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

land he fires that were kindled in one state
could spread equally in all directions.
Il IL unnecessary for me to Tecite the changes
that have occurred since those hslcyon days,
or to show The reason why the services or char
acter ofno single individual can ever again be
estimates a. they were thea, OF his mere name
become a " atchWord q contest from the Arcoe-
took 10 the placid waters Of the Pacific. This
fact win be taken az admitted, and the oonelu-
sion drawn that, whatever may be the fate Of
our Union, whether shattered into fragments
or moving forward a. a united empire, after
ages win refer with peculiar pleasure 70 the
period ct us existence, and dwell upon Il with
delight, a. the gulden age Of the Repuhhc-ths
time Of united action az a nation, even amidst
violent shock Of opinions. would fain hope
that no deluge Of barhansm viii ever SWEEP
over America, such a. that which covered med
ieFal Europe, erasing the vestiges Of the past,
destroying our Libraries, removing the land
marks Of our civilization, and leaving future
ages partly dependent on our coins, cur statu-
arv, and our tumuli for tie knowledge of what
we now are. II would seem that, humanity
speaking, such a result was impossible; bat
20 thought Thebes, Athens and Rome in the
DAYS Of their glory, but they were swallowed up
in The storm, and such nay be our fate. II such
a calamity should ever oTertske our continent,
is civilization be buried IN ruins, and its his
tory turned into song and tradition, vet when
this darkness shah have passed WAY, and an
other revival Of learning, progress and advance
msnt commenced, the story Of our prinesval
condition viii again be eagerly sought, and
form the burden If labor for generations to
come.
Ihave concluded, felloW-citizens, after some
reflection, that 1t would not be proper or inter
esting on an occasion like the present, 10 detain
vuu for two or three hours, with 2 detailed his
tory Of the life Of Gen. Jackson, and a defense
] Of hrs political measures This IL the province
rather Of the historian than TIE orator. Most #
you, too, are familiar VITA the leading events Il
his late life, and some Of you no doubt honestly
differed from him in many Of his political views
and acts. He is now common property; death
has severed party bonds, and lsft rs 70 feel ard
think Of him only as an American, and as Tie
frSt and greatest Of the sons o. Tennessee. Il
is most expedisnt, therefore, to present you a
sketch Of his early life, paint to you the leading
features Of his character, and ulustratethem a.
FAR as possible BY a recurrence TO some Of their
most striking developments.
He was born under the burning sun Of South
Carolina, in the early part OF the year 1901,
and his parents were poor immigrants from
q The Emerald Isle From tie lips Of his
mother, be early heard Tecounted the suferinCs
Of his grandfather, at the siege Ok CarTickfer-
gus. and the objectionable wrongs inflicted bV
the English, on the d~oWntroddsn peasantTy II
his fatherland. The very lullaby that soothed
his infant cry, was a wailing protest against
n o. ~. AAA AAA 70
He enlisted as a soldier IN the war Of the Anne
riean Revolution, at the early age Of fourteen,
and FASTENED 70 meet the proud invaders, who
had crossed the ocean 10 renew their persecu-
ton Of the fugitive eNles from Ireland. he
was soon taken prisoner, ordered by British
officer n clean his boots, and upon bis refusal
10 perform this meuial service, smitten with an
unmanly blow that nearly terminated his eNis--
tenoe. He rose from the GROUND, burning with
Indignation, and appealing proudly 20 the f.
ture for his redress against his insolent foe.
When The struggle for our Independence had
terminated, his little patrimony was exhausted,
and in looking around for a pursuit IN life be
chose the profession Of the Law, and wendell his
way to North Carolina, where he spent a short
period in endeavoring to qualify himself for the
l practice. The confinement Of study, however,
little suited his ardent Temperament and after
a short n~oviate, he left his teacher, and follow
ing the pathway Of immigration, tumedhis face
10 the West, and slowly climbed TO The top Of
The mountains, that separate us from the East.
Could a prophet Of old have stood BY the side
Of the youthful adventurer as be reached the
summit Of the Blue Ridge, what a dazzling
vision would be have unfolded. Stretched al
heir feet lay the plain Of Western Tennessee,
reaching from the mountain to The shores of
The Father Of Waters L was then clothed
with unbroken forrest and matted cane, through
which rovcd numerals herds Of wild animals,
and tribes or wilder Indians. It's untold wealth
Il coal, iron and productive soil stood untouched
md almost unknown; the field was ripe fo-
the CLEANER, and behold he had come, young,
1.-THE and spare, there he stood with the sickle
IN his hand. Now, the Seer would have said,
&" Look wonder to the banks Of the beautiful
Cumberland, see where it sweeps suddenly to
the West, there you shall pitch your tent, and
upon the spot you will and IN founding the Cap
| ital Of a mighty Statei Look down upon the
rolling waters Of the Tennessee, as they glide
/ almost at our feet upon its banks; YOU win ee-
feat and nearly eXterminate these tribes Of In
dian warriors, now 50 fierce and bold From
] the shores Of Won miChtiest q rivers, will come
up 30 you a wall Of fear and distress; with
your brave associates in arms You will hasten
10 their relief, and on The plains Of New Orleans
pay back the long delayed debt Of ven
Ceance YOU owe to the proud oppTessors
Of your native and father land. A great
city win be rescued from sack and desc
lation, your name viii be magnihed in the land;
You win be bourne in triumph to Washington,
and for eight years preside over the coun-
ellis Of this widely extended Republic. You
viii return in old age to the banks Of The Cum
beTland, and there close your days in peace,
amid the profound regret of myriads Of happy
and prosperous people" Such might have
been the prophecy addressed 70 him, but no
such vision glsddened his eve, be was vet poor
and ~friendless, and he would have years 10
struggle before a name or position could be
won. He Travelled on TO Nashville, finally con-
cluded 10 locate there, and was soon appointed
AttorneV-General, in which office be served for
several years, until the call for a Convention 10
DRAFT a Constitution preparatory to our admis-
sion into the Union.
We find him then a membe Of the Conyen-
tion, il was a solemn occasion, the corner stone
Of an empire was 20 be laid, the Pioneers were
assembled and there was work 10 be done, there
was no appetite for speaking, no place for ab-
stTactions. They had the constitutions OF The
older Safes in their hands, and it was only ne
cessaryt 10 follow the models, he labor was soon
ended, the deed was done, and Tennessee was
ready for admission into the Union. The as
sent Of Congress was soon afterwards given.
and she glided into the family Of States, as
gracefully as a frigate cuts the waves when
her stays are thrown loose from the stocks. II
we're long 10 ten Of the happiness and prosper
ity we enjoyed under the shadow Of that old
Constitution. Il has gone with its trainers
from lis place amongst men, but its name is
even vet TeveTed BY a grateful people.
He was subsequently a Representative, then
a Senator in Congress from this State, and
finally Judge Of our Supreme Court But these
employments did not give vent to the consuming
5rdur and restless impstience Of his disposition ;
be resigned them with iov, and when our hori-
1on became elouded with the prospect Of a war
with Great Britain. he turned his attention eN-
c~lusivsly to military Affairs. Long previously
elected a Msjor-Genersl Of he Militia, he was
now appointed IN the service Of the United
States, and it is al this point in his career that
be first fairly became a public man. He was
now in the meridian Of his life, in the vigor Of
has faculties, and with all his powers fully de-
veloped, but not yet known, either to himself OF
to his gsRFration.
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