Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1859-01-09

distributed amongst me catea- lheae ects
and conduct SPEAK trumpet tongued lbs devo-
ton 10 the rights Of the States, his strict COZ
structions Of the powers granted In the Consti-
tuition, and his fun membership in the RePubh-
HE an Of March, 1887, closed his public
service, he retired with dignity 70 the Hermit
age, TO prepare for that final change which be
fst was approaching. The day Of bis return
was to me one Of the most memorable Of my
existence. His old friends and companions de-
temined TO give him q public reception, they
met together appointed one o. their number
to deliver an address. aEd started 10 meet him.
The Young men and boys Of our city following
their example, made their arrangements and
appointed me as their spokesman We met
him in he cedars near Lebanon. The old men
were ranged in front The boys IN The rear. He
got out Of his carriage, listened courte0usly 10
The address % Judge Campbell, replied happily,
and shook hands with has Old associates. he
hen drew near to us. slept forward, spoke
a few words Of kindness, and wound up BY say
ing, That the children Of his old soldiers and
friends welcomed him homs, and were ready 10
serve under his banner His frame shook, he
bowedd down his head and whilst the tears rolled
down his aged cheeks, he replied, Il could have
stood all bu, this, It is too much, too muchF'
The crowd gathered around, and for a few
moments there was a general bathurst Of syn
patty and tears.
" ~ siernsr spirits that hebeld that msetins
Were nj unm5Ycdi who are, vhen hearts are gcetns "
may live a hundred ysars, but no future can
erase ,hat scene from my memory. II grows
greener and greener with advancing years, ard
viii Be faithfully treasured TO the last.
More than eight years rolled away after his
retirement from public service before he was
summoned 10 depart. During the whole period,
although taking no active pan In politics, he
vas stlTregarasd as the Hsstor Of his party,
giving il the vital energy Of his name, and his
~counselin every emergency Of danger. When
his sands Of life ran out, be met death with the
calmness Of one who felt that be had enough o.
life his work was done and the victory secure.
He sank as sinks the evening sun when the day
is over, leaving flush Of crimson still illumining
the horizon from which ithas passed. So soon a.
his death was announced IL prOduceda feeling Of
sadness and depression throughout the Union.
Hisfaults were forgotten In The recollection Of
his long and faithful services in the cause ofhu-
man freedom. Men everywhere felt that a
great light was eXtinguished, end that his loss
was a national calamity. II Is difficult 10 sum
up, in conclusion, without danger Of repeti-
ton; vet the picture would Be incomplete with
out a few more touches.
He was not perfect, and I am not sure but
what this fact added to his popularity. How
ever much we idealize perfection in our
writings, Il does not ensure an entrance into
the popular heart, as witness the long list Of
prophets and martyrs, whose purity Of lives
could not save them from chains, Imprisonment
and death. Men love inequalities Of character
in their idols, as the eve does the alienation Of
hill and dale in the landscape. he was proud
irascible, and at times OYerbeanng. II he had
teen born in the purple he would have been a
despoL. Before he came to feel his response
bilities 10 the world, his temper would have
been ruined, and probably in old sge he would
have been a ruthless and memorable tyrant.
Fortunately he lived and acted in a land of
freedom, where he always encountered a
steady and continuous opposition, that atiem-
pered him to the standard most useful 10 him
self and to mankind. He was, however, IN
q~uestionably a great, and in many respects, a
good man. He did not belong to that class Of
great men who, in their closets, and when al
most unknown to their neighbors, have, by
their discoveries, or inventions, changed the
labor Of mankind, and seizing upon the fuleum
which Archimedes wished for, moved the world
in their balance.
Nor eouli be, like Clay and Webster, charm
admiring multitudes by his eloquence or per-
slasion. His great powers lay esseHftaily in
council and action. His intuitive perception Of
what was right, and the courage and energy
with which he executed what was necessary %
be done. He never read many books, and per-
haPs it was fortunate for him that he did not
he might have enlarged the area Of his vision,
but would have disturbed the force Of his con
Uetions, and palsied the rapidity Of his action.
He could never have borne the confinement and
dmdgerY Of laboTed investigation, and super
fetal reading would have done him no good.
Men and outward nature were the objects Of
his thought, and his penetrating eye seemed to
reach their most secret arena. He never made
a mistake in the selection Of a military posi-
ton, or in his frequent aPpelis 70 popular judg-
ment for his support His fTienis oflen uem-
bled at the seeming rashness Of the bold posi-
ton he assumed, and the fearless hardihO0d
with which he accepted the ground chosen for
him By his adversaries; vet he never failed In
finally driving them of the field, and camping
on the place they had selected for his defeat.
