Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-07-20
ANDREW JACKSON.
who Wrote His Messages-Interest
fnr "Reminiscences

A ANDREW JACKSON.
who Wrote His Observation-Disclosures
ing "reminiscences.
The following is an extract from 8
speech of MIR. John c. Riyes, before the
Democratic Association of Washington
City more than twenty years ago. Among
other personsl "reminiscences, it contains
two or three anecdotes of Gen. jackson,
which cannot fail to be read with the in.
terest which attaches 10 every thing that
tends to illustrate the character of that
remarkable man. Mr.. Rives, who was
associated with Francis P. Blair, ST., in
the publication of the Globe, states that
it was not only his fortune to be ''patron.
Used by Andrew Jackson" but it was also
his good luck to know more about his
presidential career than those most near
and dear to him. After thus presenting
his credentials, Mr.. Rives proceeded IS
follows:
at is so generally known that Gen.
jackson was man VINO, above all others,
took responsibility in peace or in war,
that that word brings to the minds of
the people CT this country his name al
most as the letters which spell it. But it
is not so well known that he made others
take it in times of profound peace. I
know it well. He made me tske Ii, and
that made me know him so well. The
occasion for making me take il was, his
annual message got out from the Offices
the National IateLtigeRcer aud the United
States Telegraph before It was sent 10
Congress. soon after l came into the
Globe Gfice-the first session of the
twenty third Congress, believe-and sf-
forwards, as long as he was President he
gave all his messages 10 me to have print
ed, with the admOnition: 4 will hold
you responsible, sir, if that message gets
out before Congress is ready TO receive
1t. Don't let any person-1ot even one
of my Cabinet officers-have copy of it
before / seEd it to Congress-
"The printer prints from the rough
draught of the Presidents message, and
often gets part of the copy before the
message is completed. invariably went
after the copy and took the proofs back
to the President myself, which gave me
an opportunity of knowing al about who
wrote and who were consulted about
them. 1t has been said, and is no doubt
believed by many, that Gen. jackson did
not write his messages. Neither he nor
any other President ever wrote those parts
of their messages which showed the con-
dition of the several departments. They
are written by the hesds of the depart
ments respectively. Nearly the whole Of
the balance of Gen. Jackson's message
was in his handwriting. The proclsms-
ton which was intended TO carry out his
memorable toast, The Union must be
preserved, which was uttered as rebuke
TO nullification, when it first showed its
front, at the celebratian of Mr. Jeffer-
sons birth day in Washington, was re-
written by Mr.. Livingston, then Secretary
of State. Mr.. Blair, who saw the origin
al paper, has frequently told his i1jends
that he thought it better than the finished
production, and not liable to the objec-
tons to some of the principles advanced
in the latter. 1t was Gen. Jackson's in
variable practice TO put down in writing
every official paper which he submitted to
the public. He was, however, always
willing to admit suggestions, and permit
alterations where he thought them i'm
provements.
81 will relate an anecdote, or incident,
which will lead to q correct conclusion as
to who wrote Gen. Jsckson's messages,
and, also, who attended to them after
they were written.
"When l went after the annual mes
sage which demanded of the French
King Nouis Philippe) the indemnity due
10 citizens of tie United States by the
French Government, found Maj. A j.
Dnnelson, then Gen. Jackson's private
secretary, and clerk belonging 10 the
State Department, (Mr. Derrick COM
pairing the copies to be sent to both
branches of Congress with the rough
draught. Gen. Jackson was walking the
floor some twenty or thirty feet from
them smoking his pipe, paying no atten-
ton to the reading, rs l thought When
they read that part Of the message which
pressed the demand in the strongest
terms, Gen. jackson said: tDonelson.
stop there; that is not as wrote it. Maj.
Donelson replied: General, the Cabinet
had meeting, and agreed 10 soften this
a little;' and he then attempted to read
on, evidently veiy much agitated. Gen.
jackson again said to him: 'DOnelson!
stop there; that is not as wrote il. Maj.
Donelson made stammering reply, say
inc. General, the Cabinet had meeting
and agreed to soften this little. can
not alter it in time for Congress, and Mr..
Rives is here waiting for the message,
and if he does not get it shortly, he can
not have il printed in time, and continued
to stanmer on regarding 1t.
General Jackson then stamped his
foot on the floor, and SAID in 8 loud voice:
q say, stopl and put thst as wrote it.
don't care for the Cabinet, nor for Mr..
Rives and Congress waiting. 1t shall be
as | wrote it. Major Donelson then
opened his table drawer, and took from
il the slip which he had cut from the
message, and inserted it in the place of
the alteration made by the Cabinet. l
have both the original and the alteration,
/ believe, filed away, but with so many
other papers that l cannot find them con-
yeniently. Many predicted at the time
that the supposed sffront contained inthe
message would cause France to declare
war against the United States. 80 lar
from il, il caused the money to be paid;
and Louis Philippe, then KING OF France,
thought SO highly of General jackson,
that be sent an eminent artist Mr.. Healy)
to the Hermitage, to take his likeness Tor
him; the likeness was completed only
few days before the Generals death, and
is said to be the best ever taken" ---