M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-03-16
THE SWORD OF JACKSON,

Benton:
Mr.. Benton said: Mr.. Chairman,
the manner in which this sword has
been used for the honor and benefit oil
the country is known to the world; the
manner in which the privilege was OBJ
tained of so using it is but little known,
even to the living age, and must be lost
to posterity unless preserved by con-
temporaneous history. At the same
time it is we'll worth knowing, in Or
der to show what difficulties talent may
have to contend with, what mistakes
governments may commit, and upon
what chances and accidents it may de-
pend that the greatest talent, and the
Putest patriotism, may be able to get
into the service oil its country. There
is moral in such history which it may
be instructive to governments and peo,
| pie TO learn, When a warrior, or a
statesman, is seen in the midst Of his
career, and in the fullness OF his glory,
showing himself to be in his natural
place, people overlook his previous
steps, and suppose he had been called
| by a general voice-by wise councils
to the fulflment of natural destiny.
In lew instances it is so; 10 the great
er part not. In the greater part there
is toilSome, uncertain, discouraging,
and notifying progress to be gone thro'
before the future resplendent man is
able TO get on the theatre which is 10
give him the use of his talent. So it
was with Jackson. He had his diff,
cuItleS TO surmount, and Surmounted
them. He conquered savage tribes and
the conquerorS Of the conquerors Of
Europe; bu, he had to conquer his own
government firSt-and did it--and that
was, Tor HIM, the most difficult OF the
two; for, while his military victories
were the regular result OF genius for
war and brave troops to execute his
lplans--enabling him TO command sue
cess-his civil victory over his own
government was the result OF chances
and accidents, and the contrivances OF
others, in which he could have but lit
lie hand, and no control. | proceed
to give some view of this ms e and
preliminary history, and have some
qualification for the task, having Ia.
ken some part, though not great, in all
that lrelate.
Retired from the United States Sen.
ate, OF which he had been a member,
and from the supreme judicial bench oil
his State, ,on which he had sat as Judge,
this future warrior and President--and
alike lllustrouS in both characters--
was living on his farm on the banks Of
the [ cumberland, when the war of 1912
broke out. He was Major General
in the Tennessee miilia--,he only
place he would continue TO hold--and
10 which he had been elected by the
contingency Of one vote-so close was
the chance for miss in this first step.
His friends believed that he had militia
ry genius, and proposed him for the
Bngadler'S appointment which was al.
loted to the West. That appointment
was gwen to another, and Jackson re-
mained unnoticed Oh his farm. Soon
after, another appointment OF General
was allotted to the West. Jackson was
proposed again, and again was left to
attend to his farm. Then a batch oI
Generals, as they were called, was au.
thorized by law--six at a time--and
from all paris OF the Union; and then
his friends believed that surely his tine
had come. Not so the fact. The six
appointments went elsewhere, and the
hero patriot, who was bern to lead ar
mics to victory, was still lett to the care
OF his fields, while incompetent men
were leading our troops to dele at, tc
captivity, to slaughter; for that is the
way the war opened. The door tc
military service seemed 10 be closed anc
barred against him; and was so, so la
as the Government was concerned.
1t may be wondered why this repug.
nance to the appointment of jackson
who, though not yet greatly disting.
uished, was still man of mark--had
been Senator. and a Supreme Judge,
and was still Mijor General, and q
man OF tried and heroic courage.
can tell the reason. He had a greal
many home enemies, for he was mau
of decided temper, had a great many
contests, no compromises, always went
Tor a clean victory, or clean defeat;
though placable alter the contest was
over. That was one reason, though
not the main one. The Administra
lioD had prejudice agains; him on ac.
count of Colonel Burr, with whom he
had been associated in the American
Senate, and to whom he gave hospita-
ble reception in his house at the time Of
his western expedition, relying upon
his assurance that his designs were
against the Spanish dominion in Mex
leo, and not againstth the integrity OF this
Union. These were some OF the eau.
ses, not all, OF JackSon's rejection from
federal military employment.
was then young and one of his aids,
and believed in his military talent and
patriotism,g ,greatly attached to him, and
was grieved and vexed to see him