Friends fell of from him By scores during his
long public career, but they fell like branches
from the trees, only 10 witheT and perish, them
selves, but not to weaken the parent stem. For
years after he retired from public life, the on
ward impulse ofhis action was deeply felt, and
he was appealed 10 at the Hermitage a. II be
was still the tenant Of the White House. Il
has been faeetiously remarked since his death,
that in many Of the rural districts Of Pennsyl-
yanis, they still suppose, in cas- ing Democratic
votes, that they are sustaining him. The state
ment Is a mere Jest, but it has its significance.
II evinees that his name Ike that Of Richard
Com de Lion, is potent after death on the field
where he displayed his r~esistless pr5Fess.
Men have frequently asserted that he was not
the author Of the public documents that were
isgged under his name whilst acting a. Presi-
dent. So FAR as the mere style or dress in
which they appeared is concerned, this may Be
true. HIS limited attainments and impatience
Of composition would induce the belief that the
flowing sentences and logical reasoning which
I characterized most Of these productions were
not the emenations Of his mind. But that he
drafted their outlines, or dictated their sub
stance, is unquestionable. They bear The flesh
! wnwNu - HE aTHrnw Hha s-w~.aa - HI aua~sH
Clear, lucid and strong in their statements ;
bold, truthful and almost denunciatoy in their
language, they leave no doubt a. 10 their mean
ing and no escape from responsibility If they
were untrue. They are Jacksonian all over,
and If written BY another, he must have 20
studied his great original as 70 have. lost his
own identity in transferring the picture on the
canvass
II have said he was proud, but his pride was
not offensive it had no touch Of superciious-
ness. Il was the legitimate offspring Of con
scious powers and innate dignity. He cuuh
permit no rude familiarity, and IN later life h.
had no taste for tests. HIS pride was his bar
ner against these unwelc0me intrusions. He
was utterly devoid Of vanity, and all that lit
ueness Of soul that waits with longing ape
tile for the applause Of others. When his own
conscience approved what he had said or done,
It was enough, he did not wait to hear the echo
Of oilers.
II was stfange how much he was often alone
amid the crowds by whom be was surrounded.
This.was shown BY the frequent changes Of
bis eOuntenance and disconnected observations
that now and then crossed the vein Of his con
versation. This may have been partly a habit
contracted TO carry on the thread OF Is
thoughts and give him an opportunity for meti-
talon when thronged with visitors, but It was
mainly resultant from the pitch Of his mental
power, its ceassless activity, and the numter
Of octayes rolled one on another Kits adjust
ment- IL made him ever and anon touch chonis
in his bosom that sounded far above, and away
from the dull hum Of the multitude around. He
had no method or logical sequences in his cen
v~ersation = il consisted Of short, pungent,
striking observations, asserted with vehemene,
but never spun out with lines Of reasoning or
data on which they were founded. No do1bt
the mental action BY which be deduced condu-
sions, was clear, but the process was too rapid
e be clothed in words. We often SUPPOSE
hat assertions made OF judgments expressed
without being able to give the ratioeination BY
which they are supported are baseless and m
reliable, but this il a wide mistake. With our
limited means Of investigation and observation,
We scarcely ever gather all, and sometimes not
Tie most material facts necessary for our iuiE-
ment, and the fairest outward forms are often
hollow and unsubstantiai, the beauty Of he
language and the nice adjustment Of the ne
~ = y AZ NANAAAAa L
Men OF strong perception and ~intuitive sag5ci-
y cannot thus weave the web hat dazzles he
understanding, the fash Of their minds are too
rapid 10 marx out their pathway, but theirre-
suit is unique and reliable.
He never dreamed that any man could coafer
honor on him BY his visit or appreciation.
When a distinguished stranger visited him be
made no attempt to display, it was utterly in
different to him whether his guest was Iro-
foundly impressed with his bearing OF confer
sltion- II be had been politely treated this vas
all his host cared 10 ascertain. He never ex-
acted from those beneath him any tribute tohis
age or station and be would taxi By the bour
with the poorest Of his old comrades. His
neighbors and associates felt thathe was anan
whose path It was dangerous to cross and
whose eRmity il was well to avoid, but his
house and presence were a. free and spen 70 an
visitors as II il belonged to the people ami be
was its keeper. Hence it was, although pi0ud
and sometimes ovegbearing, he was never re-
garded a. an aristoerat, he was the a Peotle'a
Man. and the soubriquet Of o Old Hickofv.D
b. which he is known throughout the weird,
sas fondly given BY he admiring massis Of
his eountrymen-
The impress Of genius, such as his, not TINS
fused into books, not painted on eanvH or
modelled into living forms, must be 10 some ex-
tent epheDeral. Il is written mainly on the
nnarfe n r0ufamunrarfaa al - H. -