The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-02-28


as A evidence Of his high appreciation Of his military SER
vices and his patriotic devotion the honor Of his coun
Try delivered the sword requested and II was Kept
hy General Armstrong during his life snoe bis death,
has family have concluded that the proper disposition
they could make Of il would be present j. 70 Congress
TO be kept perpetual Of the brilliant achieve
meHt with which il connected For tins purpose the
sword has been forwarded with the request that
would present Il 10 Congress in The Of General Ari-
srongs family II hss occurred that ! could not
appropriately discharge this than place the
sword IN sonr hands and ask Chat you will present it IN
such ven may deem most proper The known rea-
uons IN public and private between General jackson sad
yourself well your friendship for General
Armstrong render ii emineny ht that the
presentation should Toe made by therefore place the
sword at your disposal and respectfully request that you
would undertake to carry out the wishes Of the donors
am, very respectfully, your friend
Cen LEWIS cAssL
Mr. BELL Mr. President ! am fully aware that in an
dertakng accompany the offer Of the resolution which
propose send the chair with any remarks upon the
public services and character Of the usous whose
name and whose memory have been eloqneny and APP
proprialely brought TO notice BY the distinguished
senator from Michigan, Office of great delica
cy, and one which especially may well have dis
trust of my ability to perform in proper and satisfactory
manner; yet the senior representative Of he State Of
Tennessee in the Senate do not feel at liberty to decline
it
In what propose TO say must tread with caution and
reserve not at all upon grounds which the fires Of
political controversy ragged with such erceness at period
recent that the embers yet shoulder and may mol
deDty be disturbed
In the great drama of affairs now being enacted on this
continent the opening act Of which was the revolution
the closing scenes trust will be in the far far future
Andrew Jackson was in his day, great and successful
actor Whatever difference Of opinion may have existed
among hs coemporares OF the merits Of some parts Of h
performance yet whole il received the pandi Of hs
countymen and large proportion Of them pronounced
ii mastery throughout.
General jackson possessed rare eDdowments and was
indeed one Of the most if The remarkable OF
the age in which he lived With slight and inaifer
professional training and discipline in early
life generally regarded important not essential to
eminent either of the great departments Of
human effort the civil and the military yet AT the very
outset OF his military career he exhibited talents for com
mand Of high order and in less than three years by his
brilliant achievements established his reputation the
first military chief Of the country But this is not all
firing from the army when there appeared to be further
demand for active service he few years thereafter
elevated the highest civil station under The national
government and for eight successive years be welded the
power and influence Of his position executive chief with
such vgor and address that be sustained in and
ceeded in carrying out all the great of his admin
israton of them presenting questions Of the graFe
nature and giving rise to the most intense excitement
and this too in the face OF opposition combining an
amount Of ability, eloquence skill and experience in Of
fairs in both houses Of Congress but especially in the
Senate greater than witnessed before or since
The Jars and contentious between those great moral ee
ments sometimes such shook the whole country
who having addicted his early manhood mainly
to the pursuits OF private life without any apprecabe cl
experience public affairs could thus when there
public exgency Of sufficient urgency induce him
enter the public service saata as II were raise HIM
self 10 the rst rank military leader anu ien Tor 50
long period Chief Magistrate Of great and free
try, thus direct and control its civil administration must
be allowed TO have possessed great capacity His was no
negative unmarked career meieor-ke appearance
upon the great theatre Of affairs blaze and dazzle for
moment and then pass away forever but both milf
tary commander and civil chief he left his impress upon
his country and its institutions deep striking and inde
BILE.
It would be idle to assume hare done that Gen
Jackson indebted alone chiefly, to fortune and adj
venttous circumstances his extraordinary He
was such man as when be had attained position
had the faculty Of creating the circumstances II he needed
them necessary to further and continued Pos
tery viii inquire with eager curiosity the secret Of his
amazing successthe distinctive traits of mind and OF per-
sonal character by which he achieved it Of which
they win probably seek in vain in the pages OF coepo
rary history.
Gen. jackson had what may be called intuitye per
ceon of the passions and interests by which the Of
manknd are controlled He shrewd observer of in
dvdua character and he was seldom mistaken in his
of the with whom he associated friends
in contact with opponents he devoted 70 ms
friends and the Others opposed denounced them
the determined he became sustain them and
them off until they arrayed themselves in open oppo
sition 70 his plans and wishes Nor was he deficient IN
courtesy opponentsnot personal enemiesand could
even them when be desired needed their support
but never by awning unnanly appeals
His selfreliance wonderful He despared Of
his fortune As the obstacles TO the OF any favor
lie scheme Of policy multiplied and the OF oppos
ton widest il then that of his most striking
traits was exhibited He became The soulthe animaung
prinepeof bis followers revived their faintng courage
renspred their confidence in his naiblity and cheered
them on renewed and more vigorous efforts
When the emergency required it, more
prompt in coming a decision. When the qsestion pre-
sented difficulties, and admitted Of deliberaon be
seiled with his friends. When his conviction
clear be seldom deferred to views of Others and when
decided upon his course he inexble and inn
movable He emphatcally and truly, OF stern
resolve and iron viii and when opposition 10 the accom-
psment OF his purposes appeared formidable and dis
couragng be to become inpatient OF the rants
and trarumels Of official and customary routine he had
the courage both moral and physical dare and to do
whatever he thought proper and necessary the
full ssue of whatever hr had resolved upon BE wiha
patriot devoted 10 the honor dignity and glory OF has
country and he had the faculty of persuadng himself that
whatever Of policy either In peace in
war he resolved upon and strongly desired to accomplish
was proper and necessary 20 the public welfare.
No man since the days Of Washington was deFo-
ted to the union Of these States would have more
cheerfuy laid down his life defend and uphold it. than
Andrew jackson.
Many have supposed that General jackson often
controlled by passion and resentment and that he sone
times embraced and engaged in enterprises with
calculation of the chances OF success or defeat and
reckless Of both There greater mistake and
and policy in the Senate hell and the event
showed that be bad estimated the elements Of hs and
the Of his strength with greater sagaey than
themselves.
When General jackson made bis first essay ia the art Of
and led the Tennessee volunteers against WHY foe
formidable from their numbers and mode OF warfare
careless observers Of his early had their misgFing
that rash yalor and has eager desire to distinguish hlh
self IN result in disaster and the unnecessary sac
rlhce Of his bat they nndeceived Those
who knew him best and knew him well hsd any dis
trust of his discretion military commander.
But his qualities general and his powers Of combi-
nation conducting the operations Of army were best
ut