Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-27
THURSDAY. DECEMBER "a, 1855.
A REMARKABLE TRIO.
An EngIishman's idea Of ia ksOI
Lincoln and Johnson.

Publishing Company, OF New York. con-
tains the usual variety Of entertaining and
instructive reading, the judicious intormix-
ture Of which has from It's origin been a
prominent feature Of this periodical, and
the principal cause of It's great popularity
for period Of sixty years. Among the ar
ticles in this number is one under the head
Of Three Presidents Of the United States"
which has excited much attention in
America. The Richmond Chyistian OBJ
,crrsr says that this single article SIS worth
the price Of volume" The scope Of this
article viii best be understood by reference
to Its opening paragraph, which Ue here
copy for our readers:
Bya remarkable coincidence. the greatest
dangers and difficulties of the American
Union have always befalIen j; during the
incumbency Of the Presidential Office by
men Of humble origin, defective education,
and unpolished manners. II has also hap
pened that these men have belied the fears
ofthe timid, and surpassed the expectations
Of the hopeful, by the extraordinary abili,g
they displayed, and the combined wisdom
and andacily with which fhey steered the
ship Of State through difficulties and dan
gers which might have overpowered the
craftsmanship Of leaders with more culd-
waited minds and less resolute convictions.
These men we're Andrew Jackson, who be
gan life fatherless AID penniless, glad TO DO
the meanest 'choreP about farm for bare
subsistence; Abraham Lincoln, boatman
and splitter Of logs and Andrew johnson,
go d 81 81.
town. Jackson, throughout the whole Of
his long and brilliant career, never man
aged TO attain education enough 10 write a
grammatical sentence, and never read but
one book besides the Bible, and that was
the "Vicar Of Wakefield" By diHt Of
innate energy and indomitable will, he rose
from the lowest 10 the highest estate, and
was succesBively day-labOrer pedlar, sol
dier, lawyer, shopkeeper, merchant, planter
Judge, senator, general, aad President Of the
Republic. Abraham Lincoln rose by simi-
lar means 10 the same height, and was also
laborer petty trader, lawyer, member of
the House Of Representatives, and Presi-
dent Like Jackson, he had few adyan-
tages Of education read no books but law
books and the Bible, except "Joe Miller's
Jests" and "Esop's Fables" He was blunt
Of speech and ungainly in appearance; but
by sheer pertiuacity Of purpose and simple
minded honesty, he carried TO victory the
greatest cause in which an American states
man was ever engaged. Andrew johnson,
who now occupies the perilous seat left va
cant for him by the sssassin's pistol, is a
man ineVery way as remarkable as Jackson
OF Lincoln for the stubborn and victorious
will which he has displayed, for the natu-
raj gifts which have enabled him 10 act
leading part in the history Of his country,
and for the tremendous difficulty Of the task
which he has 10 perform, unless the light
that now shines 40 brilliantly is TO be dark
ened before its noon, and he, one of the
greatest Of the Presidents, is to be remem-
bered among the least
As two Of these three remarkable Presi-
dents were furnished by our own renowned
State we will continue our extracts and
give first an Englishman's idea Of man
revered and beloved by all Tennesseans,
followed by the same authors estimate Of
Lincoln and johnson. The author pre-
faces his idea Of jackson by the remark
that personal and intellectual culture are
of little OF no advantage TO an American
politician" and that provided they have
courage, a clear purpose, and the gift Of
gab,' without which latter all other gifts
are Of no avail, the politicians Of America
have little need for scholarship. This has
been more especially the case during the
last thirty-fve years, during which the dis
ruption Of the Union has always been more
or less a question in dispute 10 embiitel
controversy, and TO force the strongest mind
to take up a position either for or against
IT," He says the first six Presidents Of th,
United States were all statesmen by training
and capacity, and gentlemen by manner
and cast Of thought; that none Of them b.
his personal character inspired much popu
lar affection, but all commanded respect 70
their talents and plblic services; aud tha
with John Quincy Adams the sixth Presi
dent, the line Of gentlemen and scholar
was interrupted and with that Of Andre,
Jackson, the seventh, that of the illiterat
pioneers and working men commenced
Having given his estimate Of the America
politicians and Presidents, wo now Civ
this Englishman's idea Of jackson, Lin
coin, and johnson in his own languag,
not however without protesting agains
the gross injustice Of his judgment upon tn
private character and habits Of this rt
markable trio.
JACKSON,
The seventh President Of the Republic
profane swearer, a drunkard and a bully
vet a brave soldier, an able commander, a
upright magistrate, and, when in the higl
est place, q aconsummate statesman. He va
accustomed TO a border life; he had fougl
the Britilh in his early youth, the wild Il
dians in his prime; and again, in matui
age, he hsd struggled against and deieate
the British at New Orleans. In additio
10 all this public battle he had done an in
mensity ofprivate fighting. He was scarc
lv three months together out Of duel or
street brawl. He had deliberately kille
one man for speaking disrespectfully Of h
wife; had quarrelled with his best friend
and transformed them into his bitter en-
mics. He was always armed and ready 4
the fray. He carried his life in the hollo
Of his hand, ready 20 risk it at all tim
against the meanest foes for the smalle
HhGnsNE. AuAUkh At hetAlAt a laNNNEY
never knew anything but the commone
rudiments Of the profession; yet he kne
enough 10 be constantly employed in Il
simple but numerous causes Of dispute th
arose between the quarrelsome hackwood
men among whom his lot was cast. As
tradesman, he was shrewd and sagacious
As President, ''Old Hickory" as he "
familisrly and afectionately named, FRO
his toughness Of character, had three hat
lin addition 10 the private ones. which we
innumerable,) } aud a single love. He hat
debt, paper money and the United Stat
Bank; aud he loved, with love unutteI
bic ard unchangeable, with love such
only an American can understand, the uni
Of the States; the union that was to ma
the Republic the first power in the worl
10 spread itself over the whole continel
from the Atlantic 10 the Pacific, from {
Arctic Sea 70 the lsthmus Of Panama-ar
dearest and most ardently wished-for CO
summation of ell, that was to domineero oy
Great Britain, and press il down into [
second or third rank by an irresistible pl
ponderance. lie had fought and bled
il against foreign foes; he was equally rea
to fght and bleed for It against domes
enemies How he conquered his favor
aversion, the bank, and toppled i; 10 ,
ground, never 90 rise sgain-how he kc
himself and the country out Of debt-a
how desperately he fought the battle Of n,