Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-03-25
OLD HICKORY. K
A Graphic Pri-
vate RELATIONSHIPS Faith I'm WO-
men-His Presidential Career.

character Of Andrew jackson is from O
speech of Hon. G. l.. Vallandigham al
the Eighth Of January celebration al
Dayton, Ohio. II is a truthful and
graphic statement Of the warrior and
statesman, who more than any other
man of his day won upon thepopulaI
by his unbending will in behalf of what
he believed to be right, and his sterling
integrity
Jackson never spoke an impatient
word to his wife, servant or child; and
under his own roof approved himself the
gentlest and tenderest Of men. There
were two Jacksons,p quantity writes a
biographer; Jackson militant, and
Jackson triumphant; Jackson crossed,
and jackson having his own way Jack.
son, his mastership unquestioned, and
jackson with a rival near the throne.
He had loved his mother living, and all
his remaining life revered her dead. He
loved children and they loved him; he
loved horses; he must have loved pets-7
every true-hearted man and woman does
love them. Before a blazing fire, on a
raw and stormy night in February, with
a child on his lap, and lamb between
his knees, Benton found and announced
to him his first hope for military position
and glory. But foremost among the
milder, yet nobler, of his characteristics
was his delicate, chivalrous, absolute
faith in the virtue of women. In this
said one of the earliest and most inti-
mate of his friends, he was distin-
| IL l. e. 9TH tUifh
whom l was acquainted" " And, said
Benton, it was innate, unvarying, self
acting, including all womankind. Very
rare and very exalted is this faith.
Want of it is the beginning of immor-
tality. There is no public and there
cannot long be any private virtue where
it does not exist.
OF every crime against law, and every
offense against religion and morals, he
was accused; and thenceforth to the
end of his life millions Of his country
men were taught to believe him the
worst and most infamous of men. They
they are all dead and forgotten now.
The circumstances of his marriage
were cbtruded upon the public, and the
character of his wife, than whom purer
and better woman never lived, was
shamelessly assaulted, For this most
INCAPABLE of wrongs, with Jackson
there was no forgiveness. More than
twenty years earlier blood alone had
atoned for it. Not calmly, but with stern
and wrathful courage, Andrew jackson
could endure all this. Once only he was
moved to tears of grief, and to his wife
said. Myself | can defend, you | can
defend, but now they have assailed even
the memory of my mother. His pa
triotism was denied, and for his alleged
completely with Burr he was continually
denounced as traitor. But this he
laughed to scorn, and the man and his
popularity only gathered strength from
every assault of his enemies. The peo
pie we're for him, the States were for
him, and the electoral colleges for him.
By an overwhelming majority he was
chosen President His popularity could
stand everything, and, more than that
he could stand his popularity A
He was now President at last, and
eight years of bitterness and strife, and
eight years also of glory and honor, fol
lowed Never were such political com
binations Of talent, wealth, power inhu
ence formed against any man. Never
were they so broken. take the re-
sponsibility," said the stern old man Of
the White House; it was done, the peo-
pie sustained him, time has approved
him. Among the more memorable
events of his administration were the
veto of the Maysville road bill his now
historic toast, "Our Federal Union-it
mus be preserved" of late so often mis-
quoted the removal of the Indians; the
disruption of his first cabinet; the veto
of the United States Bank bill; his rup-
with notification; his reelection; the
removal of the deposits the panic
session." and his heroic frmness amid
difficulties by which any other man would |
have been appalled,; his decided meas
ures with France, which compelled in
demnity and extorted admiration from |
Wellington and Louis Philippe; the at
tempted assassination by Lawrence, and |
the Specie Circular. His frailties and
virtues alike were called into exercise
at every step, and at the end of eight |
years of more eventful administration
than the country had ever before wit
messed, he retired forever to the seclusion
of private life, victor in every conflict
and over every foe.
Was Andrew Jackson a rash man?
For years he was so regarded by enemy
and friend alike. But he shall himself
answer. Eight years ago an eminent
citizen of Tennessee related to me per
sonally that jackson often complained
that his real character was so little un
Aarstood. Even those who ought to
know me best," he was accustomed to
saw. "call me rash. But they are wrong
aII wrong sir. never did a rash thing
in my life unless / intended u. And
no man was more circumspect; none
more vigilant or more prudent none
more silent when it was not wise to speak
out; and none knew better how a secret
should be kept Exacting in his friend
ships. he more than returned all that he
required. Prone to suspect that no
enemy could do right, he believed with
conviction TO the last mo-
ment that no friend could do OF intend
wrong.
At the close of his administration he
retired again to the Hermitage, where, in
such quietude and seclusion as is per
nitted to one so illustrious, he passed
he eight remaining years Of long and
sventful life. /
why a CIergyman Dyed HIS Hair.