Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-02-05
Gen. jackson and J. o. A0nms

Gen. Jackson and J. @. Adams.
The following account of the ~recontre
between Gen. jackson and John Q. Ad-
ans, at President Monroe's levee, on the
after Adams election over Jack
son for the Presidency, by the House
of Representatives, is taken from "Pe-
ter Parlcy's Rccollection's of his Life
"I shall pass over the individuals
present, only noting an incident which
respects the two persons in the assembly
who most of all others engrossed the
thoughts of the visitors-Mr. Adams,
the elect, General Jackson, the defeated.
1t CHANGED, in the course of the evening,
that these two persons, involved in the
throng, approached each other from op-
posite directions, yet without knowing
it. Suddenly, as they were almost to-
gether, the persons around, seeing what
was to happen, by a sort of instinct,
stepped aside and left them face to face.
Mr.. Adams was by himself; Gen. Jack
son had a large, handsome lady on his
arm. They looked at each other for a
moment, and then General jackson
moved forward, and reaching out his
long arm, said-"How do you do, Mr..
Adams? L give you my left hand, for
the right, you see, is devoted to the fair;
L hope you are well, sir 2" All this was
CALAMITY and heartily said and DONE
Mr.. Adams took the Generals hand,
and said, with chilling coldncss-"very
well, sir: L hope General Jackson is
well!' 1t was curious to see the Yves
tern planter, the Indian fighter, the
stern soldier, who had written his coun-
try's glory in the blood Of the enemy at
New Orleans-genial and gracious in
the midst of q courtswhile the old cour-
tier and diplomat was stiff, rigid, and
cold as a statue 1t was all the more
remarkable from the fact that, for hours
before, the former had been defeated,
and the latter was 4 victor in a struggle
for one of the highest objects OF human
ambition. The personal character Of
these two individuals was in fact we'll
expressed in that chance meeting; the
g~allantry, the frankness, and the hearth
ness OF the one, which captiyated all;
the GOODNESS, the distance, the self-con-
centration Of the other, which repealed
all. a somewhat severe, but still acute
anylist of MIR. Adams character, says {:
undoubtedly, II great reason OF his
unpopularity, was his cold and antipa-
thetic manner, and the suspicion Of sell
fshncss it suggested, or at least aided
greatly to conform. None approached
Mr.. Adams but to recede. lie never
succeeded; he never tried to conciliate.9
[ recollect an anecdote somewhat IL
Illustrative of this. When he was q can
didate for the Presidency, his political
friends thought it advisable that he
should attend & cattle show at Worces-
ter, Mass, so as to conciliate the nam
bers Of influential men who might be
present. Accordingly he went, and
while there many persons were intro
duced to him, and among the rest, a
farmer of the vicinity-a man of sub
stance and great responsibility. On be
ing presented, he said:
Mr.. Adams, [ am very glad to sec
you. Ny wife when she was gal, lived
in your fathers femily; you were then
1 little boy, and she told me a great deal
about you. She has very often combed
your head"
.:Well,' said Mr.. Adams in a harsh
wae-"I suppose she combs your head
nowI" The poor farmer SUNK back
like a dashed hound feeling the smart
but utterly unconscious of the provoca.
ton.