Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-02-06


Tha legislature Of Tennessee, st its last session,
purohsasd the hermitage, containing i've hundred
aCpes, &c cost Of Atty thousand dollars, and d.
rested il 20 be presented to the Government Of the
United States, 81 . site for the extension Of our
National Military Academy,
Cor. JonsON, as the Chief Magistrate of the |
State, has Just visited the City Of Washington and
ssndsrsd Il to tho President Of the United States,
pursuant 70 the Act. The President received it
with favor, and laid is before Congress. The quss-
ton now is Shall it be sccspted2"
We are decidedly in favor Of it, and hope large
majority Of the Senators and Representatives Will
come the same conclusion, after due consideration.
The United States Military Academy at West
Point, was established in 1902; and after test Of
1fsy years, public opinion has decided it to be an
Institution of necessity and merit.
Ours Is government where the eitissn must be
the soldier and the service voluntary. Let kings
and crowns rely upon standing armies, paid to
hgbt their battles; in this free country we need
no such incentives to action, and are burdened
with no such expenditures; our citizens own the
soil and they have homes and fresidss to defend,
and woe to the foe that dare invade them.
No nation hss q more reliable defence; bat it is
night and wise to educSls 9 certain portion Of
them in the theory and practice Of war, that they
may instruct and direct the brave ctizsn-soldier,
wko brings to the field indomitsbIe courage, but
is unframed. This can best be done by enlarging
the means Of this kind Of education, which the
Preaent plan proposes
More than half century has passed by since
D,Sr cd nyJC
Rresa, and located in New York, which was then
near the centre OF territory and population. But
now Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Ar
kansas and Texas, are famed BY the soft breezeS
Of the Gulf Of Mexico, and wide spread CAlLfor-
MIA with her mineral wealth, by the bre5th Of the
mid Pacific. These southern and western empires
have been added to our national limits since that
period; and the young cadet reared under the
influence Of genial sun, may find the snOw-clad
hills Of the Hudson unrisndy to his constitution.
We therefore say, take he Hermitage and make
it the winter residence of ell the cadets, If you
please or practical school for enoampment; or
for the Dragon service, or such other oombina.
tion ss the War Department and Congress may
determine.
It is peculiarly fitted for the extension contsm-
plated It contains 500 acresI Of ground, bsauti-
fully located in 8 rich country, where provisions
for man and horse are cheap, u miles from Nash
vile, in q heslthul country and in the E|outh COM
pared to West Point, accessible, IS oar Southern
Railroads are forming connexions, but still re-
moved iron temp tstiOn. It already has national
distinction, SIS the once hOsPitable home and now
the resting place Of GenI ANDREW JACKSON, the
hero AID statesman. He could boast Of no mon
umentSl ancestry, but was the fabricatOr Of bin
own fame and fortune In life, his fame was up
on his brow, and Lit up every hesrth-stOne in the
land, and when he sleeps in death, Tennessee de-
sirss to do him honor.
She has purchased the Hermitage, and on it tbs
tomb, Of this distinguished son Of our nation; ans
now presents herself before Congress- to offer it al
present. that be may live in the memory of pos
terIty, &c be did in the hearts Of bis ccuntrymeD
To accept it, requires but pittance from th'
Treasury Of the Nation aad what member o
Congress, has q constituency who would desirt
him to vote No on this pTOPosiLlon7 IF an.
there be, they are unfamiliar with the sacrifice
upon which soldiers reputation is based. The
never saw The csmp-hres burn; they never hear
the rsviie beat; and never moved bIsvely on t
battle, when the bugle sounded the charge.
The officers su6 soldiers who have seen an
heard these things, will not hesitate on PROPOSE
ton like this. They will say let the tomb of Gen
Jackson belong to the nation. a better soldie
never wore . sword. France had her Napoleon
England her Wellington, and America her Jackson
It is due to bis eminent services in the field, an
in the forum; that the Nation should own the b. N
Of bis hospitality, and bis last resting place
May it not be economy to accept this presen
from Tenue see? Our country needs no money 4
build forts for its protection, if you give
officers educated and trained, upon walks once fl
miller to the departed hero. The memory Of hi
ehivalry would give tone and elevation to Ii
young soldier, receiving the impress of eduCstiO
upon the Hermitage grounds. This "oOrps dsprit
thus impressed upon the plastic mind, would
worth more to the nation, than millions expended
in building Notifications.
This is az application to enlarge and extend mil
itAry education, which teaches obedience, subordi
nation and difference to authority; and in dom
This, it erects National Monument to Gen. JACK
scN, which be so richly deserves, and yet thsrs i
no expenditure for q monumental column.
All systems Of education in our country shou'C
teach that labor is honorable, and The abso ut
duty of ell citizens. Our NatiOnal Cadets, whel
educated, need not be a charge upon the country
If there was scarcity Of valuable work. the,
might be allowed to retire, till danger called tbeH
to the Geld.
This National Military Education is Ns'ion'
capital and as the area of the country is still resd
ing " der and wider, il is 81 and proper to max
the extension now proposed
STHE WILD HUNT AFTER OFFICE"