Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-03-19
OLD HICKORY.

waite RELATIONSHIPS Faith i'm WO-
men-His Presidential Career.
The following graphic picture of the
character of Andrew Jackson is from a
speech of Hon. q. L. Vallandigham at
the Eighth of January celebration at Day
ton, Ohio. 1t is truthful and graphic
statement of the warrior and statesman,
who more than any other man of his day
won upon the popular feelings of the
mass of his countrymen by his unbend-
ing 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
Jscksons," quantity writes biographer
jackson militant, and Jackson triumph
ant; Jackson crossed, and Jackson hav-
ing his own way; jackson, his master
ship unquestioned, and Jackson with a
rival near the throne" Hehad loved his
mother living, and all his remaining life
revered her dead. He loved children, and
they loved him; he loved horses; he
ought to have loved plants and
flowers; he must have loved pets
every true-hearted man and woman
does love them. Before a blazing
fire, on a raw and stormy night in Febru-
AIRY, with child on his lap, and lamb
between his knees, Benton found and an
nounced to him his first hope for military
position and glory. But foremost among
the milder, yet nobler, of his character
istics was his delicate, chivalrous, abso-
Lutte faith in the virtue of women 'Tn
this" said one of the earliest and most
intimate of his friends, Che was distin-
guishable from every other person with
whom l was acquainted And, said
Benton, SIT was innate, unvarying, self
acting, including all womankInd." Very
rare and very exalted is this faith. Want
of it is the beginning of immortality.
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 countrymen
were taught to believe him the worst and |
most infamous of men. They never be- |
lieved otherwise; but no matter, they are |
all dead and forgotten now. The circum- |
stances of his marriage were Obtruded |
upon the public, and the character of |
his wife, than whom a purer and better |
woman never lived, was shamelessly as |
saulted. For this most INCAPABLE of |
wrongs, with Jackson there was no for |
giveness. 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 10 his wife said: |
''Myself can defend, you can defend, |
but now they have assailed even the |
memory of my mother" His patriotism |
was denied, and for his alleged completely |
with BUR- 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 people were 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 popu-
larity.
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, infu-
ence formed against any man. Never
were they so broken. 81 take the re-
sponsibility;" said the stern,'old man of the
White House; it was done, the people sus-
tanned him, time has approved him.
Among the more memorable events of his
administration were the veto of the Mays
vile road bill; his now historic toast,
sour Federal Union-it must be pre-
served, y of late so often misquoted; the
removal of the Indians; the disruption of his
first cabinet; the veto of the United States
Bank bill; his rupture with Calhoun, and
subsequent war with notification; his
re election; the removal of the deposits;
ness amid difficulties by which any other
man would have been appalled,; his de-
cided measures with France, which COM
PEELED indemnity and extorted admiration
from Wellington and Louis Philippe; the
attempted 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 sd-
ministration than the country had ever
before witnessed, he retired forever to the
seclusion of private life, victor in every
conflict and over every foe.
Was Andrew Jackson rash man 4?
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 go little under
stood Even those who ought to know
me best" he was accustomed to say,
''call me rash. But they are wrong, ali
wrong, sir. l never did rash thing in
my life unless I intended 1t" And no
man was more circumspect; none more
vigilant or more prudent; none more
silent when il was not wise to speak out;
and none knew better howa secret should
be kept. Exacting in his friendships, he
more than returned all that he required.
Prone to suspect that no enemy could do ]
tight, he believed with profoundcst con- I
vicliOn to the last moment that no friend
could do or intend wrong.
At the close of his administration he
retired again to the Hermitage, where,
in such quietude and seclusiOn as is per
mi ted to one 50 iIlustrious, he passed
the eight remaining years of long and
eVentful life.