Of Cromwell, 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 paper. and no erasures or inter
4 lIneations anywhere. His conversation
was like his writing, a vigorous flowing
current, apparently without the trouble
of thinking, and always impressive His
conclusions were rapid and immovable,
when he was under strong convictions,
though often yielding, on minor points,
to his friends. And no man yicldedquick-
er when he was convinced, perfectly IL
lustrating the difference between firmness
and obstinacy OF all the Presidents
who have done me the hoG0r to listen to
my opinions, there was 10 one to whom /
spoke with more confidenc when [ felt my
self to be in the right
He had loa 70 carry all his life, re
sultipg from temper which refused com
promises and bso gains, aud went for
clean victory, or rlean defeat, IN every
case. Hence, everr step he took was
contest, and. II may be added, every con
test was victory. l have already said
that he was elected a Major General -
Tennessee-an election on which much
afterwards depended--by one vote His
appointment in the United States regular
army was a conquest from the admins
tration. which had twice refused to ap
point him Brigadier, aud once disband-
ed him as a volunteer general and only
Welded to his militia victories. His cleo
ton as President was a victory over poll
tjcians-as was every leading event Of
his administration.
have said that his appointment in the
regular army was victory over the ad
miuistration. and it belongs to the inside
views Of history, and to the illustration
Of government mistakes, and the elucida-
ton of individual merit surmounting OBJ
stacles, to tell how that was Twice pass
led by to give preference to two others in
the west, General Harrison and General
Winchester} once disbanded aud omitted
in all the lists of military nominations,
how did he get at last to be appointed
Major Geueral2 1t was thus Congress
passed an act authorizing the President
to accept organized corps of volunteers
/ proposed to General jackson to raise d
corps under that act, aud hold it ready
for service lie did so; and with this
corps, aud some militia, he defeated the
Creek Indians, and gained the reputation
which forced his appointment in the regn-
lar army. | drew up the address which
he made tc his division at the time, and
when I carried it to him in the evening,
| found the child aud the lamb between
his knees [ raised regiment myself
and made the speeches at the general mus
ters. which helped to raise two Others as
sisted by small band Of friends s,-all
feeling confident that if we could conquer
the first tdifficulty-master the first step
and get him upon the theatre of action.
he would do tue rest himself. This IS
the way he cot into the regular army. not
only unsolicited by the wisdom of govern
ment, but rejected by it-a stone rejected
by the master -builders--and worked in
by an unseen hand. to become the corner
stone of the temple The aged men Of
Tennessee VII remember all this, and it
is time that history should learn it But
to return to the private life and personal
characteristics ef this extraordinary man.
There was an innate, unyarying, self
acting 'delicacy IN his intercourse with the
female sex, including all womankind and
on that point my personal observation,
(and my opportunities for observation
were both large and various) enable me
to ioin in the declaration Of the belief ex-
pressed by his earliest friend and most
intimate associate, the late Judge Over
ton. of Tennessee The Roman General
won an immortality of honor by one act
of contineuce what praise is due to lack
son, whose whole life was continent [
repeat: had he been born in the time Of
Cromwell, he would have been a puritan.
Nothing could exceed his kindness and
affection to Mrs Jackson, always increas-
ling in proportion as his elevation and
eliminating fortunes drew cruel attacks
upon her I knew her well, aud that a
more exemplary woman IN all the rela