Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1855-03-03


commendable State pride in the military re-
nown and unquestioned personal heroism of
Andrew Jackson. | hesitate not 10 say, sir,
that this feeling has contributed in no small
degree to the full development of that chivalric
sentiment which has ever characterized the
volunteer troops OF Tennessee when their coun-
try has demanded their services in the field
Allow me to say, sir, that /, for near twenty
years, have held position of antagonism
more or less, to those who have claimed TO be
the especial political friends Of General Jack
son, and in that State our contests have been
sharp, animated, and continuous, through that
long period / mention this merely by way Of
suggesting that the sentiments to which | have
given Inference are expressed with the more
freedom from all undue partiality or bias
They are sentiments such as / feel that no ma
tive Tennessean, and trust no citizen Of any
other State in our glorious Confederacy, can
fail cordially and heartily to respond to. They
should be held in common by the whole Amer
lean peoples for this very sword, sir, cleaned
over that memorable battlefield of which every
citizen of the Union is so Justly proud, and
which has unquestonably given more world
wide fame to American prowress than any
other single battlefield which has ever emilia
zoned the bright annals of American warfare
Let the sword, sir, be preserved, and trans
mitted carefully to posterity. Let it be depos
tied, along with the sword and camp-chest Of
Washington and the staff and the printing
press of Franklin, among the most precious
relics of grateful country, preserved and
cared for as high incentives to the honorable
ambition of American youth as long as liberty
snail have home or the union Of these States
an existence among the nations of the earth.
But, sir, / will here pause. | will not dwell
upon a theme which has already been enlarged
upon by others with so much more ability than
possess. | will trespass upon the valuable
time of the House only for moment longer.
| cannot in justice to my own feelings, withhold
brief alluson to General Robert Armstrong,
from whose family this present is received.
He was my neighbor and personal friend.
The confidence which General Jackson, who
knew him so long and SO well, reposed in the
sterling qualities of his heart and head is itself
a sufficient eulogy, requiring no aid from any
thing can offer. ! must, however, say that !
held him to be one Of the bravest, most mag
| unanimous, and most truly kind men it
was ever my good fortune personally to know.
In conclusion, need hardly add that take
it for granted the resolution will be sanctioned,
not only unanimously, but with the most
cheerful alacrity by every American represen-
tative.
Mr.. BENTON, of Missouri, said Mr.. Chair
man, the manner in which this sword has been
| used for the honor and benefit of the country
is known to the world; the manner in which
| the privilege was obtained of so using it is
| but little known, even to the living age, and
must be lost to posterity unless preserved by
contemporaneous history. At the same time il
is well worth knowing, in order to show what
difficulties talent may have to contend with,
what mistakes Government may commit, and
upon what chances and accidents it may de-
pend that the greatest talent and the purest
patriotism may be able to get into the service
of its country. There is moral in such his
tory which it may be instructive to Govern.
ments and to people to learn. When a warrior
or statesman is seen, in the midst OF his ca
reer and the fullness of his glory, showing
himself TO be in his natural place, people over
look his previous steps and suppose he had
been called BY @ general voice, by wise coun,
ellis, TO the fulhlment Of natural destiny. In
a few instances it is SO; in the greater part not
In the greater part there is toisome, uncertain
discouraging, and Notifying progress TO be
gone through before the future Respondent
man is able to get on the theatre which is to
| give him the use of his talent. So it was with
jackson. He had his difficulties to surmount
and surmounted them. He conquered savage
tribes and the conquerors of the conquerors..o t
| Europe; but he had to conquer his own Gov
eminent first, and did it, and that was for him
the most difficult of The two: for, while his
military victories were the regular result Of a
| genius for war and brave troops to execute his
plans, enabling him to command success, his
civil victory over his own Government was the
result of chances and accidents, and the con
trivances of others, in which he could have but
little hand and no control. ] proceed TO give
some view Of this inside and preliminary his
tory, and have some qualification for the task
having taken some part though not great, in
all that relate.
Retired from the United States Senate, o.
which he had been a member, and from the su
preme judicial bench of his State on which he
had sat as Judge, this future warrior and Presi
dent-and alike illustrious in both characters
was living upon his farm on the banks Of the
Cumberland, when the war Of 1912 broke out
He was major general in the Tennessee militia
the only place he would continue 10 hold
and to which he had been elected by the con
tingency OF one vote, so close was the chance
for miss in this first step. His friends be
lieved that he had military genius, and pro
posed him for the brigadier's appointment
which was allotted to the West. That appoint
ment was given TO another, and jackson re-
NAMED unnoticed on his farm. Soon another
appointment Of general was allotted to the
West. Jackson was proposed again; and wa,
again left to attend TO his farm. Then batch
Of generals, as they we're called, was author
lied by law-sx at a time, and from all parts
Of the Union; and then his friends believed that
surely his time had come. Not so the fact
The six appointments went elsewhere, and the
hero patriot, who was born to lead armies tc
victory, was still left to the care OF his fields
while incompetent men were leading our troops
to defeat TO captivity to slaughter; for that il
the way the war opened. The door to military
service seemed TO be closed and barred against
him; and was so 50 far as the Government was
concerned.
Ii may be wondered why this repugnance to
the appointment of Jackson, who, though not
yet greatly distinguished, was still man OIL
mark-had been n Senator and q Supreme
Judge, and was still major general, and